Test Your Emails

As a bol.com seller, email testing is one of the most underrated steps in your marketing process. An email that doesn't arrive, is displayed incorrectly, or ends up in the spam folder, not only costs you sales but also damages your brand image. In this comprehensive article, you'll learn step by step how to thoroughly test your emails before sending them to your customers - from technical checks to content optimization.

Why is email testing crucial for bol.com sellers?

Many sellers spend hours designing their email campaigns but skip the testing step. This leads to avoidable problems such as unreadable emails on mobile devices, broken links, and poor deliverability. Research shows that 47% of recipients mark an email as spam based solely on the subject. By systematically testing your emails before clicking send, you avoid these pitfalls.

For bol.com sellers, emails are especially important because they directly contribute to customer loyalty, repeat purchases, and positive reviews. A well-tested email increases your open rate, click-through rate, and ultimately your conversion.

The 7 steps to test your email

Step 1: Check the sender settings

Before testing the content, you need to ensure that your technical sender settings are correct. This includes SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records. These authentication protocols tell email providers that you are actually authorized to send emails on behalf of your domain. Without these settings, there's a high chance your email will end up in the spam folder - regardless of how good the content is.

Step 2: Test the subject line

The subject line determines whether your email is opened. Test multiple variants with A/B testing. Pay attention to the length (max 50 characters for mobile), avoid spam trigger words like "free" or "click here", and personalize where possible with the customer's name or the purchased product.

Step 3: Check the layout on all devices

More than 60% of emails are opened on a mobile device. Send a test email to yourself and check the display on your phone, tablet, and computer. Specifically, look for images that don't load, text that's too small, and buttons that aren't clickable on a touchscreen.

Step 4: Verify all links

Click on every link in your test email. Check if they lead to the right page, if UTM parameters are set correctly for tracking, and if there are no dead links. A broken link to your product page or webshop can directly cost you sales.

Step 5: Test dynamic variables

If you use variables like the customer's name, order number, or product data, check if they're filled in correctly. An email with "Dear {first name}" instead of the actual name looks unprofessional and lowers trust.

Step 6: Check the preview text

The preview text (preheader) is the piece of text displayed after the subject in the inbox. Many sellers forget to set this, resulting in recipients seeing default text like "View this email in your browser". A good preview text increases your open rate by an average of 7%.

Step 7: Perform a spam test

Use a spam checker to see if your email passes through spam filters. Tools like Mail-Tester give you a score and show exactly which elements cause problems. A score of 9 or higher is the goal.

Checklist for email testing

Common mistakes when testing emails

Only testing on desktop

The biggest mistake sellers make is only checking their email on a computer. Since most recipients open your email on a mobile device, you should always test the mobile view first. Make sure buttons are at least 44x44 pixels and text is readable without zooming in.

Not using a test list

Don't just send test emails to yourself. Use a test list with different email providers (Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, Apple Mail) to check if the display is correct everywhere. Each provider has its own rendering rules that can lead to surprises.

Forgetting to test dark mode

More and more users have dark mode enabled on their phone or computer. This can drastically change the colors in your email. White text on a light background becomes unreadable in dark mode. Always test if your email looks good in both light and dark mode.

Forgetting the unsubscribe link

A working unsubscribe link is legally required based on the AVG/GDPR. Check with every test email if the unsubscribe link is present, works, and is easy to find. The absence of this link can lead to fines and a bad reputation with email providers.

Tools for testing your email

There are various tools available to simplify and automate your email testing:

With the email campaign feature of Zoloo, you can easily send test emails and analyze the results. The tool offers built-in support for A/B testing, personalization, and deliverability monitoring - specifically designed for bol.com sellers.

Testing emails for different email types

Transactional Emails

Order confirmations, shipping notifications, and invoices are transactional emails with the highest open rates (up to 70%). Test whether the order number, product details, and shipping address are displayed correctly. An error in a transactional email leads directly to customer inquiries and extra workload for your customer service.

Marketing Campaigns

When testing promotional emails, you'll also want to check the call-to-action in addition to the standard checklist. Is the button prominent enough? Does the offer come across clearly? Does the discount code work? Also, test the timing by analyzing when your target audience is most active - for bol.com sellers, this is often in the evening and on weekends.

Review Requests

Emails asking customers to leave a review need to be carefully tested. Check if the link to the review form works, if the correct product is displayed, and if the timing is right. Sending too early (before delivery) or too late (weeks after purchase) significantly lowers your response rate.

Abandoned Cart Emails

These automated emails remind customers of products they've left in their cart. Test whether the correct products are displayed, if prices are up-to-date, and if the return link works correctly. Well-tested abandoned cart emails can recover up to 10% of lost revenue.

Best Practices for Systematic Email Testing

To make the testing process efficient, it's wise to follow a fixed workflow:

• Use a test protocol: Create a standard checklist that you go through with each campaign. This prevents you from skipping steps.
• Test with real data: Use realistic customer data (with permission, of course) to see how variables are filled in, rather than using fictional test data.
• Save test results: Document the results of each test cycle so you can recognize patterns and improve your process.
• Automate where possible: Set up automated tests for basic checks like broken links and spam scores. This saves time and prevents human error.
• Involve colleagues: Have someone else review your email. Fresh eyes catch mistakes that you might overlook.

Conclusion

Systematically testing your emails is not a luxury, but an absolute necessity for every bol.com seller serious about email marketing. From technical authentication to content checks and mobile display - every aspect deserves attention before you click send. By applying the steps and checklists from this article, you'll improve your deliverability, boost your open rates, and maximize the conversion of each campaign. Use the email campaign feature of Zoloo to streamline the testing process and benefit from built-in tools specifically designed for bol.com sellers.