It's going to be one of the best online shopping years in 'Net history, and successful digital merchants and online retailers will likely need to give a great big thanks to their email marketing team when final revenue reports arrive in early January.
A recent study from email marketing provider Listrak confirms that email is still one of the best ways to communicate with, and more importantly, convert, online shoppers. In fact, more than two in five adults in the U.S. made a purchase in the last six months as a result of a retailer email.
Listrak also found that 97 percent of Americans receive emails from retailers, with more than 83 percent of those who received emails from retailers opening them. According to the survey, conducted by Harris Interactive, more than half of respondents who opened email from retailers indicated that they do so because the subject lines showcased a special offer.
"With the holiday season just around the corner, it is important for retailers to understand their customers and how best to communicate and interact with them," said Ross Kramer, CEO of Listrak. "In a previous study that we conducted at Listrak, we found that on average 80 percent of consumers buying from our ecommerce clients only made a purchase once. That is a huge missed opportunity for online retailers. Sending targeted emails to consumers is essential if retailers want to turn one-time purchasers into loyal customers."
