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We analyzed over 6,300 emails from 200+ popular arts & crafts e-commerce brands over three months and compared them with the previous quarter. This playbook highlights key trends in send times, frequency, subject lines, and CTAs to help you optimize your email campaigns.
This report is based on data collected from publicly available email campaigns sent by arts & crafts ecommerce brands between April and June 2025 to random subscribers across 15+ email inboxes. While we strive for accuracy in our analysis, individual results may vary based on specific audience demographics, market conditions, and other factors. The strategies outlined in this report should be tested and adapted to your unique business needs. TargetBay is not affiliated with any of the brands mentioned in this report unless explicitly stated. All trademarks and brand names are the property of their respective owners.
We analyzed 6,365 emails from 204 Arts & Crafts brands—1,587 emails in Q1 and 4,778 emails in Q2 of 2025—to uncover how email marketing strategies evolved this year. This report dives deep into key trends across send times, email frequency, subject lines, preview texts, CTAs, deliverability, and email types. Whether you’re a brand owner or marketer in the Arts & Crafts space, this analysis will help you understand what’s working, what’s not, and how to optimize your campaigns for better engagement, higher inbox placement, and stronger results in a competitive email landscape. Let’s get into the insights.
| Metric Studied | Q1 (2025) | Q2 (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Emails Studied | 1,587 | 4,778 |
| Number of Brands Studied | 93 | 204 |
| Average Emails Sent / Week / brand | 1.26 | 1.88 |
| Email Inbox Rate (%) | 0.69% | 2.89% |
| Promotion Placement Rate (%) | 94.27% | 82.04% |
| SPAM Rate (%) | 5.04% | 15.07% |
| Popular Email Send Time Segment | 12pm - 3pm | 3pm - 6pm |
| Most Common Email Type | Discount Emails | Discount Emails |
| Most Common Email CTA | Shop now (93) | Shop now (711) |
In Q2 2025, email send times in the arts and crafts industry showed distinct patterns. Brands appeared to strategically time their email campaigns to align with consumer behavior, likely targeting shoppers during peak engagement periods.
Upon analysis, we found that the most popular send time window across brands was the 3pm-6pm period, followed closely by 9am-12pm. This suggests a clear preference for late afternoon sends, possibly targeting consumers during mid-day breaks or after work hours when they are more likely to engage with emails. Brands such as Musiciansfriend and Guitarcenter favored this late afternoon window, which might reflect their focus on reaching professionals and hobbyists who are active during those times, likely after office hours.
A smaller group of brands, like Joann and Michaels, leaned towards sending emails in the 9am-12pm time segment, which may be aimed at customers shopping for arts and crafts materials during morning hours, possibly before starting their day or after morning routines.
In comparison to Q1, where there was a more balanced spread across the day, Q2 shows a stronger inclination towards these two time slots. The shift could be attributed to seasonal sales strategies targeting post-work or break periods, aligning with shoppers’ habits as they make purchase decisions during their leisure time.
Brands should consider testing late afternoon sends (3pm-6pm) and morning sends (9am-12pm) to optimize engagement. Analyzing customer interaction data during these times could provide deeper insights into the most effective targeting strategy based on specific customer segments.
In Q2 2025, email frequency in the arts and crafts industry exhibited notable patterns, with a clear trend towards increased email volume. On average, brands sent 6.32 emails per week compared to 4.61 emails per week in Q1, indicating a more aggressive email marketing strategy.
Brands such as Musiciansfriend and Guitarcenter stood out by sending high-frequency emails, likely to capitalize on customer engagement during peak shopping times. These brands focused on increasing visibility and driving consistent customer interaction, possibly through automated flows that keep their audiences engaged with time-sensitive offers.
When analyzing the days of the week, Saturday emerged as the most popular day for sending emails in Q2, accounting for 23.06% of all sends. Brands like Joann and Michaels adopted this approach, likely targeting weekend shoppers who engage in hobbyist activities or home crafts. This aligns with the weekend’s potential for more leisure shopping time.
Following Saturday, Wednesday was the second-most favored day, representing 21.08% of email sends. Midweek emails may aim to capture consumer interest during a period when customers are likely to plan their weekend projects or restock on supplies.
In comparison to Q1, where email frequency was lower and more evenly distributed across the week, Q2’s focus on weekends and midweek sends suggests brands are increasingly aligning their campaigns with customers’ more active shopping periods.
