83% open retailer emails during morning commute

Bleary eyed and hugging coffee they might be, but the best time for retailers to reach consumers by email is during their morning commute, according to a new study from retail marketing agency Leapfrogg.

by Helen Leggatt

Last year, data released by mobile payments innovation firm Zapp and the Center for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) pointed to growing mobile commerce among commuters.

'Commuter commerce' was found to account for £9.3 billion (US$14.5 billion) each year as they shop on their way to and from work via smartphones and tablets. Commuters were found to spend, on average, £36 (US$56) per week, and this figure was higher among London commuters (£44 / US$68 per week), with London commuters also accounting for nearly two-thirds of the total spend.

A recent survey of Leapfrogg's 'Premium Panel', made up of 1,000 consumers, found that 83% read emails on their mobile they have received from retailers during their morning commute. That makes sense as they sit on the bus, or train, waking up and catching up on communications received overnight. While the majority used smartphones to open email on the commute, 7% used tablets.

The next most-popular time to open and read emails from their favorite brands was, found the survey, during the commute home at the end of the day. During this travel time, 74% did so via their mobile, with 11% using tablets.

While they might be reading retailer emails on the journeys to and from work, the most popular time to actually make a purchase was lunchtime, and overwhelmingly via a desktop computer (75%).

Additional findings from Leapfrogg's survey include:

- The optimum frequency for receipt of retailer emails among respondents was one email every sevens days;

- 22% said one email per month was sufficient;

- Just 4% found daily emails from a retailer acceptable;

- 37% felt it was important for personalization that retailers know what they have previously purchased followed by using their name (35%) and using personal style and product preferences (25%).