8 Best Flash Sale Email Examples [Tips & Subject Lines]
Published By Alexandra Marinaki
January 22, 2025
22/01/25
Your inbox is flooded with promotional emails, but one subject line catches your eye. “The clock is ticking!” You open it, and within minutes, you’re making a purchase you didn’t even know you needed.
That was a flash sale email, a powerful tool that can skyrocket sales in a matter of hours. And now, as a marketer, you may be wondering: “How can I craft such an email that not only grabs attention but also drives conversions?”
In this post, we’ll dive into the art and science of these email types. Explore flash sale email examples, tips, and subject lines to ensure your next campaign is a success. Whether you’re a seasoned marketer or just starting out, these insights will help you boost your email marketing efforts.
What Is a Flash Sale?
It’s a common eCommerce promotional tactic, providing customers with limited time offers and significant discounts on products or services. Driven by a sense of urgency and fear of missing out (FOMO), consumers are highly likely to complete a purchase.
Here are some common flash sale types:
- BOGO (Buy one, get one)
- Discounts on certain product categories
- Holiday sales (e.g., Mother’s Day, Christmas)
- Discounts on all products
- Sales on stock items
- VIP members
Overall, flash sales help businesses boost their revenue and even attract new customers. Emails are among the top means to promote them. By leveraging top-notch email marketing software, marketers can send highly personalized and timely campaigns using tools such as audience segmentation and behavior tracking.
Plus, when combined with other tactics, such as social media and SMS marketing, they can yield amazing results.
Flash Sales Email Best Practices
Ready to put your next flash sale email campaigns in your eCommerce business plan? Once you’ve set a specific sales goal, follow these tactics:
1. Optimize your email design
Whether you choose to create an email from scratch or use a premade flash sale email template, enhance it with sale cues to put the reader in the right mood. Include “Flash sale” icons or GIFs to grab their attention. Plus, add high-quality product images to show readers what they’ll miss if they skip the offer.
Flash sale emails should be compact with a unique call-to-action to drive sales fast. The primary CTA button should be found within one scroll, popping out with a distinct color.
One final addition that can improve the performance of those emails is the countdown timer. It helps readers visualize when the flash sale ends and prompts them to act fast. Most email marketing services like Moosend offer built-in timers, helping users create these designs in simple steps to convert their audience.
2. Add urgency to your copy
Email subscribers should understand how time-sensitive your offer is at first glance. Starting with the subject line, use keywords such as “Just for today,” “Only a few hours left,” and” Save big” to motivate readers to open the email. Combine it with a clock or hourglass emoji for maximum results.
Follow the same mindset when crafting the email content. Stick to the benefits they’ll reap if they act fast with emphasis on savings and specify the end date. You can also add social proof to make it more indulging.
However, some sale-related words, when widely spread, can signal to ISP filters that your content is spammy. Check out this list to avoid the junk folders and ensure a good deliverability rate for these critical campaigns.
3. Leverage email personalization
Want to make your flash sale emails a smashing success? Then personalization should be your go-to promotional strategy. There are many targeting tactics to consider. For instance, you can send flash emails to specific segments based on their engagement level, such as people who haven’t engaged for a while or VIP customers.
Another idea is sending different incentives to customers based on their engagement level or even tweaking your messaging based on each subgroup’s potential motives and sentiments. Or consider their purchase history to highlight products they’re more likely to buy using dynamic content blocks.
4. Set up automation workflows
To ensure that flash sale emails convert, set up an automated sequence to nudge subscribers at multiple times. The number of emails you should send depends on the duration of the sale. For example, if it lasts one week, you can send an announcement, a follow-up, and a last call.
The closer you move to the expiration date, the more urgent the email copy should be. Add an inviting subject line and a clear CTA to boost its performance.
To save time, use an automation software tool with a beginner-friendly editor where you can adjust or build them from scratch. Moosend, for example, has premade automation worfklows, perfect for eCommerce businesses. By setting up a reminder series, you can ensure that customers who make a purchase won’t receive further reminders, preventing your emails from appearing spammy.
5. Conduct A/B testing
If you’re looking for data-informed solutions to form successful flash sale emails, try A/B testing. Create two email versions and discover what resonates the most with your target audience. The winning one will be sent to most subscribers.
You can test different email elements, including the subject line, images, sending time, and length size. For instance, you can test two CTA versions to find the one that receives a higher click-through rate. Determine the email parts you’d like to experiment with to make safer sending decisions and boost your open and conversion rates.
8 Top Flash Sale Email Examples & Why They Work
Let’s explore 8 amazing flash sale emails from various brands and why they stand out:
1. Cheekbone’s BOGO flash sale
Subject line: FLASH SALE FOR LIPS – BUY 2 GET 1 FREE
Cheekbone announced an irresistible one-day only BOGO flash sale on a unique product category–their lipsticks.
Why we liked it:
- They added vibrant animated images of the products announcing the flash sale offer.
- They placed two clear CTA buttons next to the expiration date to add urgency.
- They invited subscribers to tag them on social media to boost brand awareness.
2. Timberland’s members-only flash sale
Subject line: 20% off on everything – Flash Sale
Timberland invited subscribers to become community members and get 20% off on all products for 24 hours.
