How AI and Email Automation Are Changing Retail (And Here's How To Win) ~via Jeanniey Walden
Jeanniey really gets this... AI and automation can supercharge email marketing... 320% ROI and personalization rates prove the power. But what you highlight so well is the real challenge... it’s not just about scale, it’s about staying human.
If we let efficiency replace empathy, we risk eroding trust—the one metric that truly matters. As I’ve long said: your brand is what you do, your reputation is what people remember and share.
Email isn’t just optimization. It’s about respecting permission, consistently adding value, and building RETURN ON RELATIONSHIP (#RonR).
Because in the end, the inbox isn’t ruled by algorithms. It’s ruled by trust. /Ted
If you think the world of email marketing is even close to the same as it was even two years ago, you’re in for a surprise. Having worked at the beginning of email marketing as we know it today, and across decades of digital transformation, including founding the Email Experience Council, nothing excites me quite like watching inboxes evolve. That said, today’s changes beyond anything I’ve ever imagines.
AI, Automation: The Retail Email Power-Ups
I'm a data-driven executive so let's start with the numbers:
88% of people STILL check their email multiple times a day. And, retailers using automation and early AI in email campaigns see 320% more revenue than “spray and pray” blasts. In most companies, that adds up to a $36 ROI for every $1 spent on smart, email programs.
These numbers tell a story: Automation and AI supercharges what email can do. Gone are the days of hoping your message lands at the right time. Smart automation now puts the right offer in front of the right customer, sometimes before they even realize they want it.
That said, the world of email marketing as we know it is changing as AI takes center stage in managing email inboxes and moving "marketing emails" straight to the archive folder.
AI Is Changing the Game (and the Rules)
Think about this: This year, 2025, over 64% of retail brands report that more than HALF of their email engagement is now driven by AI-based personalization, and consumers expect instant, tailored value in exchange for their attention. But the stakes are even higher: AI-powered inboxes aren’t just prioritizing relevance, they’re now actively shielding users from irrelevant, repetitive, or impersonal messages (Gartner, 2025).
Marketers aren’t just competing for human attention anymore, they’re also competing with the algorithms and AI gatekeepers that control what reaches the inbox.
And with 70% of retail executives planning to boost AI budgets this year (Retail Dive, 2025), the pressure is on to evolve...fast.
Did You Know?AI vs. AI: Inbox Negotiations Are Now a Thing
I didn't really fully appreciate it until I started my AI team test and watched this in action.
Jess, a busy exec, delegates her inbox to her AI assistant. A retailer’s marketing automation sends a tailored promotion. Jess’s AI reviews the message, spots it's an ad, and sees in the inbox history that she already bought shoes, flags the email as marketing in the inbox (which jess has instructed her AI to move to the trash) and replies (yep, AI to AI): “Thank you. Jess has recently purchased this item. Please send updates on new arrivals when they are in.”
The entire exchange is over before Jess even checks her phone. And when she does, she scans trash and deletes it without seeing a thing.
There is not click through to browse other shoes, sales or anything else.
The reality? Many marketing emails won’t reach a human eyeball in the future unless they’re truly relevant and personalized and don't look like marketing. And, the personalization needs to not just by segment, but by real-time context.
How Do You Win in an AI-First Inbox? Use AIR™
This new world isn’t about tricking the algorithm. It’s about giving people (and their smart assistants) a reason to actually care.
Here’s how my AIR™ Method can guide successful email marketers in the age of AI (see, I never really left email :-))
Authenticity: Test dropping the fancy designs and look like a message that matters, even if your first reader is an AI. Use clear, honest subject lines and messaging rooted in your brand’s true values. Algorithms are trained to spot (and skip) the generic and the overhyped.
Inspiration: Stop selling. Stop the ad-looking messages. Share stories, solutions, and ideas that make someone’s day better. Whether it’s a customer success moment or a bold new product vision, let your emails be a source of excitement, not just information.
Relatability: Treat your list less like “contacts” and more like people you know personally. Use data and feedback to understand their evolving needs, and show empathy in every interaction (including those that never reach a human eye).
That's alot!
AI is reshaping not just how we send emails, but how we earn attention and trust. Those who win aren’t the ones with the fanciest tools, but those who stay authentic, inspire action, and relate in real ways, no matter who (or what) their first “reader” might be.
Ready to make every campaign memorable? Subscribe for more smart strategies - and let’s turn your inbox into your biggest sales driver with a healthy dose of AIR™.
P.S. This newsletter is a continuation from my series testing a team of six AI members for effectiveness. Many have asked what tool I am using. You can access it by clicking here. This post does not suggest their solution is the best, it was just the one I chose to use for my immersion test. (That said... they did reach out to me with a code for 25% off - DM me if you want that code).
