2013 CONSUMER VIEWS OF EMAIL MARKETING
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BLUEHORNET REPORT: 2013 CONSUMER VIEWS OF EMAIL MARKETING For two consecutive years, BlueHornet has surveyed over 1,000 consumers across the United States to better understand their behavior and sentiment around email marketing. By surveying similar demographic groups and asking several of the same questions each year, we’ve been able to identify some changes that have occurred in how consumers view email marketing. And by including new questions for 2013, we can offer insight into possible future trends and behavior patterns that marketers may use to augment their existing subscriber response data. In addition to providing our 2013 survey results and analysis, this report also includes recommendations for ways marketers may use the information for email program optimization.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
3 . . . . . About the Study
4 . . . . . Email Acquisition: How and Why Consumers Sign Up to Receive Emails
7 . . . . . Mobile Usage and Sentiment
11 . . . . Email Usage, Engagement, and Purchase Behavior
15 . . . . Advanced Targeting
17 . . . . Why Consumers Unsubscribe from Email Marketing
19 . . . . Conclusion
Report: 2013 Consumer Views of Email Marketing
ABOUT THE STUDY
Methodology
The questionnaire for this survey was developed by BlueHornet with assistance from Flagship Research. The
survey was administered to a national panel of 1,002 consumers across the United States between the ages
25 and 40 who live in urban or suburban areas; 77% of whom are employed and 76% with an income over
$35,000.
Which of the following best describes What is your total annual
your current employment status? household income?
67.6% Full-Time 6.0% under $15,000
9.5% Part-time 4.1% $15,000 to $19,999
3.4% Unemployed Student 13.6% $20,000 to $34,999
7.8% Not Employed 16.7% $35,000 to $49,999
0.2% Retired 25.2% $50,000 to $74,999
10.3% Homemaker 17.1% $75,000 to $99,999
1.2% Other 17.2% $100,000 or greater
Research Objectives
The primary objective of this research was to gain first-hand responses from consumers about their
understanding of and sentiment toward email marketing. Our secondary objective was to identify significant
changes in perception from a similar survey we conducted in 2012.
Survey questions were developed and categorized according to these areas of email marketing:
• Email Acquisition – How and why consumers sign up to receive emails
• Mobile Usage and Sentiment – Use of email-enabled mobile devices and how email marketing is
perceived when viewed on a mobile device
• Email Usage, Engagement, and Purchase Behavior – Factors that influence engagement and
conversion
• Advanced Targeting – Consumer trust in and perception of data-based targeting
• Unsubscribing – Reasons to unsubscribe and the likelihood of opting ‘down’
©2013 BlueHornet Networks, Inc. A wholly owned subsidiary of Digital River, Inc. | BlueHornet.com Page 3
EMAIL ACQUISITION:
HOW AND WHY CONSUMERS SIGN UP TO
RECEIVE EMAILS
For the second consecutive year, discounts remain the most important reason consumers sign up to receive
emails from companies. And sentiment remains strongly against the practice of sending promotional emails
to consumers who, although they’ve purchased from a brand, haven’t specifically signed up for the brand’s
email program.
In the past year, which of the following means have you used to
subscribe to an email program? (Check all that apply)
Given email to the sales
53.0%
clerk at point-of-sale
In addition
Wrote email
on a paper form 39.8% to traditional
Entered email within methods,
sign-up form at 82.0%
brand's website consumers are
Entered email on
email opt-in page
on brand's social site
39.7% using mobile-
Entered email within specific channels
sign-up form 28.0%
within mobile app (apps and text-
Sent email address as text
message to the brand 14.5% to-join) to sign
up for email
None of these 9.4%
programs.
0 20 40 60 80 100
Which of the following is your most important reason for
signing up to receive emails from companies seeking your
business?
72.6%
To receive discounts
83.5% Consumers love
discounts. In
To get product/
9.1%
fact, they love
services updates
6.4% them almost
8.2%
11% more than
If I love the brand
7.0%
last year.
10.0% 2012
To participate in
product research 2013
3.1%
0 20 40 60 80 100
Report: 2013 Consumer Views of Email Marketing
Are you more likely to sign up for emails if celebrities or
experts endorse the brand or their products?
24.8%
Yes
20
20.7%
15 16.6%
No
10
79.3%
5
0
Yes Yes
Male Female
Celebrity endorsements, while not a major influencer of email sign
ups, matter more to male respondents (25%) than females (17%).
Do you believe that it’s OK for a company to start sending you
promotional emails if you have purchased something from
them but you didn’t specifically sign up to receive emails from
them?
