The World's Best Email and Retention Podcast

Most brands look at the wrong email metrics. In this episode, Jordan explains how to build a real retention engine in 2026 by focusing on the numbers that actually drive growth: clicks, inbox health, segment performance, and list quality. You’ll get a simple dashboard framework you can set up in minutes to see exactly what’s happening inside your email program — and stop getting fooled by misleadi...

Advertising gets people to your site... But your site is what actually makes you money. In this episode, Jordan breaks down DEWALT’s ecommerce ecosystem to show what really happens after someone clicks an ad, an email, or a retargeting link. He walks through how DEWALT structures its homepage, category pages, PDPs, email program, and product discovery to turn awareness into revenue, not just traff...

In Site Funnels 2.0, Jordan breaks down how product discovery actually works when you have hundreds, thousands, or even millions of SKUs. This episode is the follow-up to Site Funnels 1.0, shifting from hero-product funnels to the long-tail reality of mega-catalog brands. You’ll learn how to use email, dynamic merchandising, and just 12 digital assets to turn browsing into buying at scale, without...

In this episode, Jordan breaks down Site Funnels 1.0, a post-click revenue system designed to turn traffic, email, and organic visitors into low-cost, compounding revenue. You’ll learn how the world’s best ecommerce teams think about funnels, choke points, and psychological progression across the site and why improving conversion rate is often the fastest way to grow without increasing ad spend. J...

In this episode of the World’s Best Email Retention Podcast, Jordan breaks down real buyer data to show which customers truly drive email and retention revenue, and which ones don’t. Using a simple but powerful buyer-group framework (recent vs. stale, first-time vs. repeat), Jordan unpacks why email doesn’t chase the same dollar as ads, why most campaign revenue comes from buyers ads no longer inf...

Conversion rate optimization is not a “nice to have.” It is the most reliable way to increase profit without increasing spend. In this episode, Jordan breaks down the financial case for CRO using a simple, realistic model that compares three paths: holding steady, scaling ad spend, and improving site conversion. The results are clear. Spending more on ads can reduce margin, while improving convers...

Black Friday is the biggest stress test of your email system, and this year delivered some clear winners. In this episode, Jordan breaks down the real tactics that moved revenue: odd-hour sends, plain-text power plays, mystery-angle subject lines, triple taps (and when a pentatap might make sense), plus where revenue actually came from across engaged, unengaged, prospects, and buyers. #emailmarket...

Most brands obsess over ads and ignore the moment that matters most: where the click lands. In this episode, Jordan Gordon and Pilothouse strategist Taylor Cain break down how to decide whether traffic should go to your homepage, a PDP, a collection, or a dedicated landing page—plus how to diagnose when conversion rate issues aren’t about your ad at all. You’ll learn: When a landing page outperfor...

In this quick 12-minute episode, Jordan breaks down the 10 essential checks every brand should make before launching their BFCM emails. From segmentation cleanup to triple-tapping safely to avoiding coupon-code errors that kill conversions, this is your last-minute guide to protecting inboxing and maximizing revenue on the biggest email day of the year. You’ll learn: • The segmentation fixes that...

Email might be the oldest channel in the digital stack, but it’s never been more complicated. In this episode, Jordan sits down with Benny Rubin (CEO of senders.co) and deliverability expert Omer to get straight answers to the questions brands never get clear guidance on. From engagement windows, static send sizes, and domain reputation to inboxing myths, blacklists, warming strategies, ESP limita...

Think your email program is performing just fine? You might want to take another look. In this episode, Jordan lifts the hood on a real (anonymized) account to show how misleading metrics, privacy opens, and bot clicks can make an email program look healthy when it’s actually underperforming. You’ll learn how to spot the signs of deliverability decay, interpret your data accurately, and understand...

What actually determines whether your emails land in the inbox or the spam folder? In this episode, Jordan Gordon sits down with Benny Rubin, founder and CEO of Senders.co, for a deep dive into the mechanics of deliverability. They break down how domain age, subdomains, and warmup patterns affect reputation, why engagement ratios matter more than send volume, and what Gmail and Microsoft really lo...

Every brand uses a pop-up... but most leave serious revenue on the table. In this episode, Jordan sits down with Shaan Arora, founder of Alia, to break down the real pop-up levers that drive conversion: copy, timing, and segmentation. You’ll learn what 150 million monthly pop-up views reveal about what actually moves the needle, how AI testing is changing optimization, and why design isn’t the dif...

