This is an Iterable User Engagement Teardown comparing the user engagement strategies of leading general merchandise retailers Wish and Kohl's. Outreach was closely studied for three weeks following account creation. After evaluating all email and mobile messages received, we identify what these companies do well and where there is room for improvement. Everything shown in the slides (and any recommendations) can be implemented with Iterable’s growth marketing platform.

1. User Engagement Teardown
General Merchandise Retailers

2. A QUICK WORD ON ITERABLE
2
● Iterable is the growth marketing platform that
powers world-class customer engagement with
unparalleled data flexibility.
● Create, execute and optimize campaigns across
email, push, SMS, in-app and more.
● Everything you see here (and more) can be done with
Iterable. You can see other teardowns at:
iterable.com/teardown

3. 3
WHAT IS A “USER ENGAGEMENT TEARDOWN?”
● We analyze cross-channel user
engagement over a defined period
post-signup.
● We offer constructive evaluation
and feedback.
● We cover all types of B2C
businesses: e-commerce,
marketplaces, media, politics, etc.

4. 4
BACKGROUND ON THE BRANDS
● Wish and Kohl’s are two of the largest companies in online and
traditional retail sales.
○ Wish, founded in 2010, is an online shopping platform with over
$1.5 billion in revenue, making it the third-largest e-commerce
marketplace in the United States.
○ Kohl’s, which opened its first department store in 1962, now has
over 1,100 locations in every state except Hawaii. The company is
a top-20 department store in terms of retail sales.

5. 5
WHAT WE DID
● We signed up and received messages
over three weeks in January 2020.
● We escalated our activity over time:
○ Downloaded mobile apps
○ Completed user profiles
○ Browsed items on mobile
○ Added items to our wish list
○ Browsed items on desktop
○ Abandoned mobile orders

6. On to the User Engagement Timeline...

7. USERACTIVITYMESSAGES
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
DAYS
FROM
START:
MobileDesktop
ACTIVITY TYPE MESSAGE TYPE
Scheduled
Transactional
Triggered
Push
SMS
7
USER ENGAGEMENT TIMELINE
We’ll show you what we (the user) did here…
…and the messages we received here.
Activities and message types are color coded as shown in this key.
15 16 17 18 19 20

8. First, let’s take a look at
Wish’s user engagement

9. Abandon
online order
9
WISH’S USER ENGAGEMENT TIMELINE
Download App
Complete user
profile
Browse Item Mobile
End
Research
USERACTIVITYMESSAGESUSERACTIVITYMESSAGES
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
DAYS
FROM
START:
Browse Desktop
Add to Wish List
15 16 17 18 19 20
MobileDesktop
ACTIVITY TYPE MESSAGE TYPE
Scheduled
Transactional
Triggered
Push
SMS

10. Abandon
online order
10
WISH’S USER ENGAGEMENT TIMELINE
Download App
Complete user
profile
Browse Item
End
Research
USERACTIVITYMESSAGESUSERACTIVITYMESSAGES
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
DAYS
FROM
START:
Browse Desktop
Add to Wish List
15 16 17 18 19 20
MobileDesktop
ACTIVITY TYPE MESSAGE TYPE
Scheduled
Transactional
Triggered
Push
SMS
Right after signing up, Wish offered a welcome gift. Upon
selecting an item, we received an immediate confirmation email,
followed by a second confirmation email later that evening.

11. Abandon
online order
11
WISH’S USER ENGAGEMENT TIMELINE
Download App
Complete user
profile
Browse Item
End
Research
USERACTIVITYMESSAGESUSERACTIVITYMESSAGES
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
DAYS
FROM
START:
Browse Desktop
Add to Wish List
15 16 17 18 19 20
MobileDesktop
ACTIVITY TYPE MESSAGE TYPE
Scheduled
Transactional
Triggered
Push
SMSBetween the confirmation emails, we received a welcome email
with a helpful guide for how to use the Wish app.

