The flash sale model is moving to the travel sector, with Cruise price comparison website CruiseCompare teaming up with Cheapflights to launch a cruise flash sales on its site. The deals are available for seven days with savings of up to 50% being offered to members of the site on a range of cruises, according to Travolution.

Another example is Travelocity, which recently launched a twist on the concept: a single new "dashing deal," available only on that day, but valid for travel for up to several months (via the Baltimore Sun).

Making Room for Flash Sale E-mail Campaigns

As flash sales become more of an expectation by consumers — much as the daily deal market model has — marketers will have to learn to target accordingly, no matter the particular sector.

Email marketing timing will be key, as email is a key traffic driver for advertising flash sales. Indeed, 18% of the referrals to flash sales websites come from email, which is higher than social (13%) and search (11%) according to Experian Hitwise data. Experian reports that:

· 3-hour flash sales have the best transaction-to-click rates, which are 59% higher, as well as the highest transaction rates (.14%)

· U.S. visits to flash sales websites increased 59% in August 2011 versus August 2010.

· Transaction rates are 23% higher for evening flash sales compared with lunchtime sales, and revenue per email is 30% higher in the evening

· 74% of mailers have higher transaction-to-click rates and 67% have higher transaction rates on their flash sales compared with their yearly rate.

Other advice is offered by Email Responsibly.

· If you can’t test sending a flash sale later in the day, test sending a reminder to those that opened and clicked but did not convert. "The lack of inbox competition for the customer’s attention later in the day offers email marketers an opportunity to optimize flash sale campaigns to improve ROI."

· Create a sense of urgency by with the exact discount, as well as the time limit of the discount, in the subject line.