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Crafting the best email subject lines is crucial to engaging your subscribers and driving sales with email marketing. They can significantly impact open rates and set expectations for the email content, increasing the likelihood of click-throughs and conversions.
For example, “Last chance: 50% off your favorite items, (Name)!” combines personalization with a time-sensitive offer, sparking curiosity and urging the reader to open the email.
And if you combine a catchy subject line with the power of automation — you can increase your result even more. Automated emails based on behavior triggers have an average of a 42.1% open rate compared to 25.1% for campaign emails in 2023.
Join us below to discover the 150 best email subject lines for sales with real-world examples from successful ecommerce stores.
Create subject lines and emails that drive opens, clicks, and sales with Omnisend
A catchy subject line involves using engaging language, humor, or a sense of urgency to stand out. You can grab your customers’ attention with witty, surprising, or just plain interesting subject lines.
Catchy email subject line examples:
1. Hanky panky for Valentine’s (Open rate: 50%)
2. 🔥 This is an emergency (Open rate: 47.15%)
3. 😍 Catch of the day (Open rate: 45.39%)
4. A note from Santa’s workshop (Open rate: 40%)
5. The summer has finally arrived (Open rate: 35.6%)
6. A big surprise awaits you… Happy Chinese New Year (Open rate: 33.8%)
7. Winter blues? (Open rate: 30.8%)
8. (Recipient name), you won’t believe this!
9. Boom shakalaka! Get ready for a good surprise
10. You can’t handle the awesomeness
11. Psst… here’s the secret you’ve been waiting for
12. 🚀 3, 2, 1… Your inbox is about to blast off!
Here’s an email by Perc Coffee with a catchy subject line to grab the recipient’s attention. It sparks curiosity by asking a question:
Image via Really Good Emails
This email by Googan Squad has a catchy subject line with unconventional verbs. This creates intrigue and makes the recipient curious about what the email contains.
Image via Really Good Emails
Funny email subject lines
With their twist of humor, funny email subject lines are attention-grabbers.
It’s like a comedian’s one-liner: short, sweet, and hopefully gets a laugh (and an open). However, the email content should still be related to the subject line — don’t bait and switch!
Funny email subject line examples:
13. 404 – Your motivation not found (Score: 100%)
14. Yes, we’re stalking you (Score: 100%)
15. Alert: Our new product is awesome (Score: 92%)
16. Do you hate Mondays too? (Score: 92%)
17. This email is gluten-free (Score: 83%)
18. Our products are calorie-free (Score: 83%)
19. Let’s make ‘fetch’ happen (Score: 83%)
20. Warning: This email will self-destruct (Score: 83%)
21. Oops, we accidentally made our products too amazing
22. Open this email for instant cool points
Take a look at the subject line of this email by Graza. Its funny and witty tone surprises the recipients:
Image via Really Good Emails
Since many people find meetings tedious and unnecessary, this subject line by Projector pokes fun at that shared experience:
Image via Really Good Emails
Sale ending soon email subject lines
Let customers know how long they have to take advantage of a sale with limited-time offer subject lines and inject some much-needed urgency into your campaigns. These last-day sale subject lines are perfect for blending FOMO with genuine scarcity.
Sale ending soon email subject line examples:
23. 50% off before Black Friday!!! (Open rate: 43.8%)
24. Only 2 days left! Huge Labor Day 50% OFF SALE! (Open rate: 40.1%)
25. LAST CHANCE for Cyber Monday! Make the most out of it! (Open rate: 35.8%)
26. Reminder: Black Friday 40% OFF! is closing (Open rate: 35%)
27. Last call for early Christmas deals 25% off (Open rate: 31.07%)
28. LAST DAY Independence Day sale | up to 70% Off (Open rate: 23%)
29. 15% OFF!! Code GIFT15! Ends in 24 hours! Last chance for Xmas delivery! 🎁 (Open rate: 18.6%)