To optimize engagement, brands should experiment with midweek (Wednesday) and weekend (Saturday) email sends. Analyzing open and click rates during these periods can further refine targeting strategies based on customer behavior.
Average inbox rate
Promotions Placement Rate
Average Spam Rate
In Q2 2025, email deliverability in the arts and crafts industry saw some notable improvements compared to Q1. The overall Inbox Rate increased to 2.59% in Q2 from a dismal 0.69% in Q1, signaling a positive shift in email placement. The Promotion Placement Rate slightly dropped from 94.27% in Q1 to 82.04% in Q2, suggesting that more brands are finding ways to bypass the Promotions tab and land in the primary inbox. On the other hand, the Spam Rate saw a decline from 9.43% in Q1 to 10.91% in Q2, which still indicates a notable challenge for some brands.
Brands such as Musician’s Friend and Guitar Center exhibited the highest deliverability rates, with a strong inbox placement compared to others. These brands seem to have adopted optimized email practices such as cleaner subject lines and better engagement tactics that favor inbox placement over promotions or spam.
| Arts & Crafts Industry Email Deliverability Rates | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Email Deliverability | Q1 (%) | Q2 (%) | % Change (Q2 vs Q1) |
| Inbox Rate | 0.69% | 2.89% | 2.2% |
| Promotions Rate | 94.27% | 82.04% | -12.23% |
| Spam Rate | 5.04% | 15.07% | 10.03% |
The drop in the Promotions Rate indicates that certain brands, especially those with a more engaged customer base, are seeing their emails land directly in the inbox, bypassing the Promotions tab. However, the higher Spam Rate signals that some brands still struggle with engagement issues or are triggering spam filters due to overly aggressive marketing tactics.
To further optimize deliverability, brands should focus on improving engagement metrics (open rates, click-through rates) and avoid spam-like behaviors (excessive sales language, poor list hygiene). Regularly cleaning email lists and ensuring relevant, personalized content can help maintain healthy deliverability rates.
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In Q2 2025, discounts remained the most prevalent strategy for subject lines, appearing in 37.4% of all emails, up from 32.6% in Q1.
Brands such as Musiciansfriend and Guitarcenter led this trend, using subject lines like “Save 20% on Your Next Guitar!” and “Exclusive Offer: Up to 50% Off All Gear”, creating urgency around limited-time deals.
Following closely, product mentions appeared in 28.5% of Q2 subject lines, slightly increasing from 25.1% in Q1. For example, Turntablelab and Backunmusical featured product-specific lines like “Shop the Best Turntables for Your Setup” and “Find Your Perfect Clarinet Mouthpiece”, likely aiming to attract shoppers who were actively searching for specific products.
The use of emojis increased slightly from 13.5% in Q1 to 16.9% in Q2, with brands like Eastwoodguitars incorporating fun, eye-catching emojis like “🎸 Limited Edition Guitars Available Now!”.
These strategies suggest brands are using discount-driven urgency and product visibility to boost open rates, while emojis help draw attention in crowded inboxes.
| Brand | Best Arts Industry Email Subject Lines |
|---|---|
| Mountain Metal Arts | 🚨 Last chance: 20% OFF your Valentine's gift |
| Mountain Metal Arts | Save 20% on your Valentine's gift ❤️ |
| iCanvas | Today Only: 55% Off Your Favorite Art! 🔥 |
| Canvas Prints | A new season, your favorite moments—30% Off |
| Unity Stamp Co | Lily Love & Prayers + a Free Gift (Just for You!) |
| Ace Sincation | There’s 10% off discount waiting for you |
| uMusic Online | Here’s Your Exclusive Clip! |
| Awe Inspired | TODAY ONLY: Celtic Jewelry 50% Off 🍀 |
| IEDM | Your 15% Off is About to Expire... |
| Guitar Center | Daily Pick: Uncover your deal of the day |
| Musician's Friend | Electric Guitar Deals You Don’t Want to Miss |
| Guitar Center | Daily Pick: Uncover your deal of the day |
| Ace Sincation | Don’t miss out on your 10% off! |
| IEDM | 🔥 Grab Your BOGO Deal Before Midnight! |
| Ace Sincation | 15% Off All Propeller Prints - Limited Time Offer! |
When analyzing SPAM emails, certain spam trigger words were frequently present. In Q2, terms like “free,” “limited offer,” and “guaranteed” were common in SPAM subject lines.
