There are tons of email marketing case studies out there. However, this one is different. Here’s why:
It’s genuine growth without discounts. I’ll show how you can go from having no email marketing strategy to creating a new automated revenue system for your luxury e-commerce store without cutting your margins.
These tactics actually work. Everything here is tried and tested. Nothing in this article is theoretical. You can implement these strategies and see results within a couple of weeks.
I give you an honest overview of what didn’t work. So you can avoid the same mistakes and boost your email revenue even faster.
When I started working with luxury accessories brand Von Baer in August 2024, their email revenue was $2.9k.
In December 2024, they generated $26.5k from email and recorded their highest month in sales to date.
The TL;DR
Challenges:
- No established email marketing strategy.
- Growing revenue from email marketing while maintaining a luxury brand image.
- Inefficient use of existing email data that led to subpar deliverability rates.
Solutions:
- Implemented an email automation strategy covering the entire customer lifecycle, including a welcome sequence, abandonment flows, back-in-stock notifications, cross-sell sequences, and a win-back flow.
- Increased email cadence from occasional product launches to three campaigns per week. Focus on writing personable, conversational, and engaging emails highlighting products, brand origin, and unique selling points.
- Installed strategic pop-ups and lead magnets (leather guide and exclusive access) to grow the email list without discount incentives.
- Set up key segments (never engaged, bounced, recently purchased) to enhance email deliverability.
Results:
- Contributed to a 20% increase in total monthly revenue.
- Boosted Klaviyo’s email deliverability score from 49 (Fair) to 86 (Good).
- 20% growth in email list within three months.
- 31% increase in customer retention rate across 12 months.
“The ROI was 100% worth it.”
“Siim built a thorough email automation system for us. We started seeing results from early on, and it’s still bringing extra revenue for us today.“
Albert V.
Co-Founder at Von Baer
How we got started – Klaviyo email account audit
The first time I talked to Albert, Von Baer’s co-founder, he admitted that email was a gap in their marketing strategy.
“We weren’t doing much in terms of email automation. I knew it was an opportunity for us to maximize revenue. We just needed a strategy without compromising our luxury brand image.”
And he was right … when I first checked under the hood of their email marketing strategy, I found nothing but a single checkout abandonment sequence.
It was a sequence consisting of four email follow-ups that they had set up on their own.
At that moment, I knew there was much work to do.
But guess what?
That one sequence had generated over $60,000 in sales across 18 months.
Which brings me to the first point:
Key takeaway #1: Each day you don’t have abandonment flows set up, money gets thrown into the bin.
If you run an e-commerce company, setting up a checkout abandonment and browse abandonment sequence is your low-hanging fruit.
Think low effort, high impact.
You don’t need an expert to set this up – Klaviyo has abandonment flow templates that you can use today to recover lost sales.
You can use this extra 5-15% cash flow to invest in ads and acquire new customers.
Now, let’s move on to the rest of the automation strategies that we used:
Luxury email marketing strategies for e-commerce brands
If a new email subscriber doesn’t buy from you within the first few weeks, converting them into buyers becomes increasingly tricky.
That’s why having a branded welcome sequence in place is so important.
Key takeaway #2: First impressions matter. Every luxury e-commerce brand needs a welcome sequence that converts subscribers into buyers within the first 10-14 days.
Marketing research shows that it takes about 6-8 touchpoints to make a sale.
Assuming the prospect subscribes to your list the first time they visit your website, you should have at least five emails in your welcome sequence.
We used a 6-email welcome sequence framework, covering every brand aspect.
We introduced the brand mission.
We showcased best-selling products.
We told stories about how the brand was founded and what the products can do.
We used customer reviews to increase trust.
We communicated the brand promise.
As the greatest ad-man in history, David Ogilvy said: “Advertising which promises no benefit to the consumer does not sell, yet the majority of campaigns contain no promise whatever.”
Below is an example of how we introduced Von Baer’s brand promise. When doing research, I found that luxury brands, especially those selling leather goods, often deal with customer objections about low product quality.
A welcome email example communicating Von Baer’s brand promise.
In this email, we shared how Von Baer handcrafts its leather accessories from superior Italian vegetable-tanned leather, crafted in family owned studios dedicated to producing in distinctive small batches. Some pieces take up to 18 months to create, reflecting the care and precision invested in every detail and the exceptional quality of the materials.
We assured customers that by choosing Von Baer, they’ll “never have to doubt the quality of their leather accessories.”
Key takeaway #3: Highlight your best-selling products first.
The main objective of a welcome sequence is to get the new subscriber to make their first purchase.
Ideally, you want the first purchase to come from what retention marketer Chris Orzechowski calls your “front-end” product.
Front-end products are most likely to acquire a new customer. Think of them as best-selling products.
Once you acquire a customer, you position yourself to cross-sell other products in the future that increase customer lifetime value (CLV).
We used the welcome sequence to focus on selling Von Baer’s leather bags.