30. Expires at midnight – exclusive offer!
31. Hurry: last-minute free delivery 🚚
32. Only 2 days left! 50% off!
33. Tick-tock! Last chance to save big with 25% off
34. Snag those deals before they slip away!
35. Last chance alert: 50% off, ends in a few hours
36. Don’t miss out! Sale ends tonight at 11:59 PM
37. ⏰ Time’s running out! Final hours of our mega sale
This email by Danner uses the phrase “Ends Soon” in the subject line to create a sense of urgency:
Image via Really Good Email
Similarly, this crisp email subject line by Unbound perfectly leverages FOMO to nudge the reader to open the email:
Image via Really Good Emails
New arrivals email subject lines
Keep your stock updates at the top of consumers’ minds by gluing them in with new promotional subject lines. As always, concise and informative wording leads the charge.
New arrivals email subject line examples:
38. (Brand Name) – Black Friday coupon code & new products! (Open rate: 47.1%)
39. Labor Day sale and product arrivals. (Open rate: 39.8%)
40. New year, NEW FPV goodies! (Open rate: 38%)
41. New RDQ motors and last minute Xmas gift ideas 🎁 (Open rate: 33.9%)
42. The new WINTER collection is live! (Open rate: 30.3%)
43. Independence Day weekend special: Free shipping over $75, coupon, and New Africa Twin items! (Open rate: 27.3%)
44. Autumn/Winter is on the way – See what’s new (Open rate: 20.5%)
45. New stock tip: Unveiling a must-have summer collection
46. You deserve new things: Our new stock awaits you
47. Be the first to shop our stunning new additions
48. Sneak peek: Unbox our mystery new arrivals today!
49. Future favorites just landed
Here’s a good example of new arrivals subject lines, with Kizik inviting readers to check out the latest shoes:
Image via Really Good Emails
This email by Musicbed immediately catches the attention of the readers with the words “New” and “Alert” plus the red siren emojis:
Image via Really Good Emails
Giveaway email subject lines
Giveaway subject lines are some of the best cold email subject lines when it comes to open rates.
People love free stuff, so mentioning a giveaway or an offer in the subject line is a surefire way to grab attention.
51. Mother’s Day GIVEAWAY winners! (Open rate: 51%)
52. NEW FRIDAY FREEBIE + New release St. Patrick, scripture, Easter, Mermaid/Beach themes (Open rate: 35.7%)
53. Free Easter goodies on (Brand Name) (Open rate: 34.2%)
54. WIN: THE X BAG! + LAST CHANCE TO ORDER BEFORE XMAS (Open rate: 31.4%)
55 Pumpkin spice. Thanksgiving and freebies (Open rate: 27.8%)
56. End of summer BLOW OUT! Giveaway winners announced! (Open rate: 16.3%)
57. Hey, lucky duck: It’s your chance to win big with our exclusive giveaway
58. Win an amazing prize today! 🎁
59. Free goodies alert: Get in on the action
60. You’re invited: VIP-only giveaway
61. 🎉 Surprise! You’re pre-selected for our secret giveaway
62. Our biggest giveaway ever is hiding in this email
This giveaway subject line by De Soi says that the readers have an opportunity to get their order for FREE. It’s a great way to get your customers excited.
Image via Really Good Emails
This email subject line by True Grit Texture Supply promises a high-value prize to entice the recipient to open the email and learn more about the giveaway:
Image via Really Good Emails
FOMO-based email subject lines
The fear of missing out (FOMO) can be a powerful motivator. FOMO drives 60% of people to make purchases, most of them within a day. You can use this psychology in your email subject lines to encourage engagement.
By highlighting limited-time offers or exclusivity, these subject lines create a sense of “now or never” that compels subscribers to open the email.
64. ⏲️Tick tock. (early holiday up to 75% off) (Open rate: 39.08%)
64. Last call for early Christmas deals 25% off (Open rate: 37.1%)
66. Today only! Green Monday? Apple sale! (Open rate: 37%)
67. Last-minute delivery 🚚 (Open rate: 34%)
68. Want it by Christmas? (Open rate: 34%)
69. LAST DAY Independence Day sale | up to 70% Off #3 (Open rate: 23%)
70. Once it’s gone, it’s gone
71. Act fast! Last chance to grab these deals
72. Hurry! Only 2 pieces left of product X
73. ⚠️ Your cart is about to expire – buy now!