For example, Claddaghrecords and Towerrecords used subject lines like “Free Shipping on All Orders!” and “Limited Time Offer: Get 30% Off!”—both likely contributing to spam placement.
In contrast, Musiciansfriend and Chordbuddy used cleaner, more neutral subject lines like “Shop Best Guitar Bundles” and “Improve Your Music with ChordBuddy”, which were more likely to land in the inbox or promotions tab.
Brands should avoid using “free” or “guaranteed” in their subject lines, as they significantly increase the likelihood of being marked as spam. Instead, focusing on personalized subject lines and emphasizing product benefits or genuine offers can improve deliverability.
In Q2, discounts and product mentions were the most common subject line strategies, reflecting an emphasis on driving sales through urgency and product-specific appeals. However, the overuse of spam trigger words like “free” and “limited offer” led to higher spam rates for certain brands. To improve email deliverability, brands should focus on personalization, relevant product offerings, and avoiding aggressive language that can trigger spam filters.
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In Q2 2025, Arts & Crafts brands made noticeable shifts in their use of preview text, with 98.7% of emails including preview content—only slightly down from 100% in Q1, indicating consistent adoption across campaigns. However, the average preview length jumped from 64 to 98 characters, suggesting brands are now leveraging the extended preview space more strategically.
While Q1 preview lines often included strong CTAs like “Shop now” or “Save today” (18.9% of cases), Q2 saw a drop to 13.7%, indicating a pivot toward softer, more conversational tones. Similarly, personalization language (“your,” “you”) decreased slightly from 27.3% to 23.4% in Q2.
| Preview Text Strategy | Usage in Q2 2025 |
|---|---|
| Has Preview Text | 98.74% |
| Repeats Subject Line | 0.23% |
| Includes CTA | 13.71% |
| Personalization | 23.42% |
Brands like iCanvas, Unity Stamp Co, and Mountain Metal Arts used previews to extend the subject narrative with emotional hooks and additional context—for example, pairing subject lines like “Today Only: 55% Off Your Favorite Art!” with previews like “Final hours to grab your favorites before they’re gone.”
This subtle narrative extension increases curiosity without being overtly salesy, which helps balance open rate appeal with better inbox placement. Notably, repetition of the subject line in preview was rare (only 0.23% in Q2), reinforcing that most brands are treating preview text as its own creative opportunity.
Use preview text to build emotional tension, not just repeat the subject. Focus on storytelling, scarcity cues, or post-click value—especially within the 90–100 character sweet spot—to improve open rates while maintaining deliverability.
In Q2 2025, “Other Engagement” emails dominated the Arts & Crafts email landscape, accounting for 59.6% of total campaigns—up from 57.3% in Q1. This category includes relationship-building, seasonal, educational, and urgency-based content. Subject lines like “A new season, your favorite moments—30% Off” and previews such as “Let’s celebrate creativity together” helped brands like CanvasPrints and Craftspring build long-term affinity rather than quick conversions.
Discount emails followed at 21.3%, slightly down from 25.8% in Q1. These included subject lines like “Save 20% on your Valentine’s gift ❤️” from Mountain Metal Arts. The drop suggests brands are rotating in value-building content instead of relying solely on discounts.
Discount
Promotional
Personalized
Others
Personalized emails made up 16.9% in Q2 (up from 14.4%), often using words like “your” or “just for you” to mimic 1:1 communication. Brands like Unity Stamp Co. leveraged personalization to stand out in crowded inboxes while keeping messaging aligned with the crafting community.
The “Other Engagement” category includes:
Promotional emails—those focused on new arrivals or product drops—remained rare at just 2.3%, showing that most Arts & Crafts brands avoid hard selling in favor of community-oriented storytelling.
In Q2 2025, Arts & Crafts brands focused more heavily on direct, urgency-driven CTAs, with “Shop Now,” “Buy Today,” and “Order Now”–style actions making up 37.9% of all CTA text. This marks a significant rise from 23.8% in Q1, indicating a sharper push toward transactional outcomes. Brands like Mountain Metal Arts and CanvasPrints frequently used this format in campaigns paired with discount-heavy subject lines.
Interestingly, Discount CTAs (e.g., “Save Now,” “Get 20% Off”) remained stable across quarters, making up around 5.5% of total CTAs. These often appeared in campaigns with short-term offers or seasonal clearance events.
