The email strategy teardown of a major brand analyzed their email flows and marketing effectiveness. Key actions included welcoming new subscribers, promoting abandoned carts, and confirming purchases, though the communication was often cluttered and overwhelming. Recommendations include clearer calls to action and more targeted messaging to enhance customer experience.

1. Email strategy
teardown:
Target

2. Email strategy teardown:
We reviewed the email strategy of a mega-brand to
understand their email flows and see if they've built an
email marketing strategy as big and successful as their
name.
Checkout the online version here on our website!
What’s a teardown?

3. • Founded in 1827 (190 years ago!)
• Headquartered in Minneapolis, MN
• Second largest discount stores in the US
• 1.2 million daily visitors
Introduction
Action 1:
Subscribe
Action 2:
Abandoned
Cart
Action 3:
Purchase
Conclusion

4. The actions we took
Subscribe to email
newsletter
Abandon a cart Purchase abandoned
item after a week
ACTION 3ACTION 2ACTION 1
Introduction
Action 1:
Subscribe
Action 2:
Abandoned
Cart
Action 3:
Purchase
Conclusion

5. Day
01
Day
02
Day
03
Day
04
Day
05
Day
06
Subscribed
to emails
Welcome Welcome Weekly ad Promotion
OUR
ACTIONS
:
Introduction
Action 1:
Subscribe
Action 2:
Abandoned
Cart
Action 3:
Purchase
Conclusion

6. Day
07
Day
08
Day
09
Day
10
Day
11
Day
12
Abandoned
cart
Newsletter Promotion Promotion Promotion Promotion Promotion
Weekly ad
Abandoned
cart
Abandoned
cart
OUR
ACTIONS
:
Introduction
Action 1:
Subscribe
Action 2:
Abandoned
Cart
Action 3:
Purchase
Conclusion

7. Day
13
Day
14
Day
15
Day
16
Day
17
Day
18
Purchased
Abandoned
cart
Promotion
Order
confirmatio
n
Promotion
Order
shipped
Order
delivered
Promotion
Promotion Promotion
OUR
ACTIONS
:
Introduction
Action 1:
Subscribe
Action 2:
Abandoned
Cart
Action 3:
Purchase
Conclusion

8. Day
19
Day
20
Day
21
Day
22
Day
23
Day
24
Promotion Weekly ad Promotion Promotion Promotion Promotion
OUR
ACTIONS
:
Introduction
Action 1:
Subscribe
Action 2:
Abandoned
Cart
Action 3:
Purchase
Conclusion

9. Timely, this email was sent
immediately after I created an
account.
DAY 01 Welcome email
Great CTA. Clear copy and
surrounded by plenty of white
space so it stands out.
Introduction
Action 1:
Subscribe
Action 2:
Abandoned
Cart
Action 3:
Purchase
Conclusion

10. A second welcome email a
couple days later. Based on
our data, we recommend
welcoming new subscribers
with 2-3 emails.
This email both extends the
relationship and adds
purchase incentives with
discounts and flash sales,
without being pushy.
Lacks a clear CTA. The
“welcome” is drowned out by
an overwhelming number of
deals.
DAY 03 Welcome email (2)
Introduction
Action 1:
Subscribe
Action 2:
Abandoned
Cart
Action 3:
Purchase
Conclusion

11. Missed opportunity
To join Target’s newsletter, you must
create an account.
This is a great opportunity to ask for
information about the new subscriber in
order to be more targeted with future
communications.
Introduction
Action 1:
Subscribe
Action 2:
Abandoned
Cart
Action 3:
Purchase
Conclusion

12. DAY 08 Abandoned cart
Clear CTA right at the top of
the email with H1 and H2
leading to the action.
If abandoned due to
indecision, they provide similar
items which demonstrates they
have product
recommendations setup.
Including a photo of the
product makes it clear what
product was abandoned.
Introduction
Action 1:
Subscribe
Action 2:
Abandoned
Cart
Action 3:
Purchase
Conclusion

13. Persistent. A second email
was sent the following day.
Same email though…
If I was on the fence, a
discount might have gotten me
over it.
DAY 09 Abandoned cart (2)
Introduction
Action 1:
Subscribe
Action 2:
Abandoned
Cart
Action 3:
Purchase
Conclusion

14. Great customer experience.
Target provides all the
information you need post-
purchase.
DAY 14 Purchased
To complement the must-have
info at the top, additional “good
to know” tidbits are added to
the bottom.
Introduction
Action 1:
Subscribe
Action 2:
Abandoned
Cart
Action 3:
Purchase
Conclusion

15. Continuing the good
customer service by
keeping me in the loop.
They provided a link
directing me to a page
where I can track your
package.
DAY 16 Order shipped
Introduction
Action 1:
Subscribe
Action 2:
Abandoned
Cart
Action 3:
Purchase
Conclusion

16. A weekly email peppering me
with what seems like an
endless amount of deals.
Peaks my interest but is a little
too much. Focus on one or two
deals a week.
Additional email Weekly ad
Introduction
Action 1:
Subscribe
Action 2:
Abandoned
Cart
Action 3:
Purchase
Conclusion

17. Great idea. A section
at the bottom letting
me know when
abandoned items in
my cart drop in price.
DAY 00 Weekly ad
Introduction
Action 1:
Subscribe
Action 2:
Abandoned
Cart
Action 3:
Purchase
Conclusion

18. Conclusion
Target provides a great customer
experience, keeping me in the loop
throughout the purchasing process.
The emails are full of deals but
tended to be a little cluttered and
overwhelming.
Good idea to incorporate my
abandoned cart items in their
weekly ads and promotional emails.
Introduction
Action 1:
Subscribe
Action 2:
Abandoned
Cart
Action 3:
Purchase
Conclusion