• by Ray Schultz , Columnist, July 29, 2019

Women are being underserved by retail brands in several areas, according to Customer Experience Audit: Women’s Retail, a study by technology provider Customer Portfolios.

For instance, many brands are outside of the optimal email volume range. And while brands are succeeding with branding, they could do a better job of using technology to create a seamless experience, the study notes.  

“A good experience from a business perspective is very different than a good experience from a customer perspective,” states Nick Godfrey, co-founder and executive vice president, strategy of Customer Portfolios. 

Customer Portfolios evaluated 10 retail brands on their web, email and off-site experiences, then tied it all together using what it says was an impartial scoring system. The highest possible score was 100. 

Here is the ranking: 

1. Chico's—66
2. Ann Taylor—63 
3. J. McLaughlin—61.5
4. Talbots—61
5. Lane Bryant—61 
6. Boden—53.5
7. Lafayette 148—52
8. DressBarn—48.5
9. J. Jill—47.5
10. The Limited—41

That ranking is not necessarily identical with their email performance. 

To gauge their email skills, Customer Portfolios rated the 10 brands on a scale of 1 to 5 in three areas: Email sign-up, email volume, and email campaigns. It also listed their strengths and opportunities to improve in each area.

The email results:

CHICO'S

Email sign-up: 4 

Strengths: 

• 20% off offer 
• Triggered emails 

Opportunities to improve:

• No benefits information 
• No sign-up on top of the email page.

Email Volume: 1

Strengths: 

• No promotional emails the first week 

Opportunity to improve:

• After week 1, started receiving 3+ emails on some days.

On email campaigns: 2.

Strengths:

• Welcome campaign with social and VIP access.

Opportunity to improve:

• Very few emails overall. 

ANN TAYLOR 

Email sign-up: 3 

Strengths:

• 20% off discount 
• Triggered email
• Asks if you want other store emails 

Opportunities to improve: 

• No pop-up
• No additional info about benefits

Email volume: 2

Strengths: 

• 2 or fewer emails per day, 

Opportunity to improve:

• Mostly sale emails

Email campaigns:3 

Strengths 

• Welcome campaign 
• Browsing behavior
• Gift card for charity

Opportunities to improve:

• Birthday 
• Re-engagement
• Lot of sales 

J. McLAUGHLIN

Email sign-up: 3 

Strengths:

• Triggered welcome with 15% discount. 

Opportunities to improve:

• No obvious mention of promo expiration date
• Sent same email within 8 hours

Email volume: 2

Strengths: 

• 3 or less emails per day, but one every day.

Opportunities to improve:   

• Mostly sale email

Strengths: 

• Welcome, browsing behavior,
• Style product, 
• Holiday based 

Opportunities to improve:

• Birthday 

TALBOTS

Email sign-up: 3

Strengths 

• Pop-up when entering website
• Details what subscribing to emails means
• Received triggered welcome

Opportunities to improve: 

• No sign-up at top
• Only asks for email at sign-up 

Email volume: 2

Strengths: 

• Fewer than 3 per week, not overloading customers

Opportunities to improve:

• Mostly sale emails 
• Received emails from Talbots Classic Rewards, Talbots Store Event, and Customer Service

Email campaigns: 4 

Strengths:

• Welcome, rewards, account thank you, sales, social, event invites; birthday email

Opportunities to improve:

• Invite or credit card holders events
• Just one personal subject line

LANE BRYANT 

Email sign-up: 3 

Strengths: 

• Triggered email with offer 20% of your purchase code and in store barcode
• Triggered welcome

Opportunities to improve:

• No pop-up, no option on top

Email volume: 2 

Strengths:

• 2 or less emails per day

Opportunities to improve: 

• Also received emails from Caique

Email campaigns: 2

Strengths:

• Triggered welcome
• New arrivals
• Style

Opportunities to improve:

• Birthday
• Te-engagement
• Too many emojis 

BODEN

Email sign-up: 4

Strengths

• Asked for Title, first/last name, DOB, email, password, address, what catalogue, where heard about, info to personalize emails (email, title, name, gender, birthday)
• Triggered welcome email

Opportunities to improve: 

• Triggered email content had no indication of a welcome
• Email sign-up only on bottom

Email volume: 1 

Strengths: 

• 1 email per day
• Recommended products based on browsing behavior

Opportunities to improve: 

• Mostly sale
• 4 different domains: Johnnie Boden, Boden USA Customer Service, Customer Services, Mini Boden

Email campaigns: 3 

Strengths:

• Welcome
• Browser behavior 
• Promotions

Opportunities to improve:

• Birthday
• Reactivation
• A lot of follow-ups

LAFAYETTE 148 

Email signup: 2

Strengths:: 

• Bottom pop-up appeared second time
• Get promotion for signing up
• Asked for name, birthday, state

Opportunities to improve:

• No triggered email 
• No pop-up or top of website sign-up 
• No sign-up confirmation first time 

Email volume: 1

Strengths

• Not overwhelming new customers 

Opportunities to improve:

• 5 ad-hoc emails in 6 weeks 

Email campaigns: 3

Strengths:

• Welcome
• Product style

Opportunities to improve:

• Birthday 
• Product recommendations
• Reactivation 
• Re-engagement

DRESSBARN

Email sign-up: 3

Strengths: 

• Asks for email, mailing address, birthday 
• Welcome email trigger
• “Join Our List” at top and bottom

Opportunities to improve:

• No pop-up 
• Doesn’t specify the reason to sign up

Email volume: 2 

Strengths:

• Product recommendations based on browsing behavior

Opportunities to improve:

• Averaged 2 emails per day
• Received from Dressbarn Friends and Family

Email campaigns: 2

Strengths: 

Welcome

• Product recommendations

Opportunities to improve:

• Birthday
• Repurchase 
• Reactivate 

J. JILL

Email sign-up: 2

Strengths:

• Pop-up when visiting website
• Describes the benefits of signing up
• Received welcome trigger

Opportunities to improve:

• Sign-up option at the bottom doesn’t list benefits
• No sign-up option at the top

Email volume: 1 

Strengths: 

• Not overwhelming customers with emails

Opportunities to improve: 

• Fewer than 10 emails in 6 weeks
• All focused on sale 

Email campaigns: 2

Strengths:

Welcome 

• Email based on browsing behavior

Opportunities to improve

• No birthday campaign
• No repurchase
• No abandoned cart email

THE LIMITED 

Email sign-up: 3 

Strengths: 

• Pop-up and on bottom
• 25% off coupon
• Triggered email 

Opportunities to improve: 

• No sign-up on top 
• No benefits information

Email volume: 1

Strengths: 

• 1-2 emails per day

Opportunities to improve: 

• Creating account from The Limited Customer Service
• Mostly sale 

Email campaigns: 3 

Strengths:

• Welcome with social
• VIP access 
• Product styling 

Opportunities to improve:

• Personalization
• Product recommendations