Key takeaway #4: Identify key upsell, down-sell, and cross-sell touchpoints.
The most common way e-commerce brands cross-sell something is a week or two after the original purchase.
But luxury purchases aren’t like any other purchase. It may take weeks or even months of considering for customers to buy.
You must identify touchpoints where customers experience the most significant “high.”
When digging into customer reviews, I noticed a common theme where customers said they were blown away the moment they received their leather accessories.
As a result, we added another email for cross-selling a day after the item was received.
Key takeaway #5: Your customers will tell you how to sell your product.
Diving into customer reviews is one of my favorite things when starting a project. I can spend hours analyzing them because they reveal so much valuable information about the buyer’s pains, desires, and emotions.
The reviews, testimonials, and recommendations your customers leave are a goldmine for email copy.
Just look at a review a customer left after she received a package from Von Baer.
“The moment you open the box, you’ll smell a rich, warm scent that makes you feel like you’ve stepped into an Italian leather workshop.”
This type of copy – visual, descriptive, and conversational – is precisely how you want to write your emails.
Key takeaway #6: Make your emails conversational and personable.
I’m subscribed to several luxury brands’ email lists, and I keep seeing the same thing over and over again:
Emails that look like they came from a big corporation.
Emails that use sophisticated language (probably written by AI).
Emails that look like ads.
I’m not saying luxury brands need to write direct sales copy, but the emails should remain conversational and feel natural.
That’s why we gave our emails a personality (every time an email comes out from Von Baer, it’s from one of the co-founders).
In our emails, we used the same conversational language Von Baer’s customers use when describing the products.
Key takeaway #7: Always sell status.
Benefits > features is one of the cornerstones of effective copywriting.
Yet, one overlooked benefit of luxury products is how they elevate the owner’s status in the eyes of others.
Sure, the bag might be crafted from the finest leather, have durable zippers, and hold a slightly larger laptop than their previous bag.
But ultimately, what the customer cares most about is that when they carry their new luxury bag into a work meeting, people will notice them.
In other words, their status goes up, and so goes their confidence.
Always sell status.
Key takeaway #8: Focus on exclusivity.
Luxury brands thrive on exclusivity. If you don’t offer discounts or run seasonal campaigns, you want to double down on exclusivity.
Whenever there’s a product launch, give your email subscribers early access. If items are available in limited quantities, let them know. When a product sells out, allow users to subscribe to back-in-stock emails. Once the product becomes available again, remind users how quickly it usually sells out.
Many e-commerce companies neglect back-in-stock flows. It’s a missed opportunity because these people usually have high purchase intent.
Should luxury brands use discount codes on email pop-ups?
The short answer is no – discount incentives cheapen the brand image. While they may generate higher short-term revenue, the long-term impact on the brand’s perception isn’t worth it.
For many people, purchasing a luxury item is a milestone. They might spend months considering and saving up for it. When you start offering discounts, you tell them your product isn’t as valuable as they thought.
Instead, there are many other ways to grow your email list without losing the luxury appeal. We tested three different pop-ups: leather guide, exclusive access, and newsletter sign-up, and ultimately decided to go with two of those.
I also recommend A/B testing different variations: with an image, without an image; one-step vs two-step forms, with a question or without – you get the idea.
Key takeaway #9: Test different pop-up incentives to see which one works best for your brand.
The secret luxury email marketing tactics that generate revenue for brands during the holiday season
“Siim kept bringing creative ideas to the table and executed them. It helped us stand out and aligned with our brand voice.”
Albert V.
Co-Founder at Von Baer
Our zero-discount email campaigns generated great engagement rates during the holiday season.
Even if your brand doesn’t participate in Black Friday deals or holiday discounts, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be visible during this time. Your customer’s inbox is a warzone, and if you’re not constantly reminding them that your brand exists and how your products will help them, they will not buy from you.
Below are what I learned from managing Von Baer’s email list during the holiday season.
Key takeaway #10: Build momentum first by educating your audience.
Each year, when November arrives, there are so many brands out there that make this one mistake:
They start bombarding their list with sales emails.
It’s no exaggeration to say that most of the emails I received from premium brands during November looked the same. No context, no value provided, and a discount code slapped onto it. It’s so obvious.
And when the holiday season finishes, these same brands disappear until it’s time to do another sale.
I’m not saying you shouldn’t try to maximize sales when everyone else is obviously doing it. But remember, your customers are smart. They know what you’re doing, and ultimately, they will become numb to your emails if they have no substance.
Another downside to only sending discount emails is that not everyone on your list is ready to buy. You must take them through the customer journey, especially those who haven’t bought from you.
What worked for us was engaging our list with value-rich content. We shared behind-the-scenes stories about how the products were made, where the leather was sourced, and tips for maintaining leather goods. We told stories about how the products could enhance their confidence and professionalism.
When it was time to drive urgency, customers were engaged and inclined to buy.
