The Dark Side of Email

Plus, How to Leverage Your Shipping Experience as an Advantage During the Holidays

The TL;DR:

The SCALIS waitlist is now live! We’ve been working on this for the past 18 months and are very excited about our early December launch. If you’re a business in the Shopify ecosystem struggling to manage your applicant intake process or looking to hire more team members, our fully integrated Applicant Tracking System (ATS) and Job Board platform, powered by AI, gives us the ability to match relevant candidates to relevant companies - unlikely existing job board platforms.

  • Let’s Chat D2C: The Dark Side of Email - how to combat dark mode before the holiday season.

  • What I’m Thinking about this Week: Managing Customer Expectations with Shipping - how to use shipping speed and transparency as a competitive advantage during the holidays.

  • The D2Z Podcast: In this week’s episode, I sat down with Tim Calise, a serial #2 behind multiple 7 and 8-figure CEOs.

  • App Highlights: I created a Shopify Admin Walkthrough & Okendo Deep-Dive tutorial video.

  • Upcoming Events: I’m off to LA on Monday until 10/6 for the Shopify Enterprise Partner Summit and Cleveland from 10/8-10/11 for the Forbes 30under30 Summit.

Also, you can now easily share this newsletter with a friend! As you refer, you earn:

  • 3 Referrals: A Free Tech Stack Audit

  • 5 Referrals: A Free Website Audit

  • 10 Referrals: A Free 30-minute Consulting Session

Let’s Chat D2C - The Dark Side of Email

Today, I want to chat about dark mode. “Email dark mode” means an email client, web service, or app that offers a dark mode option for reading, composing, and managing emails. Your email subscribers may want to use it to reduce eye strain, minimize blue light exposure, or simply they might just enjoy the visual appeal more.

Unfortunately for you, designing emails with dark mode in mind is a pain in the ass.

If you’re not already, you need to start considering the appearance of their email campaigns in dark mode. Because many modern email clients offer dark mode settings, it's important for email content to be adaptable and still look good when viewed in both light and dark interfaces.

Designing emails to support dark mode requires careful planning and consideration, as the appearance of certain design elements can change when viewed in this mode. Here are some steps and best practices to design an email that looks great in both light and dark modes:

  1. Use Transparent PNGs: If you're using images, especially logos or other branding elements, consider using transparent PNGs. This ensures that the image will blend smoothly with both light and dark backgrounds.

  2. Avoid Using Pure White or Black: Pure white can be too glaring in dark mode, and pure black might disappear against a dark background. Use off-whites or off-blacks instead.

  3. Test with Background Colors: If you use a background color, ensure it translates well in dark mode. Some email clients may invert or adjust colors, so test to see how your choices render.

  4. Use Dark Mode Media Queries: Some email clients support CSS media queries that detect if the user is in dark mode. For example: 

    @media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) {
    /* Dark mode styles here */
}

    With this, you can specify styles that should only apply when the email is viewed in dark mode.

  5. Dual-Color SVGs: SVGs can adapt to color changes better than raster images. Consider using SVGs with CSS to adjust the fill color for logos and icons based on the mode.

  6. Text Colors: Ensure that your text remains legible in both modes. Avoid using colors that are too close to black or white. If necessary, adjust text colors using media queries for dark mode specifically.

  7. Links: Ensure that links are still distinguishable in dark mode. They shouldn't blend into the background.

  8. Avoid Hard-Coded Background Images: If you have a background image that's designed for a light-mode appearance, it might not look right in dark mode. Consider offering an alternative or ensuring it's neutral enough to work in both scenarios.

  9. Testing is Key: Testing across various email clients is crucial for all email designs. Some clients might not support dark mode, some might invert colors automatically, and others might use the styles you've defined. Tools like Litmus or Email on Acid can help you see how your email looks across different clients and modes.

Remember that dark mode support in emails is still evolving, and there isn't a one-size-fits-all approach. Regular testing and adaptation are necessary to ensure a seamless experience for all your readers.

What I’m Thinking About This Week - Managing Customer Expectations with Shipping

The holiday season is just around the corner, and with that, an influx of orders and longer wait times for customers with an increase in pick-n-pack time at the warehouse to a longer delivery window from carriers.

