Every eCommerce email marketing manager will agree the inbox is a warzone. It’s where brands fight for attention, clicks, and conversions. With hundreds of emails flooding subscribers daily, how can your emails be seen above the noise?
This question made us study the email marketing strategy of three activewear giants. Lululemon, Ten Thousand, and Uniqlo. We analyzed 400+ email campaigns sent over three months (October to December 2024).
This independent study explores insights & strategies to help you optimize your campaigns and win the inbox war.
Email Frequency and Timing: Secret to Email Visibility
Finding the right email frequency is a delicate balance. Overwhelm your audience, and you risk high unsubscribes; under-communicate, and you’re forgotten. Here’s how the three brands approached this balance.
Lululemon: Sent ~7.71 emails weekly (1.46 daily), maintaining a consistent but not overbearing presence.
Ten Thousand: Sent ~6.21 emails weekly (1.06 daily), focusing on fewer, high-impact campaigns.
Uniqlo: Sent a staggering ~14.5 emails weekly (2.21 daily), aiming for top-of-mind awareness through sheer volume.
Timing also played a critical role. While Uniqlo started as early as 5:05 AM, Lululemon’s emails were crafted for late-afternoon engagement (median send time: 4:39 PM). Ten Thousand kept things tight with a midday focus (median send time: 12:01 PM).
Key Takeaway
Frequency and timing must align with your audience’s habits. While high frequency can work for a mass-market brand like Uniqlo, niche brands like Ten Thousand benefit from a targeted approach.
Subject Lines: Lifeline of a Successful Email Marketing Strategy
Your efforts in an email campaign hang on how good your subject line is. You have limited space to make each word work like a charm to earn the open. Here’s what we uncovered.
Subject Line Length: The average subject line across brands was concise—5-6 words. Uniqlo pushed the upper limit with 11-word subject lines, while Ten Thousand stayed succinct at 4.98 words.
Emotional Hooks: Urgency (e.g., “LAST CHANCE”) was a common theme, with 14.81% of Lululemon’s subject lines, compared to 12.64% for Ten Thousand and 13.24% for Uniqlo.
Opens With Discounts: Ten Thousand led the pack with 28.74% of subject lines referencing discounts. Interestingly, they were also the only brand to use emojis, adding a playful touch.
Example: “Tap In For A Free Gear Bag” (Ten Thousand) combined urgency and reward for high open rates.
Key Takeaway
Write subject lines that target your audience’s psychology. For Lululemon, emotionally resonant lines (e.g., “An instant mood boost just arrived”) appeal to a positive experience. This approach makes your subject lines remain engaging and brand-aligned.
Preview Text: Brevity to Increase Open Rate
While subject lines grab attention, preview text reinforces it leaving no room for second thoughts. We noticed that not all brands but Uniqlo maximized this opportunity.
Lululemon: Masterfully aligned preview text with subject lines. Example: “Bring on the chill” complements “Sweater weather is finally here—time to gear up.”
Ten Thousand: Focused on urgency and discounts in preview text. Example: “Private Savings: Just For You!” paired with “Act fast, sale ends soon.”
Uniqlo: Left 90.7% of preview text blank, a surprising choice that missed opportunities.
Key Takeaway
Preview text is your second chance to back your subject line and earn the open. For example, Lululemon’s “New Scuba Velvet. Melt into it.” with “Softer than whipped cream on hot cocoa.” underlines the customer experience.
Call-to-Actions (CTAs): Art of Converting Opens to Clicks
CTAs are where the magic happens—conversions. Here’s how each brand approached them.
Lululemon: Balanced and focused, with 1-2 CTAs per email. Example: “Shop what’s new.”
Ten Thousand: Similar approach but leaned slightly more on product-specific CTAs (52.87%). Example: “Get 25% off our field-tested training short.”
Uniqlo: Packed emails with CTAs (up to 4 in 29.06% of emails). These catered to diverse audience interests but risked overwhelming the customers.
