Join 350+ eCommerce marketers in our new community—Claim our intro offer $1 for 90 days. Learn more. | | Hey it's Chase and Jimmy here! | Owala turned a product launch into a party—and brought their email flow along for the ride. | From the moment of opt-in to the second their Birthday Bash bottle was on the way, the experience was bold, playful, and packed with personality. | But even the best birthday celebrations have room to improve. | This week's breakdown looks at what Owala nailed, where the flow missed, and what eCommerce brands can learn from a launch that wasn't just a drop—it was an event. | Plus, keep reading for an AI prompt that will fast track your A/B subject line testing and an AI tool that's reshaping the retention marketing world for the better. | Let's dive in 👇 |
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| | 🙃 Meme Drop | Credit: The Marketing Millennials | |
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| | 🤨 AI isn't the enemy. But it is on thin ice. | | Consumers like AI in eCommerce… until it starts making decisions for them. | 📊 In a new report from Omnisend, 66% of shoppers said they refuse to let AI complete purchases on their behalf—even if it means better deals. | They want help, not control. | Suggestions, not spam. | Personalization, not pressure. | Read the full breakdown on what shoppers really think about AI—so you can build trust, boost conversions, and avoid creeping people out. | |
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| | 🎉 A Breakdown of Owala's Birthday Bash Email Flow: Wins, Misses & Opportunities for Even More Fun | Owala's brand voice is playful, self-aware, and designed to stand out in a sea of boring hydration products—and their Birthday Bash email flow leans into that energy hard. From a clear opt-in to product launch hype to quirky post-purchase messaging, the whole journey feels like an actual party. | But even great party hosts miss a detail or two. Let's take a look at what worked, what caused a little confusion, and how this already strong launch journey could become even more impactful. | | 1. The Opt-In: Hype With Heart | Owala's entry point was an ad for their Birthday Bash collection. Clicking through led to an email sign-up to "join the fun." The first email welcomed you with personality-packed copy and introduced their hero product (FreeSip) in the same breath. | ✅ Wins | Great copywriting that matches their tone: "The coolest products for the coolest people (which now includes you)." Visual-forward design with a lifestyle focus that makes the brand feel social and fun Smart product plug at the bottom—early nudge toward conversion with a "Shop FreeSip" CTA
| 🚀 Upgrade Ideas | Consider a reminder of the exact reason you signed up ("You're in for the Birthday Bash!") for better continuity with the ad experience Add a calendar invite or countdown to build momentum toward launch
| | | 2. What to Expect: Launch Details Done Right | Next came a detailed pre-launch email laying out exactly how the drop would work: the date, time, how backorders would function, and what to expect if products sold out. | ✅ Wins | Super clear info—Owala avoided any surprises about restocks, ship times, or backorder details Maintains a fun tone while delivering logistics (not easy to do) Polaroid-style visuals keep the email engaging and thematic
| 🚀 Upgrade Ideas | Add a "Get Notified" or SMS opt-in here for one more reminder at drop time Highlight the product themes a little more upfront—give subscribers something to look forward to A brief "which bottle vibe are you?" quiz could've added playful pre-engagement
| | | 3. Launch Day: The Collection Goes Live | On launch day, Owala sent out a vibrant, scroll-worthy email featuring all the themed bottles from "Girls Night In" to "Black Tie Affair." | ✅ Wins | Creative, clear layout that reads like an event lineup Encourages browsing by theme, not just price or color—smart for AOV and engagement Multiple "Shop Now" CTAs invite immediate action
| 🚀 Upgrade Ideas | Consider adding "Almost Gone" or real-time social proof badges on popular styles or include a mini "Top Picks" section for overwhelmed shoppers A short GIF or animation might've added even more party energy
| | 4. Order Confirmation: Clean and Functional | After purchasing a Birthday Bash bottle, the order confirmation email was simple and straightforward. It didn't lean as heavily into brand tone, but it got the job done. | ✅ Wins | Clear, digestible order summary Easy access to order details via a "View your order" CTA Consistent branding through visuals, even if copy was minimal
| 🚀 Upgrade Ideas | Surface next steps more clearly (e.g. estimated ship window, tracking expectations) Add a "How to care for your bottle" link or teaser for what's coming next (UGC, social tags, etc.) Could include a referral code or prompt to share your Birthday Bash pick on social
| | 5. The 20% Off Email: Wait… Did I Miss a Deal? | Shortly after the purchase, an email dropped with the subject line "20% Off Ends Soon." Turns out, the fine print excluded Birthday Bash bottles—but that wasn't clear at a glance. | ✅ Wins | | 🚀 Upgrade Ideas | This email shouldn't have gone to recent Birthday Bash buyers—tighten segmentation to avoid regret or confusion Make exclusions clearer in the hero copy, not just in the fine print
| | 🎯 What's Working Well | ✅ Consistent visual branding across the flow—bright, bold, and unmistakably Owala
✅ Pre-launch communication was clear and proactive (a rarity!)
