Borders: A prime example of e-tailing done right

Previously in this blog, I mentioned the UK bookstore chain, Waterstone's and how they were doing a great job offering offers only available via email. Well - it looks like Borders are on par with Waterstone's email marketing strategies.

Now - apart from the From address being noreply@bordersmail.com (please see previous post regarding this), I think Borders are doing a great job with their email marketing and offers. Last week they offered a £5.00 voucher to download and print off and spend in-store. To avail yourself of this offer, you simply had to click the image which then takes you to a printable pdf which has a barcode on it. Simple but effective.

I also love how they use video in emails. I also receive Borders TV Newsletter which I believe deals well with the 'how to use video in email' issue which is so often brought up.

The newsletter shows the screenshots of the various video's within the email, then upon clicking the screenshot you're taken through to Bookzone TV and the video starts to play.

 

These are great ideas which are simple to achieve...but I don't believe they're ideas which are limited to retailers...so how about it?....let's really put the email channel to work and accomplish some great results.

Comments

[Kinga]

If you go on Borders.com website and choose BordersMedia tab you can actually see interviews with famous authors, musicians that are filmed mostly in Ann Arbor, MI store. Additionally if you sign up to be Borders Rewards members you will get valuable discounts in store and online.

[Nick Atkinson]

Hi, Borders here, thanks for the great comments - in response, you may notice our latest email newsletter has both in-store and online-redeemable vouchering activity. If any of your readers are interested in taking part in our newsletter feedback survey, they can do so here. Your opinions and feedback are highly valued:

http://www.borders.co.uk/email_survey_october_2008?PublishKey=9e4598ac-830f-f3d4-0963-4ff2df42f6a6

[Kath Pay]

Thanks Rob - Great points and I agree, this could have been made better by offering both an in-store and online redeemable voucher (which wasn't personalised but limited to 1 per person). I guess they had an internal target which caused them to focus on driving in-store sales rather than online.

OK...so we add WHSmith to the list as well ...coincidently another Bookstore chain?...funny that..

[Rob Scutt]

Was the voucher personlised in anyway or limiting to only one per person?
FYI it is the same with WHSmith (an old Client of mine). They use email to drive people instore with offline vouchers (hoping to get more people to send on to their peers as well). I just think that there should also be the ability to stay within the media and get an online voucher as well (possibly lower value) as we are ready to buy when given an offer like this but being made to wait reduces level of redemption, even though number of hits to the voucher is high.

Like the simple but effective use of video and how this could be dynamically driven depending on the type of books you are interested in.

rob

[Nick Stamoulis]

With email marketing I think you def. have to offer something to them if you plan on bothering them in their email. If you ask a recipient for their time to open the email than make it worth their while.