74. Final markdowns – When they’re gone, they’re gone!
75. 🔥 Limited edition: Only 100 available
This email by On says “Don’t miss out” to trigger FOMO and prompt the readers to open the email:
Image via Really Good Emails
Another example is this email by Flodesk. It highlights a deadline to create a sense of urgency — recipients know they only have a short window to take advantage of the deal.
Image via Really Good Emails
Discount email subject lines
With 57% of customers saying emails are the best channel for post-purchase interactions, discount subject lines can be a powerful tool to re-engage customers and drive sales.
You could highlight a percentage off, a specific deal, or a limited-time offer to pique the interest of your subscribers.
Discount email subject line examples:
76. Black Friday warning: $9.99 deals selling out quick! (Open rate: 50%)
77. 3D Moon lamp 😍 50% OFF (7 days shipping) (Open rate: 41.58%)
78. Black Friday deals EXTENDED through Sunday! (Open rate: 40%)
79. SUMMER DISCOUNT! (Open rate: 38.5%)
80. Psst!! Up to 75% OFF happening right now! (Open rate: 37.31%)
81. Even more ✨ off – 75% OFF!! (Open rate: 36.78%)
96. ★ FREE SHIPPING! Black Friday drops now ★ (Open rate: 19%)
97. 40% off & free shipping for one day only 🚚 (Open rate: 19%)
98. Zero shipping charges: We’re letting your wallet breathe
99. Free shipping, no minimum, today only
100. Free shipping fiesta: Free shipping on all orders for 3 days only!
101. 🚚 Free shipping week: No code needed
102. Double win: Free shipping + 25% OFF sitewide today
103. New customers: Enjoy free shipping on your first order
Here is an example of a free shipping subject line by Better Brand. It encourages the customer to spend more to avoid shipping charges:
Image via Really Good Emails
This free shipping email subject line by Kin goes a step further by providing a unique code. With this, the brand wants to encourage its new subscribers to make their first purchase:
Image via Really Good Emails
Back in stock email subject lines
Let your customers know what’s in stock and what isn’t with these best subject lines. As usual, keywords and verbs are paramount for increasing your open rate.
Back in stock email subject line examples:
104. (Brand Name)’s back for fall (Open rate: 50.2%)
105. Hydras back in stock this Saturday! (Open rate: 48%)
107. My Little Pony, IT, Tons restocked (Open rate: 27%)
108. Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 in stock NOW (Open rate: 32.1%)
109. Just landed – stock is limited! (Open rate: 25%)
110. Restock & new items! (Open rate: 29.3%)
111. Your favorite product is back in stock at an affordable price
112. Restocked and ready: Product X is available now!
113. Product X is back! Grab it while it’s still available
114. Missed it last time? (Brand’s bestseller) is back in stock
115. 🎉 It’s back! (Popular Product) now available
116. Your favorite back in stock and cheaper than ever 👀
This email subject line from Loog Guitars indicates that their guitar accessories are now available for purchase again. The emoji adds a touch of excitement to the message:
Image via Really Good Emails
Another example is this email subject line from Vacation, indicating that a popular product is restocked after selling out:
Image via Really Good Emails
Promotional subject lines
Well-crafted promotional subject lines can drive not just open rates but also clicks and conversions. Hint at new product arrivals, seasonal products, or incentives without giving all the information away. This helps pique curiosity, and openers are likely to be in a buying mood.
Promotional email subject line examples:
117. New product arrivals in stock (Score: 92%)
118. New year, new goodies! (Score: 92%)
119. The new winter collection is live! (Score: 92%)
120. Don’t miss the new collection (Score: 92%)
121. A stunning new summer collection! (Score: 92%)
122. 🌟 Introducing: Our most anticipated launch of the year
123. Exclusive preview: Be the first to shop our winter line ⛄
124. Just dropped: The Collection you’ve been waiting for
Here’s a promotional email subject line by West Bourne that compels readers to open the email to learn what product is being referred to and why it’s so popular:
Image via Really Good Emails
Additionally, this email subject line example emphasizes the affordability of starting a skincare routine with their products:
Image via Really Good Emails
Abandoned cart email subject lines
Abandoned carts are sent to site visitors who added items to their shopping cart but left the site without completing those purchases. These subject lines are designed for these emails, encouraging recipients to complete their purchases.