75.8% 75.4%
70
60
50 In 2013, consumers still do
not feel that a purchase alone
40
gives brands the permission to
30 send marketing emails.
20
10
0
No No
2012 2013
©2013 BlueHornet Networks, Inc. A wholly owned subsidiary of Digital River, Inc. | BlueHornet.com Page 5
Key Takeaways for Email Marketers:
• Consumers are comfortable sharing their email addresses with companies via a variety of online and
offline channels. Consider adding additional methods of acquisition to your program or try replacing
labor intensive point-of-sale collection efforts with a cost-effective and easily implemented text-to-join
SMS program.
• In exchange for their email address, consumers expect value, often in the form of a special offer.
However, remember that your email program is an extension of your brand persona—not simply a
coupon distribution channel. Make sure there is a strategy behind the discounts that you offer, use
discounts to elicit a specific strategic customer behavior, and always keep the strategy in alignment with
your brand.
• Consumers want email to be on their terms. Avoid making “marketer-centric” assumptions whenever
possible, whether they’re related to celebrity endorsements, email opt in, or other aspects of your
program. A/B testing and customer surveys are better bets than assumptions.
Report: 2013 Consumer Views of Email Marketing
MOBILE USAGE AND SENTIMENT
Almost 85% of respondents own a mobile device such as a smart phone that is enabled to receive email. Many
cite their mobile device as the method they use most often for reading emails and managing their inbox.
Consumer sentiment around mobile coupons and purchasing from mobile emails is generally favorable.
However, tolerance for poor mobile design or rendering is very low.
Do you own a mobile device such as a smart phone that is
enabled to receive email?
100
80 84.8%
76.74%
60
Email-enabled mobile
device usage is up 8%
from 2012.
40
20
0
Yes Yes
2012 2013
Where do you most often read your emails?
Tablet
6.9%
43% of consumers
say they read emails
Smartphone most often on a
Desktop or 36.4%
laptop computer mobile device.
56.3%
©2013 BlueHornet Networks, Inc. A wholly owned subsidiary of Digital River, Inc. | BlueHornet.com Page 7
Do you use your mobile device to sort through your emails
before you read them on your desktop?
15.8% 2012 In 2013, about
Always 7% more
20.4% 2013
consumers
report using
52.8% their mobile
Sometimes device to triage
55.3% emails some or
all of the time.
31.4%
Never
24.0%
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
How likely are you to show your mobile phone to a store cashier
to redeem a discount code, barcode, or online coupon instead
of printing the coupon and bringing it to the register?
Don't Know
5.3%
Not at
all Likely
Consumers like the
Extremely
Likely 20.5% idea of using their
36.0% mobile device to
redeem discounts
and coupons.
Somewhat
Likely
38.2%
Report: 2013 Consumer Views of Email MarketingHow likely are you to buy an item or service from an email you
read on your mobile?
Extremely Don't
Likely
Know
9.8%
12.7%
63% of consumers
say they may buy
Not at
all Likely from an email read
24.2% on a mobile device.
Somewhat
Likely
53.4%
If you get a mobile email that doesn’t look good, what
do you do? (Check all that apply)
69.7%
Delete it The number of
80.3%
consumers who
18.0%
may unsubscribe
Unsubscribe after receiving
30.2%
a mobile email
Look at it 17.7% that doesn’t
on my computer 13.5%
look good has
increased
7.6% significantly
Read it anyway 2012 since 2012.
6.3%
9.4% 2013
Don't know
3.8%
0 20 40 60 80 100
©2013 BlueHornet Networks, Inc. A wholly owned subsidiary of Digital River, Inc. | BlueHornet.com Page 9Key Takeaways for Email Marketers:
• Because of the ubiquity of email-enabled mobile devices, email programs must be developed to be
viewed, managed, and engaged with on consumers’ mobile devices. Making sure that your email
creative and user experience is optimized for mobile is no longer optional.
• Survive mobile triage efforts--keep subject lines relevant and focused on consumer value. Use pre-
header text.
• Want a win over the competition? Make it easy for subscribers to redeem your coupons from their
mobile device.
Report: 2013 Consumer Views of Email MarketingEMAIL USAGE, ENGAGEMENT,
AND PURCHASE BEHAVIOR
Once consumers subscribe to your email program, they expect to receive a welcome email from you. In return,
you can expect access to their eyeballs throughout the day, and sometimes access to their social networks.
Consumers are most likely to open emails when the subject line is aligned with their purchase behavior.
They’re most likely to buy from your email if the price is right and they’ve done business with you in the past.
