The Highest Leverage A/B Test You're Not Running (But Should Be)

Hey it’s Max from The Inbox Newsletter.

Let me show you how one tiny change pulled in 4x more revenue...

...without changing a single line of copy.

Key Takeaways:

• Send time is one of the easiest A/B tests to run, but most brands skip it.

• Different audiences open and buy at different times of day.

• Testing send time can 4x your email revenue (without changing a single word).

• Lunch time and early AM tend to be top performers, but always test it.

This Test Took 10 Seconds, And Made $6,000 More

Most A/B tests take effort.

Different copy. New subject lines. Rewriting CTAs. Designing variants.

But the highest leverage test? It’s dead simple: change the send time.

We ran a test for a Father’s Day campaign.

Same list. Same email. Same subject line. Same preview text.

The only difference?

Variation A was sent at 9:00 AM.
Variation B was sent at 3:00 PM.

Here’s what happened:

Same email. 4x the revenue.

All because of when we hit send.

Why Send Time Works

Every audience has a rhythm.

Busy moms, 9-to-5ers, gym bros, night owls…

They all check email at different times.

Most brands just default to 10am or 6pm and pray.

But there’s zero downside to testing your timing and huge upside if you hit the sweet spot.

General Rules of Thumb for Send Time

Here’s what we’ve seen work across dozens of ecommerce brands:

• Earlier = More Open Time
  Emails sent earlier in the day have more time to be seen. The later you send, the more likely someone will fall asleep on not check their emails from the day before.

• But Not Too Early
  If you send at 6:00 AM, you’re fighting for attention in a crowded inbox while your customer is brushing their teeth and rushing to work.

• Sweet Spot = 10:00 AM–2:00 PM
  This window hits right as people are settling into their day or taking a lunch break, AKA scrolling their phones. It’s early enough to get seen, but not so early that you get buried.

• Evening Sends (5:00–7:00 PM)
  These can work well when you want quick, impulse-driven actions (like a flash sale or 24-hour drop). Just know these sends have a shorter shelf life, most of your opens will happen in the first hour or two.

Like anything in email, these aren’t hard rules. They’re starting points. Your audience is unique, so always back this up with real tests.

Big News Coming Soon 😉 

If you’re an ecommerce brand who doesn’t have the budget for our full service but want professional level partners running your emails, you’re going to like the news I share shortly.

Be on the lookout.

Email Inspiration Of The Day

Brand:
Madison Reed

Email Design:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JuQZuS9eY7QmqoVVaIYdu5ZizRV0ZDYn/view?usp=sharing

Notes:
Love the hero section idea and I think this can apply to any brand!

Easy way to engage subscribers.

Template of The Day

If you want access to a bank of 134 mix and match templates like this equating to over 5,000+ possible email designs, click here » 

Helpful Links Of The Day

• AG1’s secret way to get site traffic

• Watch me write and design an email for Mr. Beast

• 2025 welcome flow strategy that prints

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

Cheers,

Max

PS - If you run a 7-9 figure ecommerce brand and you want to have a free email strategy consultation, book a call here »

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