Shopping from home is easy. Consumers can visit e-retailers from behind a computer screen while in their pajamas, eating breakfast or even while watching their favorite late-night television show. But that need not stop an e-retailer from visiting a customer at their home – via direct mail and with catalogs. A recent study from the Global Envelope Alliance and the International Post Corporation (IPC) shows that advertising mail can lead to a whopping 7.1 additional online purchases per year.
By the Numbers
The results are clear: Mail is an effective way to get your message in front of consumers.
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74% of consumers open their mailbox every day.
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58% open advertising mail.
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55% read their advertising mail.
Compared to typical email open rates that can hover around 20%, direct mail is far more likely to be opened and read. It gets attention.
And, Action!
The GEA and IPC survey asked consumers what actions they took as a result of receiving direct mail. Shoppers who received direct mail were more likely to:
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Visit the online retailer’s website
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Make an online purchase
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Make use of a coupon code
Similar result were found when receiving a catalog.
Show Me the Orders
Survey respondents were asked how many online purchases they made as a result of receiving advertising mail in the past year. The results are impressive: On average, survey respondents indicated they made online purchases 7.1 times as a result of advertising mail, some saying they made more than ten purchases as a result of that mail.
Opportunity Knocks: Online Retailer Discount Codes
Your shoppers research before visiting your website. The survey found that 78% of online shoppers look for discount codes before shopping online. Furthermore, the survey found that mail is the most effective media to drive people to redeem a coupon.
Because discount codes for e-retailer purchases are highly sought after, your direct mail could be even more impactful when it includes purchase discount codes.
The Bottom Line
Advertising mail continues to be an effective use of your marketing dollars. Mail gets opened, read and acted upon. By including discount codes and even taking advantage of USPS promotions, you can get more bang for your marketing buck. Contact a Tension Sales expert today to learn more.
About the Survey
The IPC-GEA Advertising and E-commerce Survey took place in three countries: Germany, Japan and the USA in July 2018. The answers highlighted here focus on the United States respondents.
About International Post Corporation
International Post Corporation (IPC) is the leading service provider of the global postal industry that provides leadership by driving service quality, interoperability and business critical intelligence to support posts in defending existing business and expanding into new growth areas. It is a cooperative association of 23 member postal operators in Asia Pacific, Europe and North America. IPC’s solutions and services are used by over 180 posts worldwide. Since 1989, IPC has set standards for upgrading quality and service performance and developed technological solutions that help members enhance service for international letters, packets and parcels. IPC engages in industry research, creates business critical intelligence, provides a range of platforms and programs for member post CEOs and senior management to exchange best practices and discuss strategy. IPC also manages the system for incentive based payments between postal operators.
About Global Envelope Alliance
The Global Envelope Alliance (GEA) was created to develop a forum for the global community of envelope manufacturers, suppliers, posts, courier companies and market intermediaries to use in gathering more information about global trends and working together in a global community to promote a stronger industry worldwide.