Your website has just two minutes to make money, literally. In this episode, Jordan Gordon breaks down the four critical stages of the website purchase funnel and how to keep visitors moving from “just looking” to “ready to buy.” You’ll learn: • What needs to happen in the first two seconds of every session • How to prove your site is trustworthy in under 15 seconds • The simple formula to reduce...

It’s crunch time.   Jordan Gordon breaks down a no-BS audit you can run this week to see whether your email program is actually inboxing, or just propped up by Apple Privacy opens and bot clicks. From ISP splits (Gmail vs. iCloud) to the “ladder” segmentation test (0–30 / 31–60 / 61–90+ days), Jordan shows how to spot false signals, clean up your sends, and shift from campaign volume to revenue-dr...

Black Friday isn’t about clever tricks; it’s about doing the basics better (and not tanking your sender reputation while you’re at it). In this episode, Jordan breaks down The Pilothouse Way to win Black Friday: how to increase send volume without burning your list, why “double-tapping non-openers” is a fatal mistake, and the counterintuitive truth about who actually buys and when. You’ll also lea...

In this episode, Jordan breaks down exactly why it works. From full-bleed, image-driven emails that feel like window shopping to seamless category pages that reinforce continuity, UO shows how to connect inbox to onsite in a way that drives real platform revenue. You’ll learn: Why simple, image-first templates can outperform copy-heavy emails How UO ties email campaigns to category pages for frict...

In this episode of The World’s Best Email Retention Podcast , Jordan explores a list growth approach that looks appealing on the surface but can create hidden risks for your email program. He explains how these tactics affect deliverability and reporting, and what to focus on instead to keep your channel strong heading into Q4. 0:00 – Introduction 0:56 – An overview of certain list-growth tactics...

We’re back with Part 2 of Email Like a Billion Dollar Brand on a Five-Figure Budget . In this episode of the World’s Best Email & Retention Podcast, Jordan digs into the playbook billion-dollar brands use, and shows how to apply it without the billion-dollar resources. You’ll learn: Why you should launch everything as a test The simple segmentation model that can transform your campaigns How c...

In this episode, Jordan shares how to build a high-leverage email program that acts like a billion-dollar engine, even on a lean budget. You’ll learn: Why email is the most reliable “free traffic” channel The power of recommendations by category How to structure clean funnels that convert Automation tactics big brands use to keep margins fat Perfect for entrepreneurs, marketers, and operators who...

In Part 2 of our American Eagle vs. Everlane breakdown, we shift focus to Everlane. Jordan Gordon dives into how the DTC-first brand approaches email and onsite strategy compared to AE’s revenue-driven program. From minimalist design choices to refined upsell tactics, we explore how Everlane uses email as a brand-building tool while American Eagle leans on volume to hit quarterly numbers. You’ll l...

In this episode, Jordan Gordon from Pilothouse breaks down how these two apparel giants approach email, onsite creative, and retention strategy. From American Eagle’s triple-tap sends and maximalist promos to Everlane’s minimalist subject lines and brand positioning, we explore what actually works and what’s just noise. 👉 Listen in to uncover: The ROI of splashy celebrity campaigns vs. subtle bra...

We’re digging back into the AKNF archive for this classic session of Retention Bootcamp. In this episode, Jordan and Eric break down the welcome experience, from merchandising to education to lifestyle content, and show you how to craft a sequence that drives first purchases, shortens time-to-buy, and boosts 30-day purchase rates. If you’ve been leaning too hard on coupons or sending “one and done...

Think your browse abandonment email is doing the job? Think again. In this episode, Jordan breaks down the only browse abandon flow you’ll ever need—from trigger to send timing, segmentation, and dynamic content strategy—so you stop leaving easy revenue on the table. You’ll learn: How to time emails to hug buying intent without feeling pushy The 5 dynamic merchandising types that actually drive cl...

Need to know—fast—whether your funnel’s working? In this episode, Jordan shares the exact system he used to audit 100+ ecommerce sites in just two days.   It’s a crash course in post-click performance: the 7 key metrics that tell you if your site is converting, retaining revenue, and setting you up for repeat purchases. You’ll learn: How to measure funnel health in minutes, not hours Which metrics...