The volume of promotional emails top online retailers sent their subscribers dropped 9% between the last week of December 2009 and last week of January 2010, according to Chad White, research director at Responsys and author of the Retail Email Blog.
Retailers sent an average of 2.3 promotional emails on average during the week ending January 29, 2010, a 9% drop from 2.8 promotional emails during the week ending January 1, 2010. However, this number was a 1% increase from a little more than 2.2 emails the week ending January 22, 2010 and a 12% increase from a little more than two emails the week ending January 30, 2009 (via MarketingCharts).
Valentine’s Day Captures Hearts of Retailers
Promotional retail email activity will likely grow in the next two weeks as the Valentine’s Day holiday (February 14) approaches. Valentine’s Day should also continue growing in dominance of promotional retail email subject matter. From being mentioned in virtually 0% of promotional retail emails the week ending January 8, 2009, Valentine’s Day steadily increased to being mentioned in more than 20% of promotional retail emails the week ending January 29, 2009.
The only other topic with significant steady growth during the month was the Super Bowl, or “Big Game” as it is euphemistically referred to by retailers without NFL licensing rights, which grew from about 0% the first week of January 2010 to a little more than 5% the last week of January 2010. New Year’s traveled in the opposite direction, being mentioned in more than 20% of promotional retail emails the first week of the month and about 2% the last week of the month.
Decline Began in December
Retail email promotional volume actually began declining in December 2009. Retail Email Blog research indicates top online retailers sent their subscribers an average of 3.2 promotional emails each during the week ending December 25, 2009.
This represents a 21% drop from the average of 4.1 emails top online retailers sent their subscribers during the week ending December 18, 2009. In addition, during Christmas week promotional email volume slid 9% from an average of 3.6 emails sent during the week ending November 27, 2009 and 6% more than the average of three emails during Christmas week 2008.
