Hey, it's Chase and Jimmy here.

Black Friday is in full swing and the brands winning right now all have one thing in common: clarity.

Today we are breaking down Blenders Eyewear and how they run one of the most disciplined sale calendars in DTC. From early access urgency to precise offer sequencing, they know exactly how to keep momentum without overwhelming the inbox.

Let’s dive into how they structure their pre Black Friday push and what you can steal for your own campaigns.

Now into today's goods:

✔️ The side hustle economy isn’t slowing down... it’s scaling up
✔️ Breaking Down Blenders’ Early Black Friday Sale
✔️ Big banks don’t get consumer brands. Highbeam does.
✔️ AI Power-Up: Pressure testing BFCM inventory

Let’s jump in👇.

The side hustle economy isn’t slowing down... it’s scaling up

Omnisend’s latest research reveals that financial pressure is reshaping how people work (and ecommerce is at the center of it).

From the U.S. to Australia, 27% of adults now have a side hustle, and nearly half sell products online. What started as extra cash has turned into a massive global movement powered by platforms like Amazon, Depop, and Facebook Marketplace.

Here’s what the data shows:

 ✅ 62% of side hustlers start for financial security, not passion
 ✅ 48% sell products online, with 64% on peer-to-peer platforms
 ✅ Most spend <10 hours per week, but collectively earn billions
 ✅ Gen Z leads the charge, with nearly half juggling side gigs
 ✅ Economic uncertainty is fueling record growth in ecommerce

Read how side hustles are reshaping work, income, and digital commerce worldwide.

Breaking Down Blenders’ Early Black Friday Sale

1. Get Ahead of the Rush—Early Black Friday Sale Dropping Soon!

Focus: Building anticipation before the sale launch

Why It Works:
✅ Strong visual hook with lifestyle imagery and a bold headline that builds excitement
✅ CTA (“Join Early Access”) adds exclusivity and urgency before deals drop
✅ Clean, minimal design that directs attention to a single goal

What Needs Work:
❌ No incentive preview (e.g., % off or deal hint) may limit sign-up motivation
❌ Could add a countdown or launch date to create stronger anticipation

2. THE SALE IS ON // Early Black Friday Sale Starts Now

Focus: Launching the sale and establishing main offers

Why It Works:
✅ Clear hierarchy with headline-first offer (“40% Off Sunglasses”)
✅ Easy-to-scan layout showcasing products by category
✅ Consistent CTA design across modules builds continuity

What Needs Work:
❌ The long scroll risks visual fatigue. Grouping categories or condensing offers could improve flow
❌ Lacks a sense of exclusivity; early-access shoppers don’t get special treatment post-launch

3. NEW DEALS UNLOCKED // Millenia DX + other fan favorites are moving fast!

Focus: Driving repeat engagement through daily deal drops

Why It Works:
✅ “Deal Unlocked” headline reframes discount fatigue into excitement
✅ Dynamic copy (“New Day. New Deals.”) encourages recurring opens
✅ Visual consistency reinforces campaign identity

What Needs Work:
❌ Daily drops could use stronger storytelling or themes (e.g., “Top Sellers Tuesday”) to add variety
❌ Missed opportunity to spotlight low-stock or trending items for urgency

4. No Tricks, Just Treats // Up to 60% Off Best-Sellers

Focus: Themed Halloween tie-in to boost mid-campaign momentum

Why It Works:
✅ Seasonal tie-in (“No Tricks, Just Treats”) feels timely and on-brand
✅ Bold text treatment (“USE CODE TREAT10”) commands attention
✅ Clear stacking of deals reinforces ongoing freshness

What Needs Work:
❌ Discount messaging dominates; adding product or lifestyle imagery higher up could re-engage browsers visually
❌ Could add a loyalty or email-exclusive perk to make subscribers feel rewarded

5. SUNDAY DEALS JUST DROPPED

Focus: Mid-campaign reactivation and inventory push

Why It Works:
✅ Subject line drives urgency with “just dropped” language
✅ Hero image highlights Blenders’ core brand aesthetic: bold, high-energy, and youthful
✅ Smart framing (“Our Icons. Your Deal.”) reinforces familiarity with new value

What Needs Work:
❌ Repeated layout across emails risks reader fatigue; alternating hero placement or color blocking could help
❌ CTA hierarchy could better differentiate between browsing and buying actions

