What features could Zulily add to its personalized daily email alerts to increase open rates and engagement?

Introduction

To increase open rates and engagement for Zulily's personalized daily email alerts, we need to explore innovative features that enhance the user experience and provide more value to subscribers. I'll analyze the current situation, identify key user segments and pain points, and propose targeted solutions to address this challenge.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions

• Looking at Zulily's business model, I'm thinking about the frequency of these daily alerts. Could you clarify if these are truly daily emails or if there's some variation in frequency based on user preferences or behavior?

Why it matters: Understanding the current email cadence helps determine if we need to adjust frequency or focus on content improvements. Expected answer: Emails are sent daily by default, but users can adjust frequency. Impact on approach: If frequency is fixed, we'll focus on content personalization; if variable, we might explore optimizing send times.

• Considering Zulily's flash sale model, I'm curious about the content of these emails. Are they primarily focused on new daily deals, or do they include a mix of content types?

Why it matters: Helps determine if we need to diversify content or improve existing content presentation. Expected answer: Emails primarily showcase daily deals with some personalized recommendations. Impact on approach: If content is diverse, we might focus on better segmentation; if deal-focused, we could explore adding complementary content.

• Given the competitive e-commerce landscape, I'm wondering about Zulily's current open rates and industry benchmarks. Can you share any metrics on current performance and goals?

Why it matters: Establishes a baseline for improvement and helps set realistic targets. Expected answer: Current open rates are around 15-20%, aiming for 25-30% to match top performers. Impact on approach: Lower current rates might suggest more aggressive changes, while higher rates could indicate fine-tuning existing strategies.

• Considering the importance of mobile in e-commerce, I'm interested in understanding the breakdown of email opens between desktop and mobile devices. Do we have data on this?

Why it matters: Influences design decisions and feature prioritization for different platforms. Expected answer: 60-70% of opens occur on mobile devices. Impact on approach: High mobile usage would prioritize mobile-optimized features and designs.