12. Abandon
online order
12
WISH’S USER ENGAGEMENT TIMELINE
Download App
Complete user
profile
Browse Item Mobile
End
Research
USERACTIVITYMESSAGESUSERACTIVITYMESSAGES
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
DAYS
FROM
START:
Browse Desktop
Add to Wish List
15 16 17 18 19 20
MobileDesktop
ACTIVITY TYPE MESSAGE TYPE
Scheduled
Transactional
Triggered
Push
SMS
Over the course of the next few days, Wish sent promotions solely
by email despite us having browsed items via mobile. One
promotion, however, did refer back to our watch purchase.

13. Abandon
online order
13
WISH’S USER ENGAGEMENT TIMELINE
Download App
Complete user
profile
Browse Item Mobile
End
Research
USERACTIVITYMESSAGESUSERACTIVITYMESSAGES
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
DAYS
FROM
START:
Browse Desktop
Add to Wish List
15 16 17 18 19 20
MobileDesktop
ACTIVITY TYPE MESSAGE TYPE
Scheduled
Transactional
Triggered
Push
SMS
After a few days, we received a shipping confirmation notice via email.
The message confirmed address and purchased item in addition to
providing tracking information.

14. Abandon
online order
14
WISH’S USER ENGAGEMENT TIMELINE
Download App
Complete user
profile
Browse Item Mobile
End
Research
USERACTIVITYMESSAGESUSERACTIVITYMESSAGES
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
DAYS
FROM
START:
Browse Desktop
Add to Wish List
15 16 17 18 19 20
MobileDesktop
ACTIVITY TYPE MESSAGE TYPE
Scheduled
Transactional
Triggered
Push
SMS
Throughout the middle of our research we received only
promotional emails. The first message in this section explained
how to use coupons. It also asked us to download the app, which
we had already done to kick off the study.

15. Abandon
online order
15
WISH’S USER ENGAGEMENT TIMELINE
Download App
Complete user
profile
Browse Item Mobile
End
Research
USERACTIVITYMESSAGESUSERACTIVITYMESSAGES
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
DAYS
FROM
START:
Browse Desktop
Add to Wish List
15 16 17 18 19 20
MobileDesktop
ACTIVITY TYPE MESSAGE TYPE
Scheduled
Transactional
Triggered
Push
SMS
Further promotions offered helpful tips to make the most of
interacting with the Wish app.

16. Abandon
online order
16
WISH’S USER ENGAGEMENT TIMELINE
Download App
Complete user
profile
Browse Item Mobile
End
Research
USERACTIVITYMESSAGESUSERACTIVITYMESSAGES
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
DAYS
FROM
START:
Browse Desktop
Add to Wish List
15 16 17 18 19 20
MobileDesktop
ACTIVITY TYPE MESSAGE TYPE
Scheduled
Transactional
Triggered
Push
SMS
Later on, Wish continued promoting more watches to buy.
This promotion, in particular, used an animated gif to walk
through the browsing process.

17. Abandon
online order
17
WISH’S USER ENGAGEMENT TIMELINE
Download App
Complete user
profile
Browse Item Mobile
End
Research
USERACTIVITYMESSAGESUSERACTIVITYMESSAGES
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
DAYS
FROM
START:
Browse Desktop
Add to Wish List
15 16 17 18 19 20
MobileDesktop
ACTIVITY TYPE MESSAGE TYPE
Scheduled
Transactional
Triggered
Push
SMS
The day after adding a comforter to our wish list, we received
a message promoting the same comforter. This promo came
with a similar design and messaging to Wish’s more common
“Today’s Trending Products” promotions.

18. Abandon
online order
18
WISH’S USER ENGAGEMENT TIMELINE
Download App
Complete user
profile
Browse Item Mobile
End
Research
USERACTIVITYMESSAGESUSERACTIVITYMESSAGES
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
DAYS
FROM
START:
Browse Desktop
Add to Wish List
15 16 17 18 19 20
MobileDesktop
ACTIVITY TYPE MESSAGE TYPE
Scheduled
Transactional
Triggered
Push
SMS
On the same day we abandoned our cart on mobile, we
received a promotion based on our desktop browsing from two
days prior. We never received a cart abandonment message.

19. Abandon
online order
19
WISH’S USER ENGAGEMENT TIMELINE
Download App
Complete user
profile
Browse Item Mobile
End
Research
USERACTIVITYMESSAGESUSERACTIVITYMESSAGES
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
DAYS
FROM
START:
Browse Desktop
Add to Wish List
15 16 17 18 19 20
MobileDesktop
ACTIVITY TYPE MESSAGE TYPE
Scheduled
Transactional
Triggered
Push
SMS
Of note, two of Wish’s promotions went to our spam folder.
The images in these emails did not load properly.

