This is an Iterable User Engagement Teardown comparing Blue Apron and HelloFresh's user engagement strategies in the first 3 weeks post-signup. After evaluating all messages received, we identify what these companies do well and where there is room for improvement. Everything shown in the slides (and any recommendations) can be implemented with Iterable's Growth Marketing Platform. To view more User Engagement Teardowns, visit https://iterable.com/teardown

1. User Engagement Teardown
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2. User Engagement Teardown
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3. A Quick Word on Iterable
Iterable is the growth marketing platform that
enables omni-channel relevance at scale.
Segment users, build workflows, automate
touch points and test strategies without
engineering support.
Everything you see here (and more) can be done
with Iterable. You can see other teardowns at:
iterable.com/teardown
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4. What is a “User Engagement Teardown?”
We analyze user engagement over a defined period post-signup.
We offer constructive evaluation and feedback.
We cover all types of B2C businesses: e-commerce, marketplaces, media,
politics, etc.
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5. Background on Blue Apron and HelloFresh
Blue Apron and HelloFresh are two leading meal kit
subscription services.
•Blue Apron, founded in 2012, was valued at around $3
billion when the brand initiated its IPO in June 2017.
•HelloFresh, headquartered in Berlin, has raised over $360
million with a valuation of approximately $2 billion.
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6. What We Did
We signed up and received messages over three weeks between May and
June 2017.
We escalated our activity over time:
• Completed user profiles
• Downloaded mobile apps
• Subscribed, then canceled, each service
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7. On to the User Engagement Timeline…

8. User Engagement Timeline
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MessagesUserActivity
We’ll show you what we (the user) did here…
Message TypeActivity Type
Blast
Transactional
Triggered
Desktop Mobile
SMS/Push
Days from
start: 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 211 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 90

9. User Engagement Timeline
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MessagesUserActivity
We’ll show you what we (the user) did here…
Message TypeActivity Type
Blast
Transactional
Triggered
Desktop Mobile
SMS/Push
…and the messages we received here.
Days from
start: 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 211 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 90

10. User Engagement Timeline
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MessagesUserActivity
We’ll show you what we (the user) did here…
Message TypeActivity Type
Blast
Transactional
Triggered
Desktop Mobile
SMS/Push
…and the messages we received here.
Activities and message types are
color coded as shown in this key.
Days from
start:
Days from
start: 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 211 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 90

11. Now let’s look at Blue Apron and HelloFresh’s
user engagement.
First, Blue Apron…

12. The Blue Apron User Engagement Timeline
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MessagesUserActivity
Message TypeActivity Type
Blast
Transactional
Triggered
Desktop Mobile
SMS/Push
Days from
start: 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 211 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 90
Signed up for email
Signed up for push/SMS
Downloaded app
Canceled subscriptionSubscribed to service
Completed profile

13. The Blue Apron User Engagement Timeline
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MessagesUserActivity
Message TypeActivity Type
Blast
Transactional
Triggered
Desktop Mobile
SMS/Push
Days from
start: 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 211 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 90
After we signed up for email
communications, we received an email
blast with a subscription coupon.
Signed up for email
Signed up for push/SMS
Downloaded app
Canceled subscriptionSubscribed to service
Completed profile

14. The Blue Apron User Engagement Timeline
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MessagesUserActivity
Message TypeActivity Type
Blast
Transactional
Triggered
Desktop Mobile
SMS/Push
Days from
start: 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 211 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 90
We then received two more blasts
encouraging us to subscribe.
Signed up for email
Signed up for push/SMS
Downloaded app
Canceled subscriptionSubscribed to service
Completed profile

15. The Blue Apron User Engagement Timeline
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MessagesUserActivity
Message TypeActivity Type
Blast
Transactional
Triggered
Desktop Mobile
SMS/Push
Days from
start: 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 211 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 90
Two days after subscribing, we
received a welcome email.
Signed up for email
Signed up for push/SMS
Downloaded app
Canceled subscriptionSubscribed to service
Completed profile

16. The Blue Apron User Engagement Timeline
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MessagesUserActivity
Message TypeActivity Type
Blast
Transactional
Triggered
Desktop Mobile
SMS/Push
Days from
start: 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 211 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 90
We signed up for SMS and push on Day 8,
but Blue Apron didn’t send any mobile
messages during our research.
Signed up for email
Signed up for push/SMS
Downloaded app
Canceled subscriptionSubscribed to service
Completed profile

