AM Inbox: Your sister's name is Spam

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

Babies “R” Us, 7/16 — Save up to 30% on Spring/Summer items PLUS Free Shipping on Select Graco!
When I subscribed to Toy “R” Us’s email program I was given the option to also receive emails from sister brand Babies “R” Us. I distinctly remember not checking that box, so after months of receiving Toys “R” Us emails I was pretty perplexed to see this Babies “R” Us email land in my inbox with zero explanation. Sent under the “Babies R Us” sender name and from a Babies “R” Us branded sender address babiesrus@babiesrus.rsys1.com and with a Babies “R” Us logo, this is the kind of explicit permission violation that’s likely to turn into spam complaints.



PetSmart, 7/16 — See what's new at the pets.com pet community!
PetSmart did considerably better with this Pets.com email. They used the familiar “PetSmart” brand as their sender name and worked the Pets.com brand into the subject line. On the downside, they sent the email from a different address than usual (although it still bore PetSmart branding (petperks@e1.petsmart-mail.com)), and used the Pets.com logo instead of PetSmart. There is PetSmart branding in the header, but I don’t see why they couldn’t have used their normal banner. The call-to-actions would have still driven subscribers to Pets.com just as effectively while the PetSmart banner would have boosted recognition in the inbox.



Bluefly, 7/16 — Its Time To Think About Cashmere...
It’s time to think about spelling “it’s” correctly.

SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
Macy’s, 7/16 — Gas prices got you down? This week clearance items ship for only 99¢
Kmart, 7/16 — Midnight Madness is Back Tonight - Save up to 40%
Spiegel, 7/16 — Lunchtime Special: Extra 25% OFF Already-Reduced Designer Styles & More!
Saks Fifth Avenue, 7/16 — The New Denim Shop
Drs. Foster & Smith, 7/16 — Our Biggest Sale Ever Plus Photo Contest Winners
Target, 7/16 — What makes a house a home: Stylish finds and select free shipping.
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