We were having a discussion about CRM the other day, and ASOS/Net-a-Porter came up in conversation as examples of brands who do it well. The more I think about it, the more these brands don't seem to have a very intelligent system powering their email communications.
For those that aren't customers of either site, the slew of emails is pretty relentless. Asos favour a mixture of magazine style and promotion comms (buy before 6 to get free next day delivery) and Net-a-porter tend to stick with featuring products. Both are internet-based companies, so I would expect them to have a lot of data about how I shop. But neither seem to use this information to tailor their communication to me.
For example, shouldn't Net-a-porter have an idea of my style profile and the designers I would like from the stuff I've previously bought? Something similar to the Amazon recommends algorithm. Shouldn't it know that I never buy anything over £300 and therefore not offer me £1000 dresses but instead £350-400 items, on the limits of my affordability. Shouldn't they know I generally make sale purchases and rare purchases around pay-day and send me timely messages when I'm itching to spend. I've just opted out of communications because the messages aren't relevant anymore.
The inbox is even more of a battlefield than the adbreak, but email communications seem to be lazy. Have the vision, get the geeks to build it, and watch the cash roll in.
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