Let’s talk email frequency. In July 2025, Groupon sent me 133 emails.
Let that sink in.
That’s 4.3 emails per day, every day, all month long. Weekends included. Holidays? Didn’t matter. I haven’t heard from some family members that often in the past year. Or five years.
Here’s what I got from them on July 5, 2025:
Notice anything? I noticed 2 things:
1. Groupon is changing up their friendly from line from send-to-send. Is that to try to hide that the emails are coming from them? Exclusive Experiences? Beauty Bliss? C’mon!
2. The same subject line, about Spa World, appears over and over again. In fact, more than half the messages I received from Groupon in July 2025 (58% to be exact) carried the same ‘Spa World’ subject line:
“Indulge in Total Relaxation at Spa World – Your Oasis of Tranquility and Wellness! (Up to 30% Off)”
Here’s a snapshot of the emails, sorted by subject line:
Why Spa World? Well, it makes sense, kind of. The last thing I bought from Groupon (and honestly, the only thing I’ve bought from them in years) was a pass to Spa World. That was back in December 2024, six months ago.
Here’s the thing: my friends and I love Spa World. We go a few times a year. And yes, I usually check Groupon before we go to see if there’s a deal. But, and here’s the part that hurts to say as an email marketer, no email Groupon sends me is going to be the thing that gets me to buy another Spa World pass.
It’s not about your subject lines. It’s not your preheader text. It’s not even the offer (which I already know by heart).
What’s going to drive me to purchase again?
A plan.
A text thread with my friends that ends in: “Okay, Spa World on Tuesday. We’re all in — it’s a go!”
That’s the trigger. Not your email frequency. Not your friendly from name. Not even your relentless copywriting optimism.
When Email Frequency Backfires
And let’s be clear — this isn’t new. Groupon has been bombarding me with emails for months. This is just the first time I stopped and actually did the math.
Turns out, the cadence in July started at five emails a day, then eased to about three a day by the end of the month. So maybe they’re cutting back on their email frequency (at least for me, an inactive recipient). But without tallying up the total, I never would have noticed. The experience didn’t feel any less relentless.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not anti-frequency. I’ve managed programs where sending daily or more than once a day was not only successful but welcomed. But the difference is, those sends were:
- Varied in topic and value
- Tailored to engagement history
- Timed based on real behavioral signals (not a six-month-old transaction)
Groupon’s approach? Spray and spa. A subject line hammer trying to chisel me into a buyer.
And the truth is, I stopped opening them months ago. I couldn’t even scan anymore. Inbox fatigue is real.
The Lesson: Sometimes It’s Not the Email
As email marketers, we love to think that the right message, sent at the right time will drive action. And often, it does. But sometimes the barrier isn’t messaging. It’s life. Scheduling. Competing priorities. Logistics.
And when your frequency overwhelms instead of supports that, you become noise, even when your offer is relevant.
133 emails later, I still haven’t bought another Groupon for Spa World. And I won’t. Not until the Spa World date that works for all of us pops up in that group text. That’s the conversion path. Your emails? They’re just background static.
Until next time, mind your frequency!
jj
Jeanne Jennings is the Founder and Chief Strategist at Email Optimization Shop, a boutique consultancy and training organization where she helps clients craft more effective and more profitable email programs.
Learn more at www.EmailOpShop.com
