Staff Picks Email Benchmarks
Staff picks emails feature products, content or resources hand-selected by team members. The format leverages the trust that comes from human curation — someone with taste and expertise has filtered the options and made a recommendation. This personal touch differentiates staff picks from algorithmic recommendations and generic promotional emails.
| Metric | Average | Above Average | Excellent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open Rate | 30-42% | 48%+ | 58%+ |
| Click-Through Rate | 6-14% | 20%+ | 30%+ |
| Click-to-Open Rate | 22-35% | 40%+ | 52%+ |
| Unsubscribe Rate | 0.2-0.4% | Below 0.12% | Below 0.06% |
Why Staff Picks Benchmarks Matter
Staff picks fill the gap between automated recommendations and shopper-driven search. They add a human element to the purchase decision that algorithms cannot replicate. Emails that include the staff member's name, photo and a brief reason for their pick consistently outperform anonymous product roundups.
Benchmarks by Curation Style
| Curation Style | Open Rate | CTR |
|---|---|---|
| Named curator with photo and commentary | 35-45% | 10-18% |
| Anonymous team picks | 25-35% | 5-10% |
| Themed collection with editorial intro | 30-40% | 6-14% |
| Rotating curator (different staff member each edition) | 32-42% | 8-16% |
Best Practices
- Feature the curator's name, photo and a sentence or two about why they chose each item — authenticity drives engagement
- Rotate curators across editions to showcase different perspectives and keep the format fresh
- Limit picks to 3 to 5 items per email; more selections dilute the curation signal
- Use a consistent send schedule so subscribers know when to expect the next edition
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Frequently Asked Questions
A good staff picks open rate is 30-42%. Emails featuring a named curator with a photo and personal commentary achieve the highest rates at 35-45%. Anonymous picks without personal context underperform by 10-15%.
Feature 3 to 5 items. Each pick should include a compelling reason for the selection. More than 5 selections dilute the sense of careful curation. Fewer than 3 may not provide enough variety to interest a broad audience.
Send weekly or bi-weekly. A predictable schedule builds anticipation and positions the email as a regular feature subscribers look forward to. Monthly is the minimum effective frequency — less than monthly loses the habit-building benefit.