Consumers receive fewer emails post-GDPR, reveals latest DMA research

Discounts, loyalty and familiarity among key reasons why consumers sign up to email campaigns – excessive contact and irrelevance main drivers for unsubscribes

Consumers believe they received less emails than ever before in 2018, estimating this at around 57 emails per week to their personal inboxes, down from 73 in 2017.

The ‘Consumer email tracker 2019’ research infographic, created by the DMA and supported by dotdigital, delves into consumers’ perceptions and preferences when it comes to the channel most consumers (59%) prefer brands to communicate via – email.

In addition, consumers estimate they’re signed up to receive email messages from around nine different brands, which has declined from 12 in 2017. The figures are a potential by-product of the new laws and consumers’ belief they have more control over the marketing emails they receive.

Just over half of consumers (57%) read more than 50% of the emails they receive. There are a number of factors that influence a consumer’s decision to open and read an email, but nearly half (46%) say recognising the brand is key when deciding.

What are the main drivers for email sign up and unsubscribes?
Key drivers for signing up to email marketing include discounts and offers (stated by 51% of consumers), being a regular customer (46%) and joining a loyalty scheme (40%).

The most predominant reason for unsubscribing from a brand’s email programme is receiving too many messages (59%), followed by the information no longer being relevant (43%) and not recognising the brand (43%). Most people (70%) unsubscribe via the brand’s website or the button within an email, with 40% expecting to never hear from that brand (via email) again or only receive transactional emails (23%).

However, almost one in five (17%) expect to be able to change their email preferences or complete some form of survey, offering marketers the opportunity to retain that customer by changing their approach or, at the very least, better understand why they’re leaving.

When offered this opportunity for control, around a third (36%) say they would like to reduce the frequency of emails they receive or choose the products/services they hear about (31%) – two of the key reasons they may have clicked unsubscribe in the first place.

Rachel Aldighieri, MD at the DMA, said: “This year’s report highlights the power of email to be at the heart of brands’ communication with customers, being the central channel that others can then be built around.

However, it’s fundamental that marketers combine convenience and relevance, building relationships based on transparency and trust.”

Phil Draper, Chief Marketing Officer at dotdigital, said: “Creating powerful, two-way relationships with consumers should be at the core of all modern marketing strategies.

It’s what consumers want, and what marketers are working to deliver.

The fact that brands have reduced the number of emails they’re sending is an indication that brands are focusing more on delivering relevant and interesting content.”

To read more about the DMA and dotdigital’s research, including the full ‘Consumer email tracker 2019’ infographic, visit: https://dma.org.uk/research/dma-insight-the-impact-of-gdpr-on-email-marketing 

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from TheMarketingblog http://www.themarketingblog.co.uk/2019/02/consumers-receive-fewer-emails-post-gdpr-reveals-latest-dma-research/