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See Features105 best email subject lines [Updated for 2023]
Looking for the best email subject lines?
Well, you just found a gold mine.
This post has 105 best email subject lines for marketing, newsletters, sales, and much more.
But that’s not all—
We also added open rates, so you know the subject lines with the highest open rates.
Let’s not waste any time — let’s go!
In this post you’ll get:
- Newsletter subject lines
- Attention-grabbing email subject lines
- New arrivals email subject lines
- Giveaway email subject lines
- FOMO-based email subject lines
- Discount email subject lines
- Sale subject lines
- Sale ending soon subject lines
- Free shipping subject lines
- Price drop email subject lines
- Back in stock email subject lines
- Black Friday subject lines
- Mother’s Day subject lines
- Father’s Day subject lines
- Back to school subject lines
- Campaign & promotional subject lines
- Automation subject lines (cart abandonment, win-back, welcome & more)
Want to test out your subject lines? Give our Omnisend Subject Line Tester a spin and get immediate feedback.
105 best email subject lines
These subject lines were gathered from real Omnisend customers that saw great successes for various campaigns. Take inspiration from these subject line groups and adapt them for your brand.
Newsletter subject lines
Almost 70% of email leads mark messages as spam because of its subject line. Focusing on first impressions and making an acceptable entrance will be key for retaining your newsletter subscribers.
1. December Newsletter & 25% OFF Coupons
Open rate: 44%
2. Happy Halloween from [Brand Name]!
Open rate: 39.9%
3. Happy Chinese New Year 2017!
Open rate: 36.4%
4. Have You Seen Christmas Gifts Guide?
Open rate: 35%
5. HAPPY EASTER
Open rate: 33.9%
6. 🎁 Gifts For Her Under $20!
Open rate: 31.82%
7. {{Customer name}}, Autumn Skincare Tips
Open rate: 23.9%
Looking for inspiration? These examples of newsletter designs will help you create great-looking emails.
Attention-grabbing email subject lines
Grab your customer’s attention with witty, surprising, or just plain interesting subject lines.
8. Hanky Panky for Valentines
Open rate: 50%
9. 🔥 This is an Emergency
Open rate: 47.15%
10. 😍 Catch of the Day
Open rate: 45.39%
11. A note from Santa’s Workshop
Open rate: 40%
12. the summer has finally arrived
Open rate: 35.6%
13. A Big Surprise Awaits You … Happy Chinese New Year
Open rate: 33.8%
14. Winter Blues?
Open rate: 30.8%
New arrivals email subject lines
Keep your stock updates at top of mind for consumers by cluing them in with new promotional subject lines. As always, concise and informative wording leads the charge.
15. [Brand Name] – Black Friday Coupon Code & New Products!
Open rate: 47.1%
16. Labor Day Sale and product arrivals.
Open rate: 39.8%
17. New year, NEW FPV goodies!
Open rate: 38%
18. New RDQ motors and last minute Xmas gift ideas
Open rate: 33.9%
19. The New WINTER Collection is Live!
Open rate: 30.3%
20. Independence Day Weekend Special: Free Shipping Over $75, Coupon, and New Africa Twin Items!
Open rate: 27.3%
21. Autumn/Winter is on the way – See what’s new
Open rate: 20.5%
Giveaway email subject lines
About 75% of Millennials would buy from your company again if they receive a free giveaway. If you’re planning on adding giveaways to your marketing strategy, here are some of the best email subject lines for inspiration.
22. [Brand Name] – MERRY CHRISTMAS – FREEBIE – 50%OFF – NEW LICENSE
Open rate: 53.5%
23. Mother’s Day GIVEAWAY Winners!
Open rate: 51%
24. NEW FRIDAY FREEBIE + New release St. Patrick, scripture, Easter, Mermaid/Beach themes
Open rate: 35.7%
25. Free Easter Goodies on [Brand Name]
Open rate: 34.2%
26. WIN: THE X BAG! + LAST CHANCE TO ORDER BEFORE XMAS
Open rate: 31.4%
27. Pumpkin Spice. Thanksgiving and Freebies
Open rate: 27.8%
28. End of summer BLOW OUT! Giveaway winners announced!
Open rate: 16.3%
FOMO-based email subject lines
Roughly 70% of millennials have experienced the fear of missing out. Leverage this to your advantage with FOMO-inducing subject lines!
29. Expires at Midnight – Exclusive Thanksgiving Offer!
Open rate: 40%
30. ⏲️Tick tock. (early holiday up to 75% off )
Open rate: 39.08%
31. Last call for early Christmas deals 25% off
Open rate: 37.1%
32. Today Only! Green Monday ? Apple Sale!
Open rate: 37%
33. Last-minute delivery
Open rate: 34%
34. Want It by Christmas?
Open rate: 34%
35. LAST DAY Independence Day Sale | up to 70% Off #3
Open rate: 23%
Find more examples of FOMO subject lines with our post on the catchy email subject lines
Discount email subject lines
Discount offer subject lines are a top motivation to buy for almost 40% of emailed customers. Make your price cuts known by writing a subject line for discount offers.