Key takeaway #11: Give a genuine reason to buy now.
Without offering discounts, we couldn’t rely on announcing the end (or start) of a sale. We had to find another way to give customers a reason to “buy now.”
During the holiday season, we recognized that most of our email lists were focused on buying gifts. Von Baer’s products are immensely popular gifts, which meant some products would likely sell out in December.
And since sourcing and handcrafting each item took months or over a year, we informed our list that if they didn’t buy now, they could miss out for several months.
This approach was authentic and tailored to the audience’s needs.
Key takeaway #12: Plain-text follow-ups from the founder work well.
We discovered that the most effective way to close a seasonal campaign, e.g., Black Friday or Christmas gift shopping, is to send a final follow-up email directly from the founder. Each time we did it, it converted into sales.
Plain-text email follow-ups feel personal and conversational.
Why does it work? Because it feels personal and conversational. Customers are more likely to engage with a plain-text email that looks like it was written just for them, especially when it comes from the brand’s founder.
Key takeaway #13: Offer something else other than discounts.
For us, it was complementary shipping and product personalization. In most emails, we let our list know that if they want to give a memorable gift this holiday season, they could engrave their initials on the product at no extra cost.
These work great if you want to offer added value without compromising premium brand positioning.
Key takeaway #14: Images look great, but copy sells.
Yes, high-quality images are essential, especially when marketing luxury products. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t test plain-text emails. In fact, emails that converted into the most sales for us came from text-heavy emails with a single image attached.
Images work well when you’re launching a new product. It creates the “wow, this item looks amazing” moment. But it’s not enough to sell – there needs to be a compelling narrative. This could be an origin story or a benefit for the reader. At the end of the day, your customers are lacking something, and your product is there to solve that problem.
Key takeaway #15: If you have multiple product categories, add them to your footer.
Your job is to get people to click on the email and direct them to the landing page. You’re not there to make the sale on the spot — that’s what the sales page is for.
One simple trick I found to improve click-through rates is adding product categories to the footer (example image below). It makes it easier for the user to browse offerings and is a great way to improve click rates on non-sales emails.
Adding product categories to your email footer boosts click rates.
How we increased Klaviyo’s email deliverability score from 49 to 86 in 3 months
Setting up key segments helped us boost email deliverability score from 49 to 86.
The most important word in email is context. Your emails must be relevant and reach the right people at the right time. One mistake I see brands make is emailing their entire list every time. Usually, this leads to higher spam and unsubscribe rates.
Key takeaway #15: Set up key segments
Create an “Unengaged” segment –> Subscribers who haven’t opened your emails in months.
Create a “Recent buyers” segment –> Customers who have recently purchased from you. This could be a couple of days or weeks. We used a filter of 2 weeks.
Create a “Bounced” segment –> Subscribers with consistently high bounce rates.
Exclude these segments from your email campaigns.
Key takeaway #16: Use double opt-in, especially if you’re collecting low-intent subscribers.
When building your email list, I believe in quality over quantity. If you’re collecting email subscribers, especially on low-intent pages such as the blog page, many people will unsubscribe and report spam. This will hurt your deliverability in the long run.
What didn’t work – biggest lessons
Email is a matter of testing and refining your strategy. You’re never going to get it right the first time – and this was also the case for us. Here are some of our biggest mistakes and lessons learned along the way.
We asked blog readers if they wanted exclusive access to product launches. There’s a high chance people reading your blog found you through SEO; they only want an answer to a quick question. Chances are they have never heard of your products before – this was confirmed by a pop-up which achieved a 0.2% conversion rate.
We collected low-intent email subscribers first. Our only pop-up for the first two months was on the blog page, collecting subscribers via a leather guide incentive. This led to low conversion rates on the welcome sequence.
At first, we sent an email every day in the welcome sequence. Not a good idea, especially since the buying cycle for luxury products is longer.
We expected product launches to sell immediately. We made a product launch with a waitlist, and it ended up converting three buyers. Looking back, we never gave subscribers a reason to buy right away.
We used single opt-in in the beginning. This led to higher unsubscribe and spam rates.
We didn’t use exit intent pop-ups. Initially, only pop-ups fired after the user had spent a certain amount of time on the page.
We didn’t use enough links in emails. Especially in longer, text-based emails, I assumed the copy alone would keep readers engaged until the call-to-action button. That is not the case. It’s a good idea to add links throughout the text (example below).
Adding links throughout the text improves click rates.
We didn’t send enough follow-ups in abandonment sequences. Our initial abandonment sequence only covered 72 hours. This isn’t enough for luxury buyers with longer decision-making cycles.
Now it’s your turn…
I encourage you to try these luxury email marketing tactics on your own e-commerce store. Remember, some of these will work, some won’t – the key is to test and find out what works for you.
If you want to make email a reliable income source for your business and, even better – do it without discounts, I can show you how.
Click here to apply to work with me, or send me a message at marketing@siimpettai.com