Many businesses may assume, since more and more people have e-mail access at home that their household customers and prospects want to receive e-mail. However, this research shows that this assumption is flawed, and that regular mail continues to be the consistent choice at the home front.
Most important, for people who market their products directly to consumers, is the clear differences in consumer attitude towards opening unsolicited new product announcements by e-mail vs. regular mail. Nearly 2/3 of the respondents indicated they would be more inclined to discard, without opening, unsolicited email on new products while only ¼ of those surveyed treat physical mail in the same fashion. This is a strong endorsement of regular mail’s unique attributes when compared to the e-mail alternative.
Mail Preference
The majority of those surveyed prefer to receive documents, letters and messages via regular mail.
Of those with e-mail access 61.8% prefer regular mail to receive documents, letters and messages. E-mail was the preference of 29.8% with 7.3% having no preference. Age was not a driving factor.
Over 75% consider regular mail more secure than e-mail.
In light of concerns with hackers and viruses, regular mail is considered by 76.3% as more secure than e-mail. 11.1% considered e-mail as more secure. 9.5% chose that neither or both as the same.
68.3% of the 45-54 age group felt regular mail was more secure and 9.3% felt e-mail was more secure. In the 18-34 age bracket 74% choose mail as more secure with 16.3% choosing e-mail and 6.7% choosing neither or both. In the 35-49 age category, 78.9% choose mail as more secure with 9.2% choosing email and 10.3% choosing neither or both.
In regards to new product announcements at home, most choose regular mail.
Respondents were asked how they prefer to receive new product announcements from companies they have done business with such as retailers, pharmaceutical suppliers, utilities, and auto agencies, etc. 73.2% choose regular mail. E-mail was preferred by 20.1%.
E-mail was a slightly stronger choice for the 18-34 age market. In the 18-34 years old category, 66.5% choose regular mail with 28.6% choosing e-mail.
When asked to choose what type of mail they would discard without opening, e-mail was clearly more disposable.
E-mail was considered to be more disposable with 65.5 % responding that they would delete unsolicited e-mails (unopened) about new products. 26.4% would be inclined to discard regular mail (unopened) such as new product brochures, catalogs or other advertising materials.
Time Perception
When considering time spent, most respondents felt getting and opening regular mail faster.
Even in this age of fast computing and high speed modem connections, regular mail is considered less time demanding. 61.8% chose getting and opening regular mail as faster then e-mail.
A little more than half the respondents spent less than 15 minutes on e-mail.
When asked to consider a typical day, 51.5% responded that they spent less than 15 minutes with email, 22.3% spent 15 to 30 minutes.10.3% estimated that they spent 30 minutes to 45 minutes, and a small group (14.6%) spent over 45 minutes a day.
A greater number of respondents spent less than 15 minutes on regular mail. When asked to consider a typical day the perception of time spent with regular mail by the majority (71.9%) was less than 15 minutes. 22.5% spent 15 to 30 minutes, 3.3% estimated they spent 30 minutes to 45 minutes and a very small group (1.8%) spent over 45 minutes.
Volume Perceptions (clutter)
E-mail marketing spam is taking many forms and overwhelms.
People believe that their e-mail volume is increasing resulting in e-mail clutter.
