Some 56% of recipients of permission-based e-mail from retail companies are more likely to make purchases from the sending retailers.

The receipt of permission-based email makes shoppers more likely to do business with a retailer, in addition to generating a more favorable opinion of the retailer and even a stronger sense of loyalty to the retailer’s brand, according to the latest Epsilon research.

By the numbers, an Epsilon nationwide survey of consumers yielded the following results:

• 56% of recipients of permission-based email from retail companies said they are more likely to make purchases from the sending retailers;
• 52% said they have a more favorable opinion of the retail companies that send them email because of the communications they receive;
• 48% feel more loyal toward the retailers and their products as a result of receiving permission-based emails.

“While email marketing programs have become standard in the retail industry, measuring the impact of email communications on offline sales and the lasting impressions of brands is not common,” said Kevin Mabley, senior vice president, Epsilon Strategic Services. “The research we conducted expands beyond just online behavior and measurable activities and demonstrates the offline implications and branding “halo” effect of email marketing.”

In another compelling result from the survey research, no less than 87% of respondents who receive permission-based email from retail companies said email is a great way to learn about new products.

Additionally, 63% of those who receive permission-based email from retail companies said they want to receive personalized content based on their website activity and past purchases.

Epsilon provides comprehensive online and offline marketing services to some of the most-recognized brands in the world. Its email branding study is based on a mid-October 2008 survey of 1517 consumers. ROI Research, of Lancaster, PA, conducted the survey. It explored the general impact of permission-based email marketing as well as specific vertical product categories that included Retail, Travel, Financial Services, Consumer Packaged Goods, and Pharmaceuticals/Healthcare.

In other key retail findings, respondents said they took the following actions as a result of receiving permission-based email from a retailer:

• 88% download/print a coupon;
• 79% click a link in an email to learn more;
• 75% purchase a product online;
• 69% research retail locations that carry a product;
• 67% purchase a product offline;
• 60% try a new product for the first time;
• 55% share a coupon or forward the email;
• 33% type/copy the URL into their browser.

Additional in-depth information about retail industry email branding preferences and viewpoints is available in a special report from Epsilon. The report can be found at www.epsilon.com/pr/retailemailbranding.