I received an email today from Asda containing just one large image.
Although this might look fine on a desktop computer, with a stable internet connection, for someone on the move, this is a real barrier to consuming the information.
If the email contained text, then the user could consume some of the content without having any internet connection the moment they opened the email. If designed well, they would be able to consume 80% of the message even without a stable or even any internet connection.
From being mobile aware to being fully responsive, tricks such as colour fallbacks for buttons and descriptive alt tags for images would enable the user to still act on the email and complete a purchase.
If I’m on the tube reading an email with an interesting offer, or article, I will still click the link, knowing full well that the page won’t open. But using this as a reminder to come back and view the page later. Therefore I’m surprised that Asda used a full image; maybe they didn’t have enough time to build the email?
Nevertheless, that could cost them valuable sales, with the casual glancer who might have otherwise been tempted to purchase the offer if it appealed to them. So, in the end, this shortcut might have met a tight deadline, but ultimately it could’ve cost them sales. What’s more valuable? meeting a deadline, or doing something properly that earns the business more revenue?