✅ Smart use of themed collections to create narrative and product discoverability
✅ Transactional emails maintained polish and functionality, even if less personality-packed | | ❌ Opportunities to Improve | Segmentation slip-up: Birthday Bash buyers shouldn't have received the 20% off email unless it was framed as a "shop more" moment with clarified exclusions Missing next steps post-purchase: Consider following up with fun content like user photos, behind-the-scenes, product care or "how it's made" stories No post-launch drip: Once the launch happened, there was a bit of a drop-off—there's room for a longer journey to keep new customers engaged
| | Final Verdict: A Launch With Personality—and Room to Party Even Harder 🎈 | Owala nailed the brand voice and visual consistency across the Birthday Bash email flow. The messaging was clear, fun, and creative—making customers feel like part of something bigger than just a bottle purchase. | With a few segmentation tweaks and more post-purchase storytelling, this customer journey could go from great to truly unforgettable. | | Final Verdict | Overall, Buffy's email flow is strong but has room for fine-tuning. The brand excels at creating excitement and providing clear next steps for customers, but with a few adjustments, it can further improve the customer experience. By focusing on personalization, clarity, and urgency, Buffy can enhance its email strategy and drive even more conversions. |
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| | 🛠️ Turn Your Retention Strategy Into an Always-On Machine | | Retention marketing has always been a team sport. Now you can add AI to the roster. | With Raleon, DTC brands are building AI-powered teams that: | ✅ Understand customer behavior | ✅ Launch personalized campaigns | ✅ Optimize performance in real-time | This isn't theoretical—it's already helping top brands drive higher LTV, reduce churn, and do more with less. | Build your AI Agent team like you would a real one—share goals, context, and tools—and let Raleon do the heavy lifting across email, onsite, and beyond. | 👉 Ready to see it in action? Book a demo with Raleon. | |
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| | 🤖 AI Power Up: A/B Test Subject Lines in Seconds | 📧 Struggling to pick the right subject line? | Instead of guessing, let AI help you test before you send. | 👉 Prompt: | "Write 10 subject lines for an email about [insert topic or product]. Include a mix of curiosity, urgency, and clarity. Then analyze and rank them by potential open rate, explaining why each ranks where it does." | This gives you a fast shortlist of options and insights into what might catch attention. | ✅ Bonus: Once you pick 2-3 favorites, plug them into a subject line tester (like Omnisend's free tool) for a quick second opinion before A/B testing live. |
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| | Annnnd that's a wrap for this edition!
Thanks for hanging with Chase and me—always a pleasure to have you here. | If you found this newsletter helpful (or even just a little fun), don't keep it to yourself! Share ecomemailmarketer.com with your favorite DTC marketer. Let's get them on board so they don't miss next week's drops. | Remember: Do shit you love. | 🤘 Jimmy Kim & Chase Dimond |
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