Do you expect to get a welcome email when you sign up?
Yes (2012) 75.7% Expectations
around receiving
Yes (2013) 74.4% a welcome letter
remain high.
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
When do you typically read personal email?
Morning 10.9%
Consumers see
marketing emails
Evening 17.3% throughout
the day.
Throughout the day 71.8%
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
What do you share to your social networks (Facebook / Twitter)?
41.9%
Web pages
42.3%
Sharing email to
32.1%
Products
34.4%
social networks
is down slightly
37.3%
Email in 2013.
32.7%
34.5%
Nothing
36.3% 2012
5.9% 2013
Other
6.9%
0 10 20 30 40 50
©2013 BlueHornet Networks, Inc. A wholly owned subsidiary of Digital River, Inc. | BlueHornet.com Page 11Generally speaking, if you don’t immediately open and read an
email, what do you do with it?
63.0% Save it for later
Consumers save
unopened emails
25.6% Delete it
to read later.
7.3% Put it in a folder
4.1% Don't Know
What is most likely to cause you to open and read an email
from a retail brand?
45.4%
Subject line mentions
a discount or special offer
Consumers
Subject line promotes a indicate
35.7%
product you're interested in that
Subject line refers to a product
subject line
7.0%
you recently looked at online relevance
trumps
6.8% Don't Know efforts to
be clever
4.2% Subject line is humorous or overly
familiar.
Subject line includes
0.9%
your first name
Report: 2013 Consumer Views of Email MarketingWhat types of emails are you most likely to open?
(Check all that apply)
80 69.7% 69.8%
70 Consumers
60 are more
50 likely
40 to open
30 emails
17.6% 15.7% from
20
7.3% brands
10
they’ve
0 purchased
Emails from Emails from Emails from Emails that None
brands whose brands whose brands that I contain of these from in
products I products I don't usually news and
purchase purchase purchase content - the past.
in-store often online often from, but I not specifically
like to get product
inspiration related
from their
style & products
How much influence does each of these factors have in causing
you to purchase from an email? (Please use a scale of 1 to 7,
where 1 means very little influence and 7 means a great deal of
influence.)
7 6.03 5.93
5.68 5.68
6 5.13
5 4.24
4
3
2
1
0
Brand Quality Price Discounts Free Reviews
shipping displayed in
the email
Consumers say that each of these factors influence whether
they will purchase from an email.
©2013 BlueHornet Networks, Inc. A wholly owned subsidiary of Digital River, Inc. | BlueHornet.com Page 13Key Takeaways for Email Marketers:
Viewed collectively, consumers’ email usage, sentiment, and purchase behavior point clearly to one thing: the
value of a strong relationship between your brand and your customers.
• The relationship starts early. Send a welcome email that sets expectations you’re willing and able to
meet or exceed.
• The relationship might be serious. Our survey respondents didn’t take to fun or overly personal subject
lines, but yours might. Be sure to test often.
• The relationship should be unique. While only 15% of the consumers we surveyed picked content emails
as the ones they’re most likely to open, those types of emails can be valuable relationship and brand
builders. Consider adding a content-specific offering to your email preference center.
• The relationship wins you business. Develop targeting strategies based on purchase recency, frequency,
and monetary value.
Report: 2013 Consumer Views of Email MarketingADVANCED TARGETING
Consumers seem cautiously optimistic about the use of their data to conduct the types of advanced targeting
efforts that are intended to provide added consumer convenience and/or value.
If you received an email from a retailer promoting products
that you just looked at on their site or put into an online
shopping cart but did not purchase, which of the following best
describes your perception?
The email is relevant
8.6%
and valuable A slight
The email is intrusive and
majority of
“big brotherish” consumers find
32.7% re-marketing
I don’t care either way emails to be
29.2% relevant and
I've never received an valuable. Less
email like that
than 1/3 find
29.4% them intrusive.
If you could sign up to receive location-based offers on your
mobile device, so that you could get real-time notifications
when you’re near a particular retailer or business, would
you do so?
6.5% Only if I trust the brand
Most
No, because I have consumers will
23.8%
privacy concerns only consider
24.2% opting in
Yes to location-
based offers if
No, reasons other
than privacy
they trust the
brand.
45.6%
©2013 BlueHornet Networks, Inc. A wholly owned subsidiary of Digital River, Inc. | BlueHornet.com Page 15Key Takeaways for Email Marketers:
• Regardless of your current email program’s level of sophistication, recognize that almost nothing you
do is perceived neutrally by consumers. Instead, every component of your program has the potential to
build or erode consumer trust. That trust is valuable to you today and it will increase in future value as
you develop programs that rely on customers granting you access to more personal data.
