The State of Email in Retail

Six years of real platform data. One clear picture of what's changed, and what to do next.

We analyzed Ometria platform data from across our client base of 200+ retail brands, spanning 2020 to 2025, to build the most comprehensive picture of retail email performance available. Here's what the data reveals:

• Why email metrics are softening, and what's actually driving it. From inbox changes and privacy updates to consumer fatigue and channel competition, we break down the four structural forces every retailer is navigating right now.

• Why volume isn't the answer. Retail brands are sending 157% more emails than in 2020. Revenue contribution hasn't kept pace. We show exactly why the instinct to send more is making things worse, not better.

• Where the real email opportunity lies. Automation emails account for just 2.6% of sends but 32% of revenue. The gap between brands using email strategically and those relying on broadcast volume has never been wider.

• What's separating the strongest CRM programs from the rest. Multi-channel retailers outperformed email-only retailers on CRM revenue growth in 2025, and the gap is widening. We show what they're doing differently.

• Practical guidance and real brand examples. From hyper-personalization to cross-channel coordination, see what good looks like in practice, with examples from retail brands already getting it right.

If email performance is a conversation you're having right now, this report gives you the data to lead it.