Personalized CTAs referencing “your” or “you” were rare and grouped into broader variants—absorbed into other strategic types. Meanwhile, Educational CTAs like “Learn More” or “Explore Ideas” declined to 2.3% from 3.9% in Q1, signaling a shift away from value-building content.
The largest drop was seen in Community/Signup CTAs, down from 4.2% to 2.1%, as brands deprioritized newsletter or loyalty sign-ups in favor of direct conversion messaging.
The rise in urgency-driven CTAs aligns with an increase in weekend and end-of-month sends—designed to capture last-minute interest and drive revenue spikes.
Test urgency CTAs with restraint. Overuse can flag filters and hurt engagement. Use urgency when aligned with real deadlines or low-stock messaging to maintain authenticity and improve performance without hurting deliverability.
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The arts and crafts industry saw several notable trends in Q2 2025 when compared to Q1 2025. Below is an overview of the key trends across email data points, including email send times, frequency, deliverability, subject lines, and spam rates.
Increased Email Frequency: The average number of emails sent per week per brand increased to 6.32 in Q2, up from 4.61 in Q1. Brands like Musiciansfriend and Guitarcenter ramped up their email volume to boost visibility, likely leveraging automation for more frequent touchpoints.
Improved Email Deliverability: The Inbox Rate improved to 2.59% in Q2, compared to 0.69% in Q1. This shift reflects a better understanding of deliverability practices, with brands like Turntablelab and Backunmusical seeing higher inbox placements.
Discount-Driven Subject Lines: Discounts appeared in 37.4% of Q2 subject lines, up from 32.6% in Q1, showing a stronger push for promotions. Brands like Chordbuddy and Eastwoodguitars were proactive in using discount-driven urgency to engage customers.
Spam Rate Concerns: The Spam Rate increased slightly to 10.91% in Q2, up from 9.43% in Q1. This indicates that some brands, like Claddaghrecords, still struggle with spam triggers.
The arts and crafts industry has evolved towards more frequent and promotion-heavy email strategies in Q2. Brands have refined deliverability practices, but spam-related challenges remain, signaling a need for optimization in email content and targeting. The shift towards more frequent sends and personalized offers could help mitigate the spam issue while boosting engagement.
➤ Gradually increase your email cadence like Musiciansfriend and Guitarcenter to keep your brand top-of-mind without overwhelming your audience.
➤ Instead, focus on personalized content and specific product mentions like "Shop the Best Acrylic Paints" or "Exclusive Crafting Deals" to improve deliverability, as shown by brands like Joann and Michaels.
➤ Use A/B testing to understand what works best for your audience, just like Turntablelab and Backunmusical did to capture customer interest.
➤ Create exclusive offers or limited-time deals that aren’t too aggressive, ensuring you don’t get flagged as spam.
➤ Regularly clean your email list, avoid spammy language, and create content that adds value to your subscribers, similar to how Joann improved its inbox rate in Q2.
➤ Follow Michaels' example of using targeted, relevant content to engage customers on a more personal level.
Begin by analyzing your current email metrics against the benchmarks in this report. Identify gaps in your strategy and prioritize areas for improvement based on potential impact.
Create a structured testing plan to experiment with different send times, subject line formulas, and CTA strategies. Document results and iterate based on performance data.
Implement more granular audience segmentation based on purchase behavior, engagement level, and product preferences to deliver more relevant content to each subscriber.
With over 60% of art & craft brands marketing emails opened on mobile devices, ensure your templates are fully responsive and CTAs are easily “tappable” on smaller screens.
Thousands of templates in one place.
The arts and crafts industry is seeing significant shifts in email marketing, with brands focusing on increasing frequency, refining subject lines, and optimizing deliverability. However, with increased competition for inbox space, it’s crucial for brands to move beyond generic tactics and strategically combine discounts, personalization, and targeted content to stand out.
Our analysis highlights that brands that prioritize clean, relevant messaging and customer engagement are leading the charge in inbox placement. As we move forward, we expect continued innovation in email strategies, with a focus on personalized, value-driven content that avoids spam triggers.
We hope this report equips you with actionable insights to enhance your arts & crafts brand’s email marketing approach. For personalized guidance and to stay ahead of the competition, the email marketing experts at TargetBay are here to help you implement these strategies and drive success in your campaigns.
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