People Will Turn on Images in E-mail: Epsilon

While most consumers have encountered default image suppression in their e-mail boxes, most also know how to turn them on and will do so in e-mail from senders they know and trust, according to a survey released yesterday by e-mail service provider Epsilon Interactive.

Sixty five percent of those surveyed said they have encountered image suppression where e-mail arrives in their inboxes without graphics displayed, according to Epsilon.

E-mail box providers are increasingly blocking HTML in their efforts to fight the transmission of viruses through e-mail: AOL, Yahoo, Google and Microsoft among them.

As a result, marketers worry the blocked graphics suppress response rates and that people are unaware of what causes the broken images or how to fix them.

However, 69% of those who have encountered image suppression said they at least sometimes activate images in statements or order forms from senders from whom they’ve bought, the survey determined. Also, 57% said they at least sometimes activate images in promotional e-mail from senders from whom they have bought, according to Epsilon.

Thirty one percent said they have activated images from senders who they have not given permission to e-mail but who have a name they know and trust, according to the survey.

Also, 16% said they have activated images in e-mail from senders they don’t know but whose offers they found compelling.

Not surprisingly, 90% said they have activated images in e-mail from friends and family.

“Even as more consumers experience default image suppression, the majority are capable and willing to activate images in permission-based communications that they value,” said Al DiGuido, president & CEO, Epsilon Interactive, in a statement.