This Ain't Your Grandma's Couponing....

The Great Recession has driven retailers of all stripes to seek new ways to lure in customers, and sometimes "what's old is new." With the rise of Social Media marketing, savvy companies are looking at Facebook, Twitter, email and cell phone texting to alert customers (and potential customers) to bargains and specials. That's because the receipt of permission-based emails make shoppers more likely to do business with a retailer than some random SPAM. In addition, customers who sign up to receive communications from a retailer have a more favorable opinion of the company and a stronger sense of loyalty to the retailer’s brand, at least according to the latest research by Epsilon, ranked #1 for market research and direct marketing by Ad Age). A mid-October 2008 survey of 1517 consumers found:

• 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.

• 87% of respondents who receive permission-based email from retail companies said email is a great way to learn about new products

• 63% of those who receive such emails want personalized content based on their website activity and past purchases

• 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.

Email marketing programs have become standard in the retail industry, but measuring the impact of email communications on offline sales and the branding "halo" effect of email marketing is not yet widespread.

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