Consumers remain unhappy with business email

Return Path’s 2007 Holiday Email Survey has been released and the data suggests that consumers are becoming savvy inbox managers and businesses that continue to churn out unrefined email campaigns could find themselves labeled as spammers.

by Helen Leggatt

return%20path%20logo.jpg Despite behavioral targeting, segmentation and profiling technology being made available to email marketers the world over, many are still failing to engage their consumers via this channel.

The number of people using email for online shopping has increased somewhat during 2007, up 11 percent to 43.7 percent from 38.5 percent the previous year, found Return Path's 2007 Holiday Email Survey. However, over half of respondents (56.4 percent) complained that they received far too much “junk”, or emails from companies they know but are of no interest.

Thirty-six percent of respondents said they received far more emails from businesses than they had anticipated at the time of signing up. A calendar of communications may go a long way to allay consumer fears of inbox bombardment.

Spam, or email that was never requested, remains high with 65.7 percent of the survey (.pdf) respondents saying they receive high volumes.

Businesses are in danger of being reported for spam, when they have in reality only been guilty of sending junk. Just over 22 percent of respondents said they reported excess emails, not necessary spam, to their ISPs as spam, while a quarter (24.8 percent) would simply unsubscribe.