Why we liked it:
- They combined a sales initiative with a customer loyalty action to boost brand awareness.
- The subject line sets the right expectations about the email intent.
- The copy is straightforward, informing subscribers what they should do to claim the discount.
3. American Giant’s flash sale combo
Subject line: Friday Flash Sale ⚡
American Giant offered a Friday discount on their zippers with a double incentive for shoppers.
Why we liked it:
- They incentivized people to buy more than one product with an extra discount.
- They added high-quality images of people wearing the products in style.
- They placed “Shop Now” buttons under each image to move to checkout faster.
4. Meowingtons’ Black Friday Sale
Subject line: DOORBUSTER DEAL 💥 Cat Tree Flash Sale!
Meowingtons offered a special Black Friday deal to customers on a unique product–and they couldn’t promote it better.
Why we liked it:
- They added the promo code at the top in the form of a CTA button.
- They included a customer testimonial and photo to benefit from social proof.
- They wrote a clear subject line enhanced with an emoji to be more playful.
5. MVMT’s last chance sale email
Subject line: Flash Sale Ends Tonight! 30% Off Spring Dress Watches
MVMT sent a last call email to subscribers to remind them to make a purchase and boost their savings.
Why we liked it:
- They added an “Ends tonight” flash sale alert and a countdown timer at the top to create urgency.
- They placed the “Shop now” call to action at the top to boost click-through rates.
- They included high-quality images and divided them into gender-based categories.
6. Body Bliss’s free shipping sale
Subject line: Free Shipping Flash Sale! ☃️
Body Bliss shared an exclusive offer–free shipping it is–to customers during holidays to boost their seasonal sales.
Why we liked it:
- They shared this incentive during a peak season to boost sales.
- They combined it with a gift guide to indulge last-minute shoppers to purchase.
- They added the terms and conditions for more transparency.
7. FreshBooks’ limited-time sale
Subject line: 3-Day Flash Sale: Get 50% off
The accounting software FreshBooks announced a 3-day sale 50% off on all plans for 6 months. The requirement? Upgrading to a new plan.
Why we liked it:
- They included all the information a customer needs to convert at the top.
- They added the initial and final pricing to emphasize customer savings.
- They placed the call-to-action buttons at two prominent places, written in actionable language.
8. MeUndies sale extension email
Subject line: EXTENDED | 60% Off Sleepwear
MeUndies extended their flash sales to give one more chance to customers to buy and maximize their sales: a win-win scenario.
Why we liked it:
- They created an animated “One-day only” banner to grab the readers’ attention.
- They added an exclusive tone by providing early access to readers for Black Friday deals.
- They shared a holiday gift guide to maximize their seasonal sales.
Flash Sale Email Subject Lines to Boost Open Rates
Email subject lines play a key role in conversions. Here are some recommendations from various brands for your flash sale campaigns to get inspired:
Flash sales announcement
- Flash Sale Alert!! Shop with 50% off coupon
- ⚡FLASH SALE starts now. Go! ⚡
- Member flash sale: 24% off
- 48h Flash Sale Is On!
- Flash Birthday Sale – Shop Your email Faves!
- FALL FLASH SALE 🍁 20% Off Sitewide!
Last call emails
- 30% Off Flash Sale Ends Tonight!
- Hurry Up! Flash Sale Ends at Midnight!
- ⏰ FLASH SALE: EXTENDED 24 HRS ⏰
- ⚡ FLASH ⚡ sale magic disappears after tonight!
- 5 HOURS ONLY ✨
- Time is flying! This flash sale ends tonight.
Keep in mind that many email marketing services like Moosend offer AI writing assistants to help marketers craft compelling copy. Just type the right AI prompts to find the best subject line for your audience.
Flash Sale Email Templates to Save Time
Looking for some beautifully designed premade templates to craft compelling marketing emails? Below, we’ll share four sale email templates, easy to customize, from two different services: Moosend and Stripo.
Moosend’s Sale Email Templates
To get these templates, sign up for a Moosend account or request one month for free. Customize them with the drag-and-drop editor, and access top-notch email automation and segmentation capabilities to create converting emails.
Moosend’s season sale template
This template will help you highlight your products and emphasize the savings customers will make. Simply replace the images and tailor it to other holidays as well, with small adjustments.
Moosend’s huge sale email template
Use this template to promote your sales and place the primary call-to-action at the top. Adjust the content blocks as needed to display your offers. There’s also a free shipping section to make this sale more appealing.
Stripo’s sale email designs
Stripo is an email designer you can easily integrate with most email marketing software. Customize the email templates based on your needs using their intuitive editor.
Stripo’s holiday sale template
Use this template to announce your holiday flash sale successfully. You can also add customer reviews next to each product to make your offers more attractive.
Stripo’s minimalistic sale email template
This design will help readers stay focused on what really matters-the flash sale announcement. The call-to-action button and promo code at the top will lead to higher conversions.
Unlock the Secret to High-Converting Flash Sale Emails
Briefly, mastering this strategy can significantly boost your marketing efforts. Remember, at the heart of every successful flash sale email is your customer. Tailoring your messages to their needs can make all the difference.
Finally, watching your flash sale email performance and collecting customer feedback will help you refine this tactic and boost conversions even more. All these factors combined will help you build stronger relationships and more effective campaigns.
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