The Email Wars

Every once in a while I come across an ecommerce driven email that makes me stop and think for a minute. Not on the design and execution but the copy. I was recently caught by this one from Banana Republic as I was amazed just how many times the words “Save, Shop, Spend, Free and More” were used. If you look at the creative you might see what I am talking about as I did not know where to click? 

Not that I was in market to buy when this popped in my inbox, but if I was what the hell was I supposed to focus on? It made me feel like there was a virtual barker placed in my inbox trying to get me to enter the circus tent to see the world’s smallest man. I mean just how many times must the message in your copy repeat itself to resonate with the subscriber and drive action to the item or store? 

Was I supposed to shop? Was I going to Save? Would it be free? Or did they just want to test all sorts of ideas in one email? Simple in all things, especially the inbox wins everytime. This email just confused me as to what I was going to get once I clicked through. Would I forget to use the coupon code? Would the coupon code give me all of these things at once? Or would I need to go back and forth between the web experience and the email to make sure that I got EVERYTHING that was reflected in these offers? 

No clue. Pulled the rip cord and walked away. 

Just my own advice, take it if you want it, but focus on the value and the driver to action. If you give too many messages from Subject Line to email you will confuse and possibly lose the sale.