6. Up to 50% OFF SALE ENDING SOON

Focus: Final 48-hour urgency push

Why It Works:
✅ Strong header hierarchy. Customers instantly see discount and time sensitivity
✅ Visual repetition strengthens recall for key offers
✅ Consistent framing (“Deal(s) of the Day”) ties back to earlier emails

What Needs Work:
❌ Lacks a summary or highlight reel of top-selling products to simplify decision-making
❌ Could spotlight social proof or “trending now” items to capture last-minute hesitancy

7. LAST CALL // Only Few Hours Left to Save Big!

Focus: Final conversion push before sale ends

Why It Works:
✅ Direct and urgent tone. “Final Hours” drives immediate action
✅ Consistent CTA placement eliminates distraction at the end of the campaign
✅ Clean structure keeps attention on the hero product and discount

What Needs Work:
❌ Competing CTAs (“Shop Now” vs “Reveal Today’s Deals”) could confuse readers
❌ A post-sale tease (“Next drop coming soon”) could keep momentum going

What Blenders Gets Right

Visual Consistency as a Retention Strategy: Every email looks like part of the same story; black background, bold typography, and signature blue accents create instant brand recognition.

Campaign Cadence and Momentum: Daily deal reveals turn discounts into an event, keeping inbox presence fresh without new creative each time.

Urgency Without Chaos: Clear, direct language avoids gimmicks while still delivering urgency.

Where They Miss the Mark

Repetition Fatigue: Identical layouts across emails limit engagement; small variations could extend campaign lifespan.

No Emotional Hook: The focus stays on deals, not the lifestyle or story behind the brand.

Limited Personalization: Segmenting by past purchase type (e.g., “Snow,” “Lifestyle”) could have made CTAs feel more relevant.

Final Takeaway

Blenders proves that early Black Friday doesn’t have to feel desperate. Their emails are sharp, confident, and consistent, but the heavy repetition and deal-only messaging left room for a stronger emotional connection. The campaign nailed visibility but missed an opportunity to elevate engagement through creative variation and brand storytelling.

Key Takeaways for Brands

✔️ Use consistent visuals to strengthen campaign identity across multiple sends
✔️ Treat daily deals as a narrative. Build excitement through themed drops or progression
✔️ Refresh layouts mid-campaign to combat repetition fatigue
✔️ Balance urgency with lifestyle cues to sustain brand affinity
✔️ Segment audiences for more targeted offers within broad sales

Meme of the week

'Tis the season for giving yourself a good 'ole pat on the back 🏆

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AI Power-Up: Pressure testing BFCM inventory

Most BFCM mistakes don’t happen in the inbox.

They happen in the warehouse.

Oversell a SKU and you trigger support chaos.

Undersell a SKU and you leave money sitting on shelves.

AI can help you spot both problems before they happen.

Here’s how:

Export your current inventory levels + replenishment timelines.

→ Include: on-hand units, average daily sell-through, lead times, and margins.

Add your planned BFCM offers.

→ Example: “30% off sitewide, bundles on X, free gift with Y.” Drop it into your AI tool with this prompt:

“Here’s my inventory data and BFCM offer plan. Identify which products are at risk of overselling or underselling. Recommend which SKUs to feature, hide, bundle, or push via email/SMS based on margin and stock position.”

AI will call out issues like:

• Oversell risk: “Product A has 5 days of stock at normal velocity. A 30% discount will deplete inventory in <48 hours. Move it to VIP early access only.”

• Undersell risk: “Product B is overstocked and high-margin. Add it as the hero product in Black Friday and consider a bundle with Product C.”

• Gift-with-purchase warning: “You don’t have enough units of the free gift to support the projected volume; switch to a digital perk.”

The result: Your offers don’t just sound good, they actually work with your inventory. Less customer service pain, more profitability, and no mid-sale surprises.

Annnnd that’s a wrap for this edition! 

Thanks for hanging with Chase and me. Always a pleasure to have you here.

If you found this newsletter helpful (or even just a little fun), don’t keep it to yourself! Share ecomemailmarketer.com with your favorite DTC marketer. Let’s get them on board so they don’t miss next week’s drops.

Remember: Do shit you love.

🤘 Jimmy Kim & Chase Dimond

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