36. 3D Moon Lamp 😍 50% OFF(7 Days Shipping)
Open rate: 41.58%
37. SUMMER DISCOUNT!
Open rate: 38.5%
38. Psst !! Up to 75% OFF happening right now!
Open rate: 37.31%
39. Even more ✨ off – 75% OFF!!
Open rate: 36.78%
40. New Skis – Discount Skis – Cyber Monday Deals #4
Open rate: 33.7%
41. 25 % OFF + Christmas shopping deals
Open rate: 29.67%
42. Thank you! 75% OFF for being an awesome customer
Open rate: 29.65%
Sale subject lines
Sale email subject lines are a big deal in ecommerce marketing. Here’s how high-performing subject lines have positioned it in their emails.
43. Summer Sleepwear Sale
Open rate: 51.6%
44. 🎁 Holiday Special
Open rate: 48%
45. {{Customer’s name}}, UP TO 80% OFF HALLOWEEN #3 SALE
Open rate: 39.9%
46. 🎄Christmas Sale ✨
Open rate: 32.22%
47. Christmas Sale has started plus a few new fabrics & ideas for you
Open rate: 34%
48. Boxing Day Sale 🎁
Open rate: 30.58%
49. INDEPENDENCE DAY SALE!
Open rate: 21.4%
Sale ending soon 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.
50. 50% off before Black Friday!!!
Open rate: 43.8%
51. Only 2 Days Left! Huge Labor Day 50% OFF SALE!
Open rate: 40.1%
52. LAST CHANCE for Cyber Monday! Make the most out of it!
Open rate: 35.8%
53. Reminder: Black Friday 40% OFF! is closing
Open rate: 35%
54. Last call for early Christmas deals 25% off
Open rate: 31.07%
55. LAST DAY Independence Day Sale | up to 70% Off
Open rate: 23%
56. 15% OFF!! Code GIFT15! Ends in 24 hours! Last chance for Xmas delivery!
Open rate: 18.6%
Free shipping subject lines
Your customers are always looking for a good deal, including free shipping options. Offer up your best with sweet, concise subject lines.
57. A Special Offer For Supporters – Free Shipping on The Man Behind the Maps!
Open rate: 38%
58. The Perfect Ski Gift – Free Shipping on The Man Behind the Maps!
Open rate: 28%
59. 50% OFF or Free Shipping (YOUR CHOICE) ☺️
Open rate: 22%
60. SHIPPING INTERNATIONALLY? GET YOUR ORDER IN TODAY!
Open rate: 20%
61. Black Friday | Free Shipping Starts Now!
Open rate: 19%
62. ★ FREE SHIPPING! Black Friday Drops Now ★
Open rate: 19%
63. 40% Off & Free Shipping For One Day Only
Open rate: 19%
Price drop email subject lines
Nobody can resist a good deal, and with the right retail subject lines, neither will your customers. Make your price cuts clear with these inspirational subject lines.
64. Black Friday Warning: $9.99 Deals Selling Out Quick!
Open rate: 50%
65. Black Friday Deals EXTENDED Through Sunday!
Open rate: 40%
66. How About 40% OFF?
Open rate: 38%
67. Thank you! 75% OFF for being an awesome customer
Open rate: 29.65%
68. ⚡️ 25% Off EVERYTHING ⚡️ The Biggest Sale We’ve Ever Had
Open rate: 22%
69. Surprise! 25% Off Sitewide
Open rate: 22%
70. We made an Oops! ? Cyber Monday BOGO 50% Off!
Open rate: 17%
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.
71. [Brand Name]’s back for fall
Open rate: 50.2%
72. Hydras Back in Stock this Saturday!
Open rate: 48%
73. Soleus Running Summer 2017
Open rate: 38.7%
74. My Little Pony, IT, Tons Restocked
Open rate: 27%
75. Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 In Stock NOW
Open rate: 32.1%
76. Just Landed – Stock Is Limited!
Open rate: 25%
77. Restock & New Items!
Open rate: 29.3%
Black Friday subject lines
Black Friday emails generate a whopping 11.98% conversion rate, which is one of the most successful periods of the year. Use these great email subject lines to boost your customer engagement on the biggest shopping day of the year.
80. Pre-Black Friday Sale!
Open rate: 47.2%
81. [Brand Name] – Black Friday Coupon Code & New Products!
Open rate: 47.1%
82. Black Friday Weekend Banger
Open rate: 44.85%
83. 50% off before Black Friday!!!
Open rate: 43.8%
84. BLACK FRIDAY SALE / Kendrick Lamar x Reebok Classic CL Luxe Olive / Bedwin x The Heartbreakers x Adidas Originals collection
Open rate: 42.79%
85. 50% OFF ENTIRE STORE. BLACK FRIDAY SALE.
Open rate: 33.51%
86. Save 40% @ [store] Black Friday Sale
Open rate: 30.36%
If you want more subject lines, read our post on the highest converting subject lines For Black Friday campaigns.
