AM Inbox: 'X Days of Christmas' strategies

>>I’ve joined Smith-Harmon as their new research director. Read the press release.

The Retail Email Blog monitors the email marketing campaigns of more than 100 top online retailers. Here are highlights from my inbox this morning:

L.L. Bean, 12/2 — Save Two Ways: NEW Sale Items + FREE Gift Card
Several retailers have begun their “12 Days of Christmas” email and website campaigns—including Blair, Nascar and REI—while others have opted for longer campaigns of up to 24 days and longer. RadioShack, SmartBargains, Target and other retailers are in this second camp—along with L.L. Bean, who in this email promotes their Holiday Countdown Calendar. Essentially it’s an Advent calendar with a retail spin, plus snippets from L.L. Bean staffers talking about their holiday traditions. Adding in the holiday traditions of staffers certainly takes the edge off the “consumerism is killing the spirituality of Christmas” reaction that some might have, I wonder if it’s enough. Regardless, this is a novel approach.



Cooking.com, 12/2 — Best-Selling, Best-Rated Gifts that Ship Free + Deal of the Day
When you want to avoid sending daily emails, there are three strategies for “12 Days of Christmas” campaigns: (1) you include a calendar of deals in your emails, as Nascar did last year (see Dec. 3, 2007 AM Inbox) and is doing again this year; (2) you ask for an additional opt-in to send daily emails, as Petco and Sam’s Club are doing; or (3) you run the “12 Days” campaign on your website and refer to it in your emails, which Cooking.com is doing in this email.



SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
Nascar, 12/2 — 12 Deals of Christmas at the NASCAR Superstore
REI, 12/2 — The North Face Classic Fleece + REI-OUTLET's Daily Holiday Deals
Blair, 12/2 — Perfect Gifts. Perfect Prices. Starting at under $10.
Macy’s, 12/2 — Free Shipping on tens of thousands of sale items + great values!
Montgomery Ward, 12/2 — Wards Credit Makes Buying Kids Gifts Easy!
Neiman Marcus, 12/2 — MORE NEW ARRIVALS! Designer Sale + Free online shipping at any price
Musician’s Friend, 12/2 — Musician's Friend: A Message & Special Holiday Offer From Our CEO
_____________________
SEARCH... By Post Category / By Selling Season / By Retailer / By Topic / Monthly Archive