20. WISH’S USER ENGAGEMENT TIMELINE
INBOX SNAPSHOT & OBSERVATIONS
20
● Consistent sender name
● Emoji usage to catch the reader’s attention
● First name personalization in pre-header text
● Item callout in subject line

21. Now, we’ll look at
Kohl’s user engagement

22. Abandon
online order
22
KOHL’S USER ENGAGEMENT TIMELINE
Download App
Complete user
profile
Browse Item
End
Research
USERACTIVITYMESSAGESUSERACTIVITYMESSAGES
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
DAYS
FROM
START:
Browse Desktop
Add to Wish List
15 16 17 18 19 20
MobileDesktop
ACTIVITY TYPE MESSAGE TYPE
Scheduled
Transactional
Triggered
Push
SMS

23. Abandon
online order
23
KOHL’S USER ENGAGEMENT TIMELINE
Download App
Complete user
profile
Browse Item
End
Research
USERACTIVITYMESSAGESUSERACTIVITYMESSAGES
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
DAYS
FROM
START:
Browse Desktop
Add to Wish List
15 16 17 18 19 20
MobileDesktop
ACTIVITY TYPE MESSAGE TYPE
Scheduled
Transactional
Triggered
Push
SMS
Kohl’s opened their marketing program with a welcome email
detailing what information is stored in our account.

24. Abandon
online order
24
KOHL’S USER ENGAGEMENT TIMELINE
Download App
Complete user
profile
Browse Item
End
Research
USERACTIVITYMESSAGESUSERACTIVITYMESSAGES
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
DAYS
FROM
START:
Browse Desktop
Add to Wish List
15 16 17 18 19 20
MobileDesktop
ACTIVITY TYPE MESSAGE TYPE
Scheduled
Transactional
Triggered
Push
SMS
Following the welcome email, Kohl’s sent an introduction to
its rewards program “Yes2You Rewards” with a $5 reward and
an explanation of how the program works.
Rewards messages came from a unique sender
name and address specific to the program.

25. Abandon
online order
25
KOHL’S USER ENGAGEMENT TIMELINE
Download App
Complete user
profile
Browse Item
End
Research
USERACTIVITYMESSAGESUSERACTIVITYMESSAGES
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
DAYS
FROM
START:
Browse Desktop
Add to Wish List
15 16 17 18 19 20
MobileDesktop
ACTIVITY TYPE MESSAGE TYPE
Scheduled
Transactional
Triggered
Push
SMS
Kohl’s first mobile push notification arrived one day after
downloading the app and prompted us to begin shopping.

26. Abandon
online order
26
KOHL’S USER ENGAGEMENT TIMELINE
Download App
Complete user
profile
Browse Item
End
Research
USERACTIVITYMESSAGESUSERACTIVITYMESSAGES
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
DAYS
FROM
START:
Browse Desktop
Add to Wish List
15 16 17 18 19 20
MobileDesktop
ACTIVITY TYPE MESSAGE TYPE
Scheduled
Transactional
Triggered
Push
SMS
The company completed its welcome campaign with a thank
you message and coupon code.

27. Abandon
online order
27
KOHL’S USER ENGAGEMENT TIMELINE
Download App
Complete user
profile
Browse Item
End
Research
USERACTIVITYMESSAGESUSERACTIVITYMESSAGES
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
DAYS
FROM
START:
Browse Desktop
Add to Wish List
15 16 17 18 19 20
MobileDesktop
ACTIVITY TYPE MESSAGE TYPE
Scheduled
Transactional
Triggered
Push
SMS
On the day we added an item to our wish list, Kohl’s sent a
reminder message about our $5 reward as well as a call to
download and use the app.

28. Abandon
online order
28
KOHL’S USER ENGAGEMENT TIMELINE
Download App
Complete user
profile
Browse Item
End
Research
USERACTIVITYMESSAGESUSERACTIVITYMESSAGES
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
DAYS
FROM
START:
Browse Desktop
Add to Wish List
15 16 17 18 19 20
MobileDesktop
ACTIVITY TYPE MESSAGE TYPE
Scheduled
Transactional
Triggered
Push
SMS
The next two push notifications heavily utilized emojis—even
replacing words with emojis—and followed somewhat of a
bird theme in their messaging.

