Email newsletters remain one of today’s most powerful digital marketing channels—allowing your business to communicate directly with potential customers. So, how do you make your company’s email campaigns stand out from the many other messages people receive every day? This list of newsletter examples will help you understand what makes someone open—and engage—with an email newsletter instead of clicking Unsubscribe.
What is a newsletter?
A newsletter is a written publication that provides regular communication to subscribers, typically via email. Newsletters complement other forms of digital marketing by focusing on company news, events, promotions, product updates, or other information related to a particular topic or organization. They can provide email subscribers with a deeper understanding of your mission, values, and team.
The purpose of a newsletter is to drive sales and build a trusting relationship with your subscribers. For this reason, newsletters usually follow a regular schedule—such as a weekly newsletter or a monthly newsletter—to maintain consistent communication with current and potential customers.
Benefits of using newsletters for ecommerce businesses
As one part of your digital marketing strategy, effective email newsletters can help you:
- Establish your company values. More than 80% of people want to buy from brands that align with their values. They’re buying into—not just from—your company. Email newsletters build trust and credibility by doing more than pushing sales. You can share valuable content, such as behind-the-scenes origin stories, partner profiles, weekly tips, or insights into your social good initiatives.
- Directly communicate with email subscribers. Unlike many other forms of digital communication—such as banner ads or social media campaigns—newsletters reach individuals directly in their inbox.
- Get to know your audience. Email addresses are one of the most valuable marketing tools. Collecting email addresses can help you better understand your customers by tracking engagement, click-through rates, and customer behavior on your website. You can also create segmented email campaigns with customized content for different groups of people, such as those who’ve purchased a certain product.
- Promote other channels. Your email newsletter is a simple way to drive traffic to other platforms. For example, you can encourage subscribers to follow you on Instagram or other social media accounts, or read recent articles you published on your blog.
11 ecommerce newsletter ideas
An email newsletter can take many forms, some of which may be a better fit for your business than others. Ideas for email newsletters include:
- Welcome emails
- Letters from the founder
- New product announcements
- Product tutorials and how-tos
- Personalized product recommendations
- Sales and promotions, including subscriber-only perks
- Roundups of recent blog posts
- Upcoming events
- Seasonal content
- Customer stories, testimonials, or user-generated content
- Industry news
6 examples of ecommerce newsletters
When creating your own newsletter, it might help to get inspiration from other brands. Here are several ecommerce newsletter examples across different industries and target audiences that put best practices into action.
1. ARQ
ARQ is a female-founded clothing company that makes garments, including bras and underwear, for intimate moments and ordinary daily pleasures, like morning walks or reading on the couch.
What they send: ARQ sends a monthly email newsletter, called POSY, which features interviews with the brand’s favorite creators and recommendations on recipes to make, books to read, and activities to enjoy. It also sends product news, restock announcements, and invites to its annual fall sale.
Why it works: ARQ’s email newsletters feel intentional and simple, like they’re coming from a team who knows your inbox is already overwhelmed. A great example: Its welcome email for new subscribers offers an exclusive discount and explains what email subscribers can expect from them in the future.
2. Noise Pop
Noise Pop is an events promotion company championing independent music and up-and-coming culture in the San Francisco Bay Area since 1993.
What they send: Noise Pop’s email newsletters promote shows throughout the Bay Area. They also promote its merchandise, such as annual music festival passes, posters, and apparel.
Why it works: Each newsletter promotes a selection of independent musicians’ upcoming events. They often spotlight one musician with a short profile, then highlight their upcoming concerts. You can click through the newsletter to buy tickets on their website, making it easy for email subscribers to discover and experience new music.
3. People I've Loved
Founded by artist Carissa Potter, People I’ve Loved sells creative and inspirational objects, cards, prints, paintings, and books focused on helping everyone feel a little less alone in the world.
What they send: The email newsletters from People I’ve Loved are primarily letters from the artist behind the brand, highlighting her recent work, collaborations, and merchandise. Separate from the brand, Carissa also sends a personal newsletter called Bad at Keeping Secrets, an essay and interview series “sifting through the beautiful emotional mess of life.”