17. The Blue Apron User Engagement Timeline
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MessagesUserActivity
Message TypeActivity Type
Blast
Transactional
Triggered
Desktop Mobile
SMS/Push
Days from
start: 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 211 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 90
Instead, they sent a blast email featuring their
partnership with Seafood Watch, a non-profit
organization to promote sustainable seafood.
Signed up for email
Signed up for push/SMS
Downloaded app
Canceled subscriptionSubscribed to service
Completed profile

18. The Blue Apron User Engagement Timeline
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MessagesUserActivity
Message TypeActivity Type
Blast
Transactional
Triggered
Desktop Mobile
SMS/Push
Days from
start: 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 211 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 90
Followed by a transactional email
informing us that our shipment
was on its way.
Signed up for email
Signed up for push/SMS
Downloaded app
Canceled subscriptionSubscribed to service
Completed profile

19. The Blue Apron User Engagement Timeline
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MessagesUserActivity
Message TypeActivity Type
Blast
Transactional
Triggered
Desktop Mobile
SMS/Push
Days from
start: 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 211 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 90
Blue Apron requires customers to contact their
support team if they’d like to cancel their
subscription. So we sent them an email.
Signed up for email
Signed up for push/SMS
Downloaded app
Canceled subscriptionSubscribed to service
Completed profile

20. The Blue Apron User Engagement Timeline
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MessagesUserActivity
Message TypeActivity Type
Blast
Transactional
Triggered
Desktop Mobile
SMS/Push
Days from
start: 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 211 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 90
As a response, we received a transactional support
confirmation with instructions on how to cancel,
followed by a triggered re-engagement message.
Signed up for email
Signed up for push/SMS
Downloaded app
Canceled subscriptionSubscribed to service
Completed profile

21. The Blue Apron User Engagement Timeline
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MessagesUserActivity
Message TypeActivity Type
Blast
Transactional
Triggered
Desktop Mobile
SMS/Push
Days from
start: 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 211 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 90
Although our subscription was canceled, our next
shipment had not yet arrived, so we received three more
emails regarding its delivery status.
Signed up for email
Signed up for push/SMS
Downloaded app
Canceled subscriptionSubscribed to service
Completed profile

22. Now let’s look at HelloFresh’s user
engagement…

23. The HelloFresh User Engagement Timeline
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MessagesUserActivity
Message TypeActivity Type
Blast
Transactional
Triggered
Desktop Mobile
SMS/Push
Days from
start: 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 211 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 90
Signed up for email
Signed up for push/SMS
Downloaded app
Canceled subscriptionSubscribed to service
Completed profile

24. The HelloFresh User Engagement Timeline
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MessagesUserActivity
Message TypeActivity Type
Blast
Transactional
Triggered
Desktop Mobile
SMS/Push
Days from
start: 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 211 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 90
One day after signing up for email
communications, HelloFresh sent two blasts
encouraging us to subscribe.
Signed up for email
Signed up for push/SMS
Downloaded app
Canceled subscriptionSubscribed to service
Completed profile

25. The HelloFresh User Engagement Timeline
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MessagesUserActivity
Message TypeActivity Type
Blast
Transactional
Triggered
Desktop Mobile
SMS/Push
Days from
start: 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 211 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 90
We then purchased our subscription, but
HelloFresh sent us two more signup offers.
Signed up for email
Signed up for push/SMS
Downloaded app
Canceled subscriptionSubscribed to service
Completed profile

26. The HelloFresh User Engagement Timeline
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MessagesUserActivity
Message TypeActivity Type
Blast
Transactional
Triggered
Desktop Mobile
SMS/Push
Days from
start: 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 211 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 90
Two days after subscribing, we
received a welcome email.
Signed up for email
Signed up for push/SMS
Downloaded app
Canceled subscriptionSubscribed to service
Completed profile

27. The HelloFresh User Engagement Timeline
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MessagesUserActivity
Message TypeActivity Type
Blast
Transactional
Triggered
Desktop Mobile
SMS/Push
Days from
start: 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 211 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 90
We then received four more blasts: two introducing
the week’s menu, one regarding a contest, and
another promoting the wine club service.
Signed up for email
Signed up for push/SMS
Downloaded app
Canceled subscriptionSubscribed to service
Completed profile

28. The HelloFresh User Engagement Timeline
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MessagesUserActivity
Message TypeActivity Type
Blast
Transactional
Triggered
Desktop Mobile
SMS/Push
Days from
start: 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 211 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 90
No mobile messages of any type were
sent during our study.
Signed up for email
Signed up for push/SMS
Downloaded app
Canceled subscriptionSubscribed to service
Completed profile

