Dark Art of Store Emails

The first one lands before the sun comes up: "Sale! Our buyers' favorite picks up to 50% off." An hour later, there's another: "4 deals inside and everything ships free!" By the time you get to work, even more: "Exactly What She Wants: Chic Shoes and Handbags on Sale Now!" In the avalanche of messages hitting inboxes this time of year, retailers' emails work extra hard to stand out, with painstakingly-crafted sales pitches that nudge you through a desired progression that starts with opening the email, reading it, clicking through to the website and, finally, the holy grail, making the purchase.