Why it works: The People I’ve Loved newsletters give email subscribers a look behind-the-scenes of Carissa’s artwork by sharing her musings, creative practices, and sources of inspiration. While each newsletter includes relevant merchandise to purchase, consumers are more compelled to shop because they feel connected to the person behind the product. And while Carissa’s personal newsletter doesn’t feature products, it amplifies the mission and spirit of People I’ve Loved.
4. Diaspora Co.
Diaspora Co. is a direct-to-consumer spice company with a mission to create a more equitable (and delicious) spice trade. It sources fresh, heirloom, and single-origin spices directly from partner farms across Southeast Asia.
What they send: The company sends email newsletters at least once a week, including letters from the founder, seasonal reading lists, recipes, harvest reports, new product announcements, and more.
Why it works: Diaspora’s newsletter design brightens your inbox with rich hues of pink, yellow, and orange, alongside beautiful images of its products, partner farmers, and recipes. The content often features information on how it sources spices, profiles of its partner farms, and a transparent breakdown of its business model. Diaspora Co. also offers useful content to subscribers, such as recipes for its spices and live online courses called Club Masala Classes, where subscribers can learn how to make the recipes with the brand’s team.
5. Maude
Maude is a sexual wellness brand created to simplify intimacy with inclusive and body-safe essentials.
What they send: Maude’s weekly email newsletters focus on product announcements, promotions, and editorial content. The content comes from its blog, The Maudern, which explores modern intimacy through arts, science, and relationships.
Why it works: Maude’s product emails feature a simple newsletter template and balanced frequency (about once a week outside of seasonal promotions)—a great example of how to promote your product without too much pressure. In addition, Maude uses its business newsletter to emphasize its values, such as the founder’s commitment to donating 100% of proceeds on Giving Tuesday, and share useful content from The Maudern.
6. Huckberry
Huckberry is an online lifestyle brand for active men, bringing customers the best new brands, gear, and stories to inspire their next great adventure.
What they send: Huckberry’s email newsletter blends storytelling with product marketing, sharing exclusive gear updates such as limited-edition collaborations, introductions to new brands and partners, and inspiring blog content, from travel guides to influencer interviews.
Why it works: In addition to subscriber-only perks, such as free shipping and early access to product launches, Huckberry’s email newsletter takes gear off the web and into the wild. For example, Huckberry used its newsletter to connect their product to pop culture moments, highlighting one of their bestselling jackets that is also featured in popular HBO television show The Last of Us.
5 tips for creating a successful newsletter
- Identify your target audience
- Choose a format and frequency
- Craft a compelling subject line
- Create relevant, quality content
- Incorporate calls to action
What should you know before you create an email newsletter? Follow these five tips:
1. Identify your target audience
Determine who you are trying to reach with your newsletter. Figure out the defining characteristics and demographics of your ideal customer so you can create helpful content that speaks specifically to their interests, wants, or needs.
2. Choose a format and frequency
Start by brainstorming the newsletter design and frequency. Many platforms, including Shopify, offer built-in newsletter templates with customization and tools like email scheduling, so you can design, write, and schedule emails in advance.
3. Craft a compelling subject line
The average open rate across industries is 21.5%. The best way to increase your open rates? Create a subject line that is short, snappy, and true to your brand voice.
4. Create relevant, quality content
Every email newsletter you send will likely have a slightly different purpose. Make sure the copy is clear and concise, and if possible, personalize the content to the individual—such as automatically including subscriber details like first name.
5. Incorporate calls to action
Depending on the goal of your newsletter, include at least one clear call to action. You can drive subscribers to your product pages, social media accounts, external websites, or elsewhere.
Newsletter examples FAQ
What should you put in your first newsletter?
The first newsletter should be a welcome note that sets expectations for the subscriber regarding the nature of the content you’ll send and the frequency at which you’ll email them. You might also want to include a welcome gift, such as a subscriber-only discount code.
What are 6 elements of an effective newsletter?
Six elements that can help your newsletter stand out are:
- A defined audience
- A clear subject line
- An intriguing preheader (the text that appears after a subject line)
- A simple and beautiful newsletter design
- Informative content
- A call to action
What are common mistakes to avoid when writing a newsletter?
Several common mistakes to avoid when writing an email newsletter are:
- Failing to define a clear audience
- Poor email design
- Sending newsletters too frequently—or infrequently
- Lack of compelling subject lines
- Content that doesn’t actually add value for the reader
- No call to action (CTA)