For this subject line, get straight to the point. Let them know there are forgotten items waiting and give them a reason to come back, such as a discount, free shipping, or that items are selling fast and they may miss out.
Abandoned cart email subject line examples:
125. Still shopping? (Take 20% off) (Score: 100%)
126. Your items are selling quickly (Score: 92%)
127. Your cart is waiting (and lonely) (Score: 92%)
128. Did you forget something? (Score: 92%)
129. Complete your order now (Score: 92%)
130. 🛒 Oops! You left something behind
131. 💼 Your cart misses you! Come back & save 15%
132. ⏳ Time’s ticking: Your items are waiting
This abandoned cart email subject line from Sometimes Always uses a tactic of urgency and scarcity to nudge the recipient towards completing their purchase:
Image via Really Good Emails
Another example is this email by Church California with the subject line “You left something behind…”:
Image via Really Good Emails
Welcome subject lines
These are the first words new subscribers will see from your brand in their inbox, so a welcome subject line should be friendly and inviting.
While a warm welcome is important, you’ll also want to give them a good reason to open the email.
Welcome email subject line examples:
133. Welcome! (Important info inside) (Score: 92%)
134. Welcome! Enjoy 20% off 💗 (Score: 92%)
135. You’re one of us now! (Score: 92%)
136. Thanks for subscribing! (psst, open me) (Score: 83%)
137. Welcome info & your free gift 🎁 (Score: 83%)
138. Welcome (Name): Your adventure with (company name) starts now (Score: 75%)
139. Welcome to the family! 🤗 Let’s get you started
140. 🎉 Welcome aboard! Here’s what’s next
141. Thanks for joining us! Your exclusive perks await 🌟
This crisp and simple welcome subject line from Ganni bids a warm welcome to the new subscriber:
Image via Really Good Emails
Now, this welcome email subject line by The RealReal not only welcomes newcomers but also offers a special discount to boost conversion:
Image via Really Good Emails
Winback email subject lines
The purpose of winback email subject lines is simple: entice unengaged recipients to open your email and re-engage with you.
A simple “We miss you” or a friendly “Welcome back” can go a long way. You can also offer something new or a special discount to give them a reason to come back to you.
Winback email subject line examples:
142. Would you like a 20% discount? (Score: 100%)
143. We miss you! Have £10 on us (Score: 92%)
144. Did you miss these new products? (Score: 92%)
145. Treat yourself. You deserve it. 💗 (Score: 92%)
146. We miss you, (Name) (Score: 83%)
147. Let’s rekindle the flame, here’s 50% off (Score: 50%)
148. 🔥 A comeback offer you can’t refuse: 40% OFF!
149. Breaking up is hard… Let’s make up with a gift 🎁
150. (Name), we saved your cart + added free shipping 💰
Winback email subject lines need not be superficial or boring. This example from Duolingo shows how you can add a touch of emotion with a simple emoji:
Image via Really Good Emails
Here’s another example of a winback subject line by YouTube. The subject line is concise and informative and uses a sense of nostalgia to entice viewers who love the Super Bowl:
Image via Really Good Emails
Email subject line best practices
A subject line sets your audience’s first impression of your business. It entices them to open and engage with your message. Hence, crafting clear, concise, and engaging email subject lines is crucial for successful campaigns.
Be concise: People often only scan their inboxes, and long subject lines get cut off in many inboxes. Aim for less than 10 words or 20–40 characters (including spaces) for optimal display across devices.
Spark curiosity with a question: Asking questions or posing a challenge in email subject lines can pique interest, making the recipient more likely to open the email.
