The Email Mistake That Was Costing Us Thousands Every Quarter
There’s something deeply unsettling about thinking you’re doing everything right… only to discover you’re leaking money like a broken espresso machine behind the counter. That was us, not in a dramatic Hollywood way, but in the subtle, slow-bleed kind of way that makes accountants twitch.
As the owner of a retail business, you probably wear more hats than a race day fashionista. So did we. From pricing strategies and floor planning to staff rosters and those 3AM “what if” thoughts. Amid all the chaos, our emails? We just assumed they were ticking along fine. After all, they were going out, weren’t they?
Yeah. That was the problem.
The “Oh No” Moment
It started when one of our staff flagged a weird trend. We were getting product questions in-store that had already been answered in our email newsletters. A bit odd, but easy to overlook.
Then a customer told us, “I only get your emails randomly… sometimes weeks after they’re sent.” That threw us into full panic mode.
We dug in. Deep.
Turns out, our email platform had a scheduling bug. Or rather, we had set it up wrong. Yep. The email mistake was entirely ours: we were manually sending campaigns and forgetting to segment, schedule, or even clean our contact list. Some customers were getting five emails a week. Others? None. And don’t get us started on the broken links. Sigh.
Estimated loss? $3,200 per quarter in abandoned carts, missed upsells, and lost re-engagements. We nearly cried.
We Needed More Than Just a Fix, We Needed a Reset
Once the sting wore off, we realised we had to start thinking like a customer again.
So we flipped everything. We did what most retail stores avoid, we brought in a fresh pair of eyes. Or, well, twenty-something pairs.
We called in our juniors.
Yep. Our interns.
And they tore through our emails like a pack of caffeine-fuelled detectives.
The Intern Audit (And the Gold We Found)
Here’s what they uncovered:
- Inconsistent voice: One email sounded friendly, the next like a robotic sales rep from 2004.
- Call-to-actions buried: Sometimes at the bottom, sometimes missing entirely.
- Mobile view disaster: 78% of our users open emails on mobile. Our formatting? Not mobile-friendly.
- No automation: Everything was manual. No welcome emails. No cart reminders. No post-purchase love.
So yes, our email marketing was like a retail store without lighting. Technically functional, but no one could see what was happening.
What We Did Differently (That You Can Copy Today)
Here’s the part you’re probably skimming for. So, we’ll make it easy:
1. Automate the Basics
We set up a full email flow:
- Welcome series
- Cart abandonment
- Post-purchase check-ins
- Monthly newsletters
This was where automated emails HubSpot absolutely changed the game for us. The time saved? Incredible. The personalisation? Chef’s kiss.
2. Segment Like a Boss
Not every customer wants the same thing. We built segments based on:
- Shopping behaviour
- Product interest
- Loyalty tier
- Email engagement
Yes, it took a few days. But the results? Our open rates jumped by 37%.
3. Design with Mobile First in Mind
No more tiny text or images that refuse to load. Everything is tested on phones first now.
Unexpected Bonus: Interns Make Great Email Testers
They’re digital natives. They know what’s cringe and what’s clean. If an email looks spammy or desperate, they’ll call it out faster than a Gen Z calling out a boomer meme.
One intern even suggested adding local slang to subject lines. Our open rates in New Zealand climbed 15% that month alone. Cheers, Lucy.
The Real Takeaway? Don’t Assume. Test.
Retail life is busy. But your emails? They’re doing the talking when you’re not. If they’re poorly written, misfiring, or non-existent… you’re losing money in your sleep.
So here’s the challenge:
- Audit your current flow
- Ask someone younger (or brutally honest) to read them
- Automate what you can
- Test everything. Twice.
And if you’re not confident doing this solo, maybe it’s time to call in a pro. We worked with a brilliant HubSpot agency in Auckland for the backend setup, and that alone saved us weeks of DIY Googling.
Wrapping It Up: Lessons From the Inbox
To recap:
- Ouremail mistake was assuming it was “set and forget.”
- We fixed it by listening to people who actually read our emails.
- Automating smartly with the right tools (like HubSpot) changed the way we work.
- And yes, emails still matter. A lot.
If you’ve ever wondered whether your email marketing is quietly sabotaging your revenue… it might be time for an inbox intervention.
So, how’s your email funnel looking?