29. The HelloFresh User Engagement Timeline
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MessagesUserActivity
Message TypeActivity Type
Blast
Transactional
Triggered
Desktop Mobile
SMS/Push
Days from
start: 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 211 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 90
On the day we canceled our subscription,
HelloFresh sent a re-engagement message:
“Thank you for being part of the family.”
Signed up for email
Signed up for push/SMS
Downloaded app
Canceled subscriptionSubscribed to service
Completed profile

30. The HelloFresh User Engagement Timeline
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MessagesUserActivity
Message TypeActivity Type
Blast
Transactional
Triggered
Desktop Mobile
SMS/Push
Days from
start: 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 211 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 90
An email blast was then sent to encourage us to
install their mobile app, which we already
downloaded a week earlier.
Signed up for email
Signed up for push/SMS
Downloaded app
Canceled subscriptionSubscribed to service
Completed profile

31. The HelloFresh User Engagement Timeline
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UserActivity
Message TypeActivity Type
Blast
Transactional
Triggered
Desktop Mobile
SMS/Push
Days from
start: 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 211 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 90
Two days after cancellation, we received two
triggered emails asking us to leave a review,
along with a blast about referrals.
Signed up for email
Signed up for push/SMS
Downloaded app
Canceled subscriptionSubscribed to service
Completed profile
Messages

32. The HelloFresh User Engagement Timeline
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MessagesUserActivity
Message TypeActivity Type
Blast
Transactional
Triggered
Desktop Mobile
SMS/Push
Days from
start: 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 211 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 90
The next day, HelloFresh sent a blast email to
drive traffic to their social media platforms.
Signed up for email
Signed up for push/SMS
Downloaded app
Canceled subscriptionSubscribed to service
Completed profile

33. The HelloFresh User Engagement Timeline
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MessagesUserActivity
Message TypeActivity Type
Blast
Transactional
Triggered
Desktop Mobile
SMS/Push
Days from
start: 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 211 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 90
As well as a transactional email notifying us
of the status of our meal delivery.
Signed up for email
Signed up for push/SMS
Downloaded app
Canceled subscriptionSubscribed to service
Completed profile

34. Frequency Takeaways
Over the course of our study, Blue Apron and HelloFresh both
relied on email as the primary channel to communicate with
customers.
Blue Apron: 11 emails
HelloFresh: 16 emails
Neither company sent mobile messages during the three weeks
post-signup.
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35. Differing Priorities
Blue Apron focused on communications after an order was placed and
sent more emails notifying customers about their delivery status.
HelloFresh engaged with their new users by sending more promotional
emails. However, some of these blasts did not align with the customer’s
actions.
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36. Now let’s look at the message content…

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These are three standard Blue Apron
messages (as depicted in Outlook).
You’ll notice...

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Appealing visual elements

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Clear, consistent calls to action to
follow brand on social media and
download mobile app

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Instances of personalization in
delivery status updates

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Promotions of non-profit partnerships

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These are three standard HelloFresh
messages (also depicted in Outlook).
You’ll notice...

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Consistent branding and design

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Upselling of add-on subscriptions

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Personalization when
requesting customer feedback

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Animated image relevant to
the message

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However, the tracking link was
displayed below the call to action

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These are the emails that Blue
Apron and HelloFresh sent after we
canceled our subscriptions.

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Blue Apron focused on confirming the
cancellation and added a call to action
to reactivate the subscription.

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HelloFresh didn’t prioritize reactivation but
used a more engaging tone, including
language like “We’ll miss you” and “Thank
you for your time with our family.”

51. Content Takeaways
Both brands incorporate strong branding with vivid visuals, but differ in
their messaging strategies to new users.
Blue Apron:
• Entices social following and mobile download consistently
• Prioritizes delivery status updates during the customer journey
HelloFresh:
• Encourages feedback from customers
• Promotes new services to upsell beyond the standard subscription
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52. Recommendations
Both companies could optimize their omni-channel marketing by
coordinating messaging across email and mobile channels.
Blue Apron could enhance their triggered workflows by automating
personalized messages throughout the entire customer journey.
HelloFresh could improve their dynamic segmentation to enable
effective targeting of customers based on their individual behavior.
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53. If you liked this teardown…
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teardowns: iterable.com/teardown
Join the discussion on Twitter @Iterable, using #UEteardown
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