29. Abandon
online order
29
KOHL’S USER ENGAGEMENT TIMELINE
Download App
Complete user
profile
Browse Item
End
Research
USERACTIVITYMESSAGESUSERACTIVITYMESSAGES
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
DAYS
FROM
START:
Browse Desktop
Add to Wish List
15 16 17 18 19 20
MobileDesktop
ACTIVITY TYPE MESSAGE TYPE
Scheduled
Transactional
Triggered
Push
SMS
The last push notification we received played off the
upcoming Valentine’s Day holiday. It also used emojis to
supplement its messaging and even offered a discount.

30. Abandon
online order
30
KOHL’S USER ENGAGEMENT TIMELINE
Download App
Complete user
profile
Browse Item
End
Research
USERACTIVITYMESSAGESUSERACTIVITYMESSAGES
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
DAYS
FROM
START:
Browse Desktop
Add to Wish List
15 16 17 18 19 20
MobileDesktop
ACTIVITY TYPE MESSAGE TYPE
Scheduled
Transactional
Triggered
Push
SMS
Kohl’s cart abandonment campaign messages came one and
three days after we abandoned our order. The content of the
messages was the same, but the subject lines differed.

31. KOHL’S USER ENGAGEMENT TIMELINE
INBOX SNAPSHOT & OBSERVATIONS
31
● Sender name variance depending on content
● Discounts and rewards in subject lines
● Relevant pre-header text

32. Let’s drill into our takeaways

33. 33
OUTREACH SUMMARY
● Wish focused its marketing on exclusively email messaging. The company
employed a comprehensive welcome campaign that included offers in
addition to a heavily discounted gift. Wish was unable, however, to connect
information from mobile into its campaigns.
● Kohl’s employed a cross-channel marketing strategy that utilized email and
push notifications to foster engagement. The company’s welcome campaign
and rewards program were informative and timely. Kohl’s initial mobile
messaging came based on our actions, but moved more into nurture from
there.

34. 34
CROSS-CHANNEL SUMMARY
● Over the course of our 3-week study, the general merchandise retailers differed in their cross-channel
tactics. Mobile message usage varied greatly from company to company with little continuity between
mobile and desktop channels.
COMPANY PUSH SMS EMAIL SPAM
Wish 0 0 45 2
Kohl’s 4 0 12 0

35. Iterable’s Recommendations

36. RECOMMENDATION SUMMARIES
36
● Wish’s Strengths
○ Consistent messaging cadence to stay top of mind for users
○ Comprehensive welcome campaign with enticing offer to introduce
users to the brand
○ Detailed descriptions of how to benefit from everything Wish has to
offer
● Enhancement Opportunities
○ Employ multi-channel programming to stimulate further interaction
and purchase from mobile users
○ Build recommendations to complement user behavior beyond
repeated purchases
○ Integrate mobile and desktop data to better understand mobile
activity

37. ● Kohl’s Strengths
○ Cross-channel campaigns keep users engaged across devices
○ Multi-touch cart abandonment campaign with relevant information to
simplify the customer experience
○ Rewards program guides with pertinent information to improve
benefits
● Enhancement Opportunities
○ Expand mobile marketing to more lifecycle stages for greater
relevance at each point of the customer journey
○ Keep a consistent cadence to avoid slipping from the customer’s
attention
○ Diversify promotions in design and content to increase engagement
RECOMMENDATION SUMMARIES
37

38. HOW ITERABLE POWERS CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT
Iterable enables brands to build highly
personalized welcome & onboarding
campaigns that activate consumer interest
38
Targeted segmentation of new memberships
converted 40% of users to make 1st purchase
Ongoing testing increased click rates on
mobile by 47% during early days of app launch
New user data is collected to curate
personalized fitness sessions

39. IF YOU LIKED THIS TEARDOWN...
You’ll enjoy the others! Find them at iterable.com/teardown
39
Join the discussion on Twitter @Iterable, using #UEteardown