• If you’re not currently conducting cart abandonment or re-marketing campaigns, look to develop a test
program today.
Report: 2013 Consumer Views of Email MarketingWHY CONSUMERS UNSUBSCRIBE
FROM EMAIL MARKETING
In 2012, the primary reason consumers told us that they unsubscribe from an email program is because they
feel they’re getting too many emails that are irrelevant to their interests and preferences. Frequency came
in a very close second. One year later, frequency has moved ahead of relevance as the primary reasons for
unsubscribing--by a margin of over 10%. The good news for email marketers? “Opt down” programs can help
reduce churn.
When you unsubscribe, what is the primary reason?
40 35.4% 2012
35 30.7% 31.4% New in
2013
30 2013: High
24.5%
22.7%
23.5% frequency
25
drives more
20 unsubscribes
14.0%
15
12.4% than relevance
by over 10%.
10
2.8% 2.7%
5
0
Frequency Relevance Inbox is Tired of Some other
overloaded the brand reason
If you click to opt out and are presented with the option to “opt
down” (change the frequency, subscription topics, etc.) would
you remain on the list?
59.4%
60 52.9% Compared to
2012
last year, more
50 2013 consumers
will consider
40
opting down
30
25.6% 26.8% instead of
20.3% unsubscribing
20 15.0% when given
the option.
10
0
Always Sometimes Never
©2013 BlueHornet Networks, Inc. A wholly owned subsidiary of Digital River, Inc. | BlueHornet.com Page 17Key Takeaways for Email Marketers:
We believe that managing B2C email volume and frequency, along with the accompanying challenges of
hanging on to consumer mindshare in an increasingly noisy digital environment, will be among the central
issues marketers will face in 2013 and beyond.
• According to our survey, even relevant email programs can get dropped by consumers who can’t
manage the volume. Definitely make sure your preference center gives customers ways to manage their
number and type of subscriptions, at minimum. Better yet, let them control the frequency, or move to a
weekly digest email.
• A number of companies are now providing inbox management tools to consumers, many of which
automatically route emails to folders before the consumer ever sees them. While this can seem daunting
to email marketers, it can also provide new opportunities to develop a “foldering strategy.” A basic
program could include adding urgency to subject lines and offers. A more sophisticated one could
leverage the fact that when consumers sit down to their shopping folder, you know they’re ready to
shop. What data can you collect and use to maximize each of these occasions?
• Monitor unsubscribes and look for patterns that tie to frequency. Conduct a one-question unsubscribe
survey that lets your customers tell you why they’re leaving.
Report: 2013 Consumer Views of Email MarketingCONCLUSION
One year after BlueHornet’s initial consumer
survey, our conclusion is that the overall outlook
for email marketing seems more positive than ever: Video: Going Beyond the Data
• Thanks to continued adoption of mobile
technologies, consumers are able and willing
to take email everywhere they go.
• Because of marketers’ responsible use of
customer data to develop relevant email
programs, consumers express comfort in
joining and engaging with these programs in
exchange for value and special benefits.
• Through their actions as well as their
statements, consumers indicate an increased To give a human face to the
awareness in the value that their email research in this report and to
address has to marketers. Consumers help shed more light on what
understand that they have significant
leverage with marketers that they can flex people love and hate about email
via engagement with campaigns as well as marketing, BlueHornet conducted
through their purchasing power. video interviews with consumers
who fit our survey demographic.
• In general, there’s really only one thing
consumers indicate that they really dislike
Hear what they had to say.
about email marketing from reputable brands,
and that’s the frequency. Marketers who can
find the sweet spot that balances consumer bluehornet.com/consumer2013
value, email volume, and revenue generation
should find an unparalleled opportunity to
sell their products to smart consumers who
make conscious decisions to buy from them
instead of their competitors.
EMAIL DONE
DIFFERENTLY.
BlueHornet helps companies do email marketing
differently. The world’s most talked-about brands
partner with us to turn customers into raving
fans. They rely on BlueHornet’s powerful, yet
simple-to-use email technology, unique Support²
service model, and proactive inbox deliverability
management to rise above the noise and put their
message everywhere their customers are – whenever
they want it. To learn more, contact us today:
BlueHornet (866) 586-3755
2355 Northside Drive www.bluehornet.com
Suite B250 sales@bluehornet.com
San Diego, CA 92108 Twitter: @bluehornetemailYou can also read
