Retailers Should Contact Shoppers By Email, Says Study

Retailers should take initiative in communicating with shoppers — especially younger ones — by email rather than social media channels, a new report by Bluecore found.

The report, titled “How Millennials Actually Want Brands to Engage with Them,” found that, contrary to popular assumptions, which may point to “brief interactions” across social channels, as many as 68 percent of respondents prefer the more traditional means of communication, and that preference skews across baby boomers (73 percent), Generation X (71 percent) and millennials (62 percent). And, said half of those surveyed, smart devices are the conduits for reading those emails.

In a statement that accompanied the release, Jared Blank, Bluecore’s senior vice president of data analysis and insights, said: “Email is not only alive and well, but it’s the preferred mode of communications between brands and their consumers.”

“This research shows that, while there are many options for digital engagement today, retailers must focus on developing a meaningful and personal relationship with their very loyal opt-in email customers. There’s a wealth of data to be gathered and marketing information to be leveraged if email marketing is done right, and it’s more important than ever as email is ‘always on’ across a range of connected devices, being used both for online and in-store shopping.”