Managing customer expectations with shipping is critical for retaining customers, building brand loyalty, and ensuring positive reviews and word-of-mouth referrals. But, it can also help boost conversion rate if you are clear and transparent with customers on their shipping timing. Here are my top steps on how to effectively manage those expectations:

  1. Clear Communication:

    • Shipping Policy: Have a clear and easy-to-find shipping policy on your website that details shipping durations, costs, carriers, and any other relevant information.

    • Order Confirmation: Send a branded confirmation email after the purchase detailing the expected shipping time, any tracking numbers, and the products ordered.

    • Updates: If any delays or changes occur, communicate them proactively to the customer. Keep them informed about the status of their order. This also helps cut down on unnecessary customer support tickets.

  2. Transparent Pricing: Avoid hidden fees. If you have additional costs for faster shipping, international delivery, or other fees, ensure they're transparent before the customer finalizes the purchase.

  3. Offer Multiple Shipping Options: Some customers might want faster delivery and are willing to pay more, while others may prioritize cheaper or free shipping even if it takes longer.

  4. Accurate Delivery Estimates: It's better to under-promise and over-deliver. If you think shipping might take 5-7 days, it's better to estimate 7 days and deliver in 5 rather than the other way around.

  5. Reliable Tracking System: Provide tracking numbers as soon as they're available. Ensure that the tracking system you use is accurate and reliable. This reduces customer anxiety and the number of inquiries about package whereabouts.

  6. Responsive Customer Service: Make sure you have a system in place to address shipping-related queries or complaints. Quick and effective responses can alleviate customer frustrations. Leverage Gorgias automation to automate up to 30% of your inbound tickets, especially queries like Where is my order (WISMO).

  7. Packaging: Ensure items are packaged securely to avoid damage. Consider branded packaging to elevate the unboxing experience. However, also be mindful of environmental concerns; excessive or non-recyclable packaging can deter certain customers.

  8. Returns and Exchanges: A clear and fair return policy is crucial. It reassures customers that they won't be left out of pocket if there's an issue with the product.

  9. Educate Your Customers: Utilize your website, emails, or even package inserts to educate customers on things like how to track their package, what to do if they're not home for a delivery, or how to process a return.

  10. Feedback Loop: Actively seek feedback on your shipping process and see where you can improve. This could be done through post-purchase surveys or directly reaching out to customers who had shipping issues.

  11. Stay Updated with Carriers: If you're using third-party carriers, keep up to date with any changes in their policies, rates, or services. This way, you can adjust your own policies and keep your customers informed.

  12. Set Expectations for Peak Times: During peak shopping seasons (e.g., Black Friday, holiday season), provide clear warnings about potential delays. Consider extending delivery estimates during these times.

Remember, the key is setting accurate expectations and then meeting or exceeding them. Even if there's an issue with shipping, excellent communication and customer service can turn a potentially negative experience into a positive one.

This Week’s The D2Z Podcast

#77 – The Art of Building Ventures with Roger Beaman

🎧 Listen Now 🎧

In this week’s episode, I sat down with Tim Calise, a serial #2 behind multiple 7 and 8-figure CEOs. Specifically, we explored the following:

💰 Raising $300 million before the age of 25.

📲 Considering multiple buying decisions, focusing on longevity, and understanding customer pain points.

😎 The need to carve a niche and the risks versus rears of having co-founders.

🚀 The importance of understanding one’s desires and setting priorities accordingly!

After recent updates from both platforms, I compiled two video tutorial walkthroughs of the Shopify Admin and Okendo!

There have been a lot of updates to the Shopify Admin in the past six months, so I put together a 46-minute walkthrough going through each section of the backend.

Okendo has released surveys, quizzes, and referrals in the last year alone. I break down the entire platform and how their move to become a zero-party data platform significantly helps merchants build out more robust customer data profiles.

Upcoming Events

October Schedule

I’m off to LA on Monday until 10/6 for the Shopify Enterprise Partner Summit and Cleveland 10/8-10/11 for the Forbes 30under30 Summit.

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