Consumers like to receive e-mail from online merchants but-not surprisingly-only if they’ve requested it. They like it so much, in fact, that 94% of consumers opt-in for permission-based e-mail. This is the result of a survey commissioned by e-mail campaign provider FloNetwork Inc., Greenwich, CT.
Some 86% of those surveyed by NFO Interactive, a consumer research firm, said they believe that the Internet provides a convenient way to purchase goods and services. But fewer than 1% like to receive unsolicited promotional e-mail and one-third consider it an invasion of privacy.
“This tells online merchants that you should get permission first, and if you do, you’re much more likely to have a buyer there than through any other type of direct response,” said Beth Ghiloni, director of marketing at FloNetwork. “It’s the audience that really wants to receive your message.”
More than 80% say e-mail is a good way to correspond with merchants. About 70% of permission-based e-mail recipients regularly or sometimes click-through to a company’s Web site, and 61% of those have made online purchases.
NFO reported that 89% “believe that permission-based e-mail is a great way to gather information on products and services that interest them.” Nearly 60% said they find out about new products, services or promotions via e-mail. This compares with the 30% who say they learn of these things from banner ads.
More than 1,000 U.S. online consumers were polled “to better understand consumers’ attitudes toward marketing as it relates to the Internet, e-mail and privacy,” according to a FloNetwork statement.
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