by Kristen Sullivan | May 6, 2009
Not all junk mail is junk.
A recent study by DMNews and Pitney Bowes shows that more than 75 percent of consumers prefer to receive coupons in the mail. Coupons delivered by email came in second, while newspaper inserts were the least popular of the three forms.
The study is another reminder that the quest to reduce direct mail waste must involve a thoughtful solution.
Right now some of the loudest voices advocating for the elimination of direct mail waste are pushing for a national Do Not Mail registry. Without a doubt, this registry would be a good tool for consumers who don’t want their mailboxes cluttered with any mail offers.
But what about that 75 percent plus who do like to get deals in their mailboxes?
Herein lies the difference between the Do Not Call registry and the proposed Do Not Mail registry. When consumers signed up for Do Not Call, we really didn’t miss anything. But many unsolicited mail offers aren’t junk. Lots of consumers actually use them.
A national Do Not Mail registry won’t offer deal-hungry consumers much relief. If they absolutely love getting deals sent to their homes then they’re stuck receiving lots of junk and supporting an industry plagued by waste. Or, if they opt for the registry then they forfeit receiving the offers they do want but haven’t actively opted into.
What consumers need is a tool that sorts through all the offers out there, cuts out what they’d consider “junk”, and delivers the deals they’ll use.
Hmmmmmmm. Maybe we’re on to something.
Flickr: Image Credit
