Comments on: Email Shipping Confirmation, for Profit and Fun

By: morgan

morgan — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 20:05:19 +0000

While I enjoy this “spark of creativity” I wish they updated it – I got that email 5 years ago or so when I made my first CDBaby purchase. It wouldn’t take too much to update it on a quarterly basis.

By: Ann Handley

Ann Handley — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 02:43:16 +0000

Thanks for the comments, all. I’ve heard from other that CD Baby doesn’t really alter their schtick much… but I don’t care. I still think it’s great.
And Jessica — the emails from MarketingProfs are most oftened penned by Shelley Ryan… she IS a real person, and that’s her real personality coming through!
Thanks, all.

By: Erika

Erika — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 22:45:48 +0000

Hmmm I really liked it the first time I read it – 4 years ago when I ordered a product from a New Zealand Sporting Software firm.
So now its seems its just another marketing gimmick!

By: Jessica Hunter

Jessica Hunter — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 20:07:13 +0000

I love this! As a Marketer and as a consumer.
Agreed that it only works for certain companies and the tone of the email must match the brand of the sender.
It would be interesting to see subsequent emails from CD Baby to the same customer to see how they differ from one another.
I think it is fabulous when an email from a company, large or small, sounds like a real person wrote it!
To that end, I give a nod to MarketingProfs as the emails that come to my inbox always sound like a real person has put thought into them and if you wanted, you could even talk to them!

By: JoAnna Brandi

JoAnna Brandi — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 17:18:44 +0000

It’s brilliant – and only works because it’s authentic and works with the personality of the sender.
If only companies would put this much thought into the little touchpoints – they add to to big (and once in a while wonderful) experiences that the customer remembers. To this day I remember fondly a cataloger who first lined the box with pink tissue paper before the packing material and then put a personal (hand signed) thank you note on top of the paper that had been wrapped around the purchase. Every single time I ordered from them, I FELT like I was getting a gift, even though I had placed the order myself.
When will more people figure out that a little “romance” makes the customer feel special? It requires little effort – but lots of thought.
http://www.customercaregoddess.com

By: Toddie Downs

Toddie Downs — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 17:10:24 +0000

I am so excited to see someone else blog about CD Baby’s shipping notice. I blogged about it myself after shopping from them (“Thank You for Your Business: Boring or Brilliant?”) at my WordHappy blog on Wordpress (toddiedowns.wordpress.com). I think they deserve lots of business for their creativity and imagination on such humdrum applications as shipping notices.

By: Joni Mueller

Joni Mueller — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 16:53:51 +0000

That, like a flash intro, is neato, kewl, wowzah the first two or three times… after that.. feh.
I like the way this online company carries their theme to every corner of their existence, but it’s not cloying as the CD Baby email confirmation:
http://www.despair.com
Even their packing slip and information on returns… you just have to order something to see what I mean!

By: KermitFan

KermitFan — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 15:41:59 +0000

Personally, I love it. I’d rather have a little sunshine in my inbox, along with pertinent information, and it would make me want to shop there again.

By: Janine Marie

Janine Marie — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 16:34:36 +0000

Yuk. It’s too much. I didn’t even read it all. It shows me they have too much time on their hands.
If a company wanted to do this, I would make it short and succinct and truly funny.
And it would have to be the same as their website verbiage, or it would come off as phony to me.

By: Neil Anuskiewicz

Neil Anuskiewicz — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 23:20:10 +0000

Ah yes, a confirmation email with some personality. Outstanding idea on their part.