The Best Ecom Subject Lines That People Open (Steal These)

Hey it's Max from The Inbox Newsletter.

It’s officially November... you can feel every ecom brand already shifting into BFCM crunch time. It’s our Super Bowl, ladies and gents!

Today I’m going to share some of my favorite subject lines you can steal to make sure EVERYONE on your list actually opens your emails.

No more lazy subject lines that get scrolled past the second your email hits the inbox.

Let’s get into it!

Welcome Flow:

“Request #7845: Awaiting response…”

The fake request number does a lot of work here… It comes across as like a legit account notification and the open loop pulls in the click just to see what the response is.

“Your request has been approved”

Same kind of account notification strategy but subscribers see this and instantly assume it’s a real system email… which pretty much guarantees an open.

“Re: your discount request”

The “Re:” prefix is powerful because it looks like a reply to a message the subscriber already sent. Bonus points for framing the discount as a “request” they made.

“Status: APPROVED”

Short, punchy, and reads like a confirmation notification. All caps on APPROVED adds urgency without feeling salesy.

“Update to your account”

Comes across as a genuine account update. Zero marketing language which makes it stand out in a crowded inbox.

Abandonment Flows:

“Order status: incomplete”

Love this one! The word “incomplete” creates urgency because it implies something there that needs to be finished…

“Your order is ready to ship”

This one crushes. We’ve A/B tested it against “Forgetting something?” before and it wins every single time… Feels like their order is being processed and they don’t want to miss out.

“One last step for order #76868”

The fake order number sells the legitimacy and “one last step” removes friction. Subscribers feel like they’re 90% of the way there and just need to finish.

“Re: cart #74821”

The “Re:” prefix again does the heavy lifting. Combined with a fake cart number, you can have this come across as a follow-up to a conversation they had before.

“Should we keep this open?”

Built-in sense of consequence that forces the subscriber to open. Subscribers see the copy and immediately want to know what the “this” is before you take it away. Curiosity maxxing at its finest.

Post Purchase / Winback Flows:

“A new offer was added to your account”

Reads like a legit account notification. Subscribers instantly want to know what the offer is and how much it’s worth.

“[Alert] New balance available”

The “[Alert]” bracket adds urgency and “new balance” makes it feel like there’s real money or credit on the line.

“Should’ve mentioned this earlier…”

Feels casual and personal… like a customer service rep is texting them.

“Reorder status: Due”

Frames the reorder as a status update instead of a marketing push. Perfect for replenishment flows or products with a natural reorder cycle.

“You Qualified!”

This is GREAT for winback flows to make lapsed customers feel like they got selected for something.

Offers:

“(1) Unredeemed Offer Inside”

The “(1)” at the front mimics an unread notification subscribers see on every other app while the “unredeemed” wording creates urgency since it implies the offer expires if they don’t act.

“Activated: Your Offer”

Reads like the offer is already live and waiting on the subscriber… You’ll get a ton of subscribers who just want to know what got activated.

“Your Discount Request”

Frames the offer as a request the subscriber already made even though they didn’t. Pulls the open because subscribers want to see what they “requested” and how much it’s for.

“Status: UNCLAIMED”

All caps on “UNCLAIMED” creates immediate urgency. Subscribers see it and assume there’s something sitting on their account that’ll expire if they don’t tap in.

“You Qualify”

Makes the the subscriber unlocked something exclusive. Great for any offer tied to loyalty status or a specific customer segment.

Random:

“(1) New Message Received”

Mimics a DM or notification subscribers get across every app. The “(1)” sells the notification feel and pulls the open on autopilot.

“We Owe You”

Reframes a sale or offer as something the subscriber is owed instead of something they need to go claim. The second subscribers see “we owe you” they want to know what’s being handed to them.

“Hey”

The one-word subject line stands out because it reads like a casual text from a friend. Perfect for a pattern interrupt and for personal founder-style sends or re-engagement.

“We need to talk”

Instantly creates tension that forces the open. Subscribers see it and assume something’s up, even if the email itself is lighthearted.

“Your Next Steps”

Feels like a direct action item on something the subscriber already started…

BTW, I share insights like this every single day in my private community which you can find here.

Email Inspiration Of The Day

Brand:
Impossibrew

Email Design:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1M5LmsleMOSuF1I2F7GdcVWlLEzvcJTpd/view?usp=drive_link

Notes:

Love this email and has a banger angle to hook people in: 4 reasons not to stock up this week

Reply to this email if you have any questions or further content you want covered.

Cheers,

Max Sturtevant

P.S
Here’s how I can help you further…

• Email Marketing Mastery Course/Community:
  A full 30+ module email course that comes with weekly calls with me, 250+ editable email templates, and a community for daily Q&A from myself and other members. Learn More Here »

• Work With My Agency:
  At Well Copy, we’ve done $250M in email sales across 300+ brands in the past 2 years. We’re the best in the game at managing email. Book A Call Here »

• Free Resources:
  10+ free guides and resources for you to learn email marketing for free from my content. Access Resources Here »

• Join My Team: 
  We’re always hiring for skilled email/retention account managers, strategists, copywriters, designers, and more. Apply To Join Our Team Here »