Mother’s Day subject lines
Mother’s Day spending is expected to top more than $28 billion this year. Get in on the rush with subject lines that truly interest customers.
85. Free with Mother’s Day Special-3 SodaStream Syrups! #2
Open rate: 43.7%
86. Mother’s Day subject line: “Mother’s Day Sale”
Open rate: 37%
87. 25% Off Plus FREE Lip Gloss Mother’s Day Special 🙂
Open rate: 32%
88. A Gift for Mom & A Gift for You!
Open rate: 31%
89. Reminder: Mothers Love LILY and LAURA
Open rate: 27.6%
90. Happy Mother’s Day Weekend!
Open rate: 26%
91. Celebrate Mother’s Day with us!
Open rate: 22%
If you want more subject lines, read our post on the 170+ best Mother’s Day subject line ideas.
Father’s Day subject lines
Father’s Day pushes an average open rate of 12%, meaning that catchy subject lines matter more than ever. Optimize your chances by using high converting subject lines as much as possible.
92. Cyber Monday is almost here!
Open rate: 36.1%
93. Father’s Day Gift Ideas
Open rate: 32.6%
94. Get Father’s Day sorted!
Open rate: 32%
95. This Father’s Day, he deserves something special!
Open rate: 31.3%
96. Fathers Day Sale, Tons of Movies Restocked
Open rate: 30.3%
97. Gemini Jets For Fathers Day!
Open rate: 27.9%
98. Shop SMALL & Save 30%
Open rate: 25%
If you want even more subject lines, read our post on the 125+ Father’s Day subject lines for amazing results.
Back to school subject lines
Anyone ages 6 to 100 could be going back to school this year – are you ready to capture some leads? Check out these subject lines for inspiration.
99. The [Brand Name] Start of Fall Sale!?
Open rate: 39.2%
100. BACK TO SCHOOL! Come join the FUN?
Open rate: 28.6%
101. OH DEER Pop up Super Sale! Back to School Shopping!
Open rate: 22.5%
102. $5 Back to School Deal ✏️
Open rate: 21.6%
103. Autumn/Winter is on the way – See what’s new
Open rate: 20.5%
104. Back to School never looked so good! Specials all week!
Open rate: 20.3%
105. 30% OFF Back to School sale?
Open rate: 18.3%
For more subject lines, read our full post: 67 Back to School email subject lines (that you can steal)
Campaign & promotional subject lines
New collection email subject lines
- New product arrivals in stock
- New year, new goodies!
- The new winter collection is live!
- Autumn’s on the way – see what’s new
- Don’t miss the new collection
Limited-time offer subject lines
- Expires at Midnight – Exclusive Offer!
- LAST DAY – up to 70% Off
- End of summer BLOW OUT!
- Hurry: last minute free delivery
- Only 2 days left! 50% off!
Automation subject lines (cart abandonment, win-back, welcome & more)
Abandoned cart subject lines
- Still shopping? (Take 20% off)
- Your items are selling quickly
- Your cart is waiting (and lonely)
- Did you forget something?
- Complete your order now
Welcome subject lines
- Welcome! (Important info inside)
- Welcome! Enjoy 20% off
- Thanks for subscribing! (psst, open me)
- You’re one of us now!
- Welcome info & your free gift
Win-back subject lines
- We miss you! Have £10 on us
- We miss you, [Name]
- Did you miss these new products?
- Would you like a 20% discount?
- Treat yourself. You deserve it.
Best email subject lines: FAQ
1. Should I use emojis in my subject lines?
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 not, A/B test it by adding one emoji in your subject line.
Get more in-depth tips here: How to use emojis in subject lines
2. How long should an email subject line be?
Short subject lines vastly outperform longer ones. In one study, subject lines with just four words had nearly twice as many opens than those with eight words. 7 words and 41 characters is optimal.
If you aren’t sure how long your emails are, use our Email subject line tester [free] to check your length and character count easily.
3. How to make an attention-grabbing email subject line?
- They are concise (i.e. “Free Shipping TODAY”)
- They ask a question (i.e. “Ready For Black Friday?”)
- They sound urgent (i.e. “50% off sale today only”)
- They start with verbs or numbers (i.e. “Get the latest summer styles”)
- They use personalization (i.e. “Hey [name], ready for Halloween?”]
4. Will the word ‘free’ send my emails to spam?
No.
It’s true that companies sending spammy emails love to use the word ‘free,’ but that doesn’t mean all businesses using the word will wind up in a spam folder. It’s more about how you send emails, and how many subscribers unsubscribe from you (or report you as spam).
Speaking of spam, here’s how to avoid spam filters when sending ecommerce emails to customers.
5. 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.
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:
- Easy holiday email newsletter ideas
- Christmas email subject line ideas
- New year email subject line ideas
- Newsletter ideas
- Best practices for abandoned cart emails
- Email preheader: explanation + best practices
- How to create a great email every time [+examples]