Research reveals three quarters of UK retailers trading electronically struggle to engage customers with relevant and personalised email communications
Research reveals three quarters of UK retailers trading electronically struggle to engage customers with relevant and personalised email communications
Email marketing software provider Responsys recently revealed results of a research project analysing email programmes from the top 50 online retailers in the UK.
The results show that 78% of e-tailers do not personalise emails, and struggle to engage customers with dynamic and relevant content.
Despite the hype among marketers to target customers with information based on their preferences and previous interactions with a brand, only 8% of these retailers targeted customers according to gender and just 12% make recommendations based on location.
Most lack real-time responsiveness
Less than a quarter send emails that respond to individual customer behaviour, such as abandoning shopping carts or browsing the website. Instead, in an effort to provide customers with timely information, 66% of online retailers link emails to upcoming offers or brand events, and a further 14% use bank holidays and national events as a hook.
The research also found a fifth of online retailers fail to communicate with customers over email at all, even after they have actively signed up to receive emails. However, 22% of online retailers are frequent mailers; sending emails out every three to five days, and over a third send weekly updates.
More linking to social media
It said it seemed that, with more emphasis being placed on multichannel marketing, brands have recognised the growth in other digital channels and have begun using email to drive traffic to the key interactive channels consumers are using today such as social, mobile and the web. Nearly half (46%) of retailers included social media links in emails, a fifth included a mobile element, and 20% encouraged users to share content by forwarding emails to a friend.
Simon Robinson, Responsys senior director of marketing and alliances in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region, commented: “While many retailers recognise the importance of communicating regularly with customers across the key interactive channels, the results of this study highlight that with more channels than ever before, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for marketers to gain a single customer view.
“To target customers successfully, cross-channel marketers need to segment them and provide relevant content linked to their past interactions with the brand. This means that e-tailers need the ability to collate insight about customers across the different channels in order to deliver dynamic and targeted content designed to drive sales and increase brand advocacy.”
