If you're a brand that relies on marketing e-mail to connect with customers, the new Gmail inbox has been nothing short of a nightmare.
In fact, the situation has gotten so bad that big companies like Gap and now Newegg are asking their customers to make sure that their marketing e-mail aren't sent to the controversial new Promotions tab.
"Don't let the Promotions tab keep you from our eggxclusive [sic] deals. Keep us in your Primary tab so you can always drop less cash when you shop for tech!" Newegg said in a recent e-mail to customers, gushing desperation.
To fix the problem, Newegg recommends that customers drag the company's e-mail from the Promotions tab over to the Primary tab, where it hopes people will be more likely to see and open the messages in the future.
While companies are still trying to figure out how much damage the new Gmail inbox has caused marketers, preliminary data from Mailchimp suggest that it's already hurting marketing e-mail open rates.
The promotions tab grabs attention for an audience that is more receptive and the action is done with intent and in a way that is respectful to the customer. As such, the click throughs are more qualified leads, which is ultimately much more helpful for marketers.