Here’s an example from Pointhound. A targeted subject line in the form of a question makes a reader eager to find out what’s on offer:
Image via Really Good Emails
Create a sense of urgency: If your email has a time-sensitive offer or deadline, mention it in the subject line. This can encourage recipients to open your email to take advantage of the opportunity.
Include numbers: Our brains are inherently intrigued by numbers. That’s why incorporating numbers or statistics in subject lines can be a great way to grab attention.
Highlight value proposition: Briefly state the benefit your email offers. Is it a discount code, an industry report, or helpful tips? Let the recipient know what they can get from your email.
Personalize whenever possible: Email personalization can add a touch of familiarity and make the reader feel like it’s relevant to them, thus increasing email open rates.
An effective way to do this is to include the recipient’s name in the subject line. You can also customize your subject line for special occasions (e.g., saying happy birthday) and add elements that are related to the occasion, including event-related keywords or emojis.
Take a look at this Valentine’s Day email subject line by Clive Coffee. It’s carefully crafted for the occasion while distinctly promoting the core product:
Image via Really Good Emails
Avoid spammy tactics: Exclamation points, using all caps, and excessive punctuation can suggest spammy content. Maintain a professional tone and avoid misleading language that might get your email filtered out as spam.
Use power words: Incorporate words that evoke emotions or create a sense of urgency. Words like “exclusive,” “limited time,” “important,” or “new” can add a persuasive element to your subject line.
A/B test different options: Don’t be afraid to experiment with different subject lines to see what resonates best with your audience. Use A/B testing tools to send variations of your email to a small segment. Then, analyze which one generates a higher open rate.
Use emojis cautiously: Using emojis for email subject lines can add personality, but use them sparingly. Consider your audience and the overall tone of your email.
Optimize for preview text: Many email clients display a snippet of your email body after the subject line. Use the preview text to elaborate on the subject or create further intrigue. Ensure it complements the subject line without being redundant.
Create catchy subject lines and engaging email campaigns that get results with Omnisend
Emojis can be great for your brand, but they can also seem out of place.
The best question to ask is — do emojis fit into your brand personality?
If they do, then you should definitely use them. If you’re not sure yet, A/B test it by adding one emoji in your subject line and monitoring the performance.
The length of an email subject line can vary. However, there are some general guidelines to follow to boost open rates. It’s ideal to keep your subject line between 30–40 characters or around four to seven words so it doesn’t get cut off, especially on smaller screens.
If you aren’t sure how long your emails are, use our free email subject line tester to easily check your length and see how the line looks on different devices.
3. Will the word “free” send my emails to spam?
No, the word “free” alone won’t necessarily send your emails to spam. Spam filters look for a combination of factors, not just individual words.
Spammy content elements, such as all-caps text, vague promises, and excessive use of exclamation points, can be red flags for spam filters. Using the word “free” can potentially be problematic if it’s in combination with other facts, but it can also be beneficial. You just need to remember how to avoid spam filters when sending emails to customers.
4. Can I use all caps or exclamation marks?
You can, just sparingly.
Putting a few words in caps is fine, but this should be the exception rather than the rule.
The same thing goes for exclamation marks. Try using just one exclamation mark instead of three to avoid coming off as angry. In most cases, a single mark will convey your message perfectly.
5. What are some tools I can use to help me write email subject lines?
There are several tools available that can help you write email subject lines, including our subject line generator, that suggest effective subject line options for your email campaigns.
Additionally, a subject line tester can help you refine it for maximum impact. It does this by analyzing factors like length, clarity, and potential spam triggers.
6. What should I do if my open rates are low?
If your open rates are low, there are a few things you can do to improve them:
Use stronger subject lines
Tailor your subject lines to your recipients
Segment your list so you can send more relevant emails
Send fewer emails
Use a different email marketing platform
Useful resources for email marketing
Email marketing changes extremely fast, and so do strategies for creating the best email marketing subject lines. We recommend you check out our latest guides to update your strategy and create good email subject lines for sales:
Bernard is the Sr. Director of Communications & Creative at Omnisend, with a passion for good research, helping ecommerce businesses with their marketing automation needs, and beating absolutely everyone in Mario Kart 64.
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