Key Takeaway
Align your CTAs with your email’s goal. For example, Ten Thousand’s product-focused CTAs drive action on specific items. Tailor CTAs to create clarity and ensure conversions without distraction.
Key Lessons for eCommerce Email Marketers
1. Frequency Is Not One-Size-Fits-All
Uniqlo’s aggressive 14.5 emails per week aimed to dominate inbox visibility, which aligns with their broad audience. In contrast, Ten Thousand’s modest 6.21 emails focused on creating targeted, high-value touchpoints. Identify your audience size and preferences—if you cater to a niche, like Ten Thousand, less can truly be more.
2. Subject Lines: Match Tone to Audience
Ten Thousand’s 28.74% discount-focused subject lines resonated with their deal-conscious audience. Whereas, Lululemon’s emotionally uplifting lines (e.g., “An instant mood boost just arrived”) cater to a premium audience. Know your buyers’ triggers and craft subject lines that speak directly to them.
3. Use Preview Text Strategically
Lululemon excelled with preview text that complemented subject lines, deepening the intrigue. E.g., “You’re getting warmer” followed by “Jackets that keep your temp on lock”. But Uniqlo’s blank preview text in 90.7% of emails was a missed opportunity. This shows even big brands leave room for improvement. Fill every line of your email real estate with purpose.
Tailored CTAs Drive Results
Ten Thousand’s product-specific CTAs (52.87%) show that individual-focused offers increase conversions. Whereas, Uniqlo’s 4-CTA emails (29.06%) had a broad aim risking overwhelming readers. Strike the balance: make CTAs specific but not excessive.
Email Frequency Reflects Audience Strategy
Uniqlo’s high email frequency (14.5 emails/week) maximizes visibility for a broad audience. Ten Thousand’s 6.21 emails/week ensures targeted, impactful engagements for its niche market. For brands with a smaller or more defined audience, over-communication risks diminishing impact.
Emotional vs. Promotional Subject Lines
Lululemon’s experience-focused subject lines align with their premium, lifestyle-focused branding. E.g., “An instant mood boost just arrived”. Ten Thousand’s reliance on discounts (28.74% of subject lines) appeals to price-sensitive buyers. While Uniqlo balances between the two approaches. Consider which tone best resonates with your audience’s motivations.
Preview Text Usage Reveals Missed Opportunities
Lululemon pairs compelling subject lines with complementary preview text, reinforcing their message (e.g., “Bring on the chill” + “Sweater weather is finally here—time to gear up”). Ten Thousand uses preview text for urgency and offers, while Uniqlo leaves 90.7% blank—a stark example of underutilized real estate. Consistently using preview text can significantly boost engagement.
CTA Count and Focus Differ
Ten Thousand’s product-specific CTAs (52.87%) align with their tactical, performance-driven appeal, encouraging targeted actions. Conversely, Uniqlo’s frequent use of 4 CTAs in nearly 30% of emails caters to a wide audience but risks overwhelming recipients. Tailor CTA focus to the intended audience action, ensuring clarity and simplicity.
Strategic Use of Emojis and Visual Cues
Ten Thousand’s limited use of emojis (e.g., “🔥”) sets them apart, creating a playful yet professional tone. Lululemon and Uniqlo avoid emojis entirely reinforcing their brand-centric approaches. Emojis can be powerful when used sparingly and aligned with the brand voice.
Analyzing such patterns can reveal gaps and opportunities in your eCommerce email marketing strategy. For instance, if your competitors leave preview text blank or avoid emojis, these could be your avenues to stand out.
To Summarize
While there are overlaps in the email marketing strategy of each brand, Uniqlo has an unconventional approach. On a higher level, campaigns align with the brand persona, audience, and goals. But underneath these successful email marketing strategies, they don’t sweat the small stuff. It includes their email deliverability and subscriber engagement.
Ready to transform your email marketing? Start by applying these insights to see an uptick in your open and click rates.
