E-mail Marketing: Exposures Tests Bear Sales Flashes

Within Exposures’ total contribution increase in e-mail (increase in sales and decrease in operating expense), it enjoyed a 43 percent increase in total contribution, a 35 percent increase in contribution per order and a 6 percent response increase.

As for Exposures’ e-mail reminder campaign, the cataloger sent a follow-up e-mail reminding customers of a targeted sale. Exposures mailed a postcard promoting a sale and a follow-up e-mail reminder of that sale.

The e-mailed group had a total sales gain of 11 percent over the postcard mailed on its own. E-mail increased the number of orders by 10 percent and e-mails increased Exposures’ promotional costs by just 3 percent.

Exposures’ content-specific e-mails increased its average order size by 14 percent, while total sales increased 5 percent for the targeted group. The end result was increased contribution.

“Our open rates have hovered around 30 percent; our conversion rates have been around 8 percent,” Updike said. “We’ve had a strong conversion rate and a loyal customer base. What’s more, e-mail subscribers spent 62 percent more than customers we don’t have an opt-in address for. E-mail subscribers made 50 percent more purchases than our total buyer file, on average.”

The company didn’t conduct any e-mail tests without a print catalog or postcard accompaniment, Updike pointed out, noting that Exposures feels it’s not ready for any e-mail-only campaigns yet.