Survey: The Whys Behind the Buys

DM purchasers are more special than anyone may have suspected, according to this year's survey of consumer attitudes by Yankelovich and Direct. For example, they are more likely than non-buyers to have graduated from high school and college. And they have a higher average household income — $70,900, compared with $57,900 for non-respondents. That being the case, they also are more likely to demand outstanding customer service, and more inclined to complain when they don't get it. And DM respondents are ahead of the pack in many other ways. They are more fulfilled in their personal lives and less inclined to measure success strictly in monetary terms, although they are also more apt to skip sleep or eat takeout food. This report, the first ever to examine the lives and attitudes of direct marketing buyers, begins on page 41.