e-mail marketing

I don’t think I have ever purchased something online in response to direct e-mail promotions. I think this is simply because I very rarely order things online. Unless it is a book I know I need or want, I am very particular about what I buy online. I don’t like buying a book without having leafed through it first, or a shirt without having tried it on. I don’t really think it is anything about e-mail marketing (from esteemed companies) that really turns me off, it’s just not the way I prefer to shop.

This isn’t to say that I don’t think e-mail marketing doesn’t work on me in some capacity. If I get an e-mail about a big sale going on at a store, there is a good chance I’ll look through some of the stuff. If I see something I think I want, I’ll go to the store and find it and make sure I want it. This is still a sale for the company, even if it is a bit indirect and not their specific intent for an e-mail marketing project. A sale is a sale, and even generation of interest can be a helpful tool.

Sure, I do get the occasional spammy e-mail marketing message. And yes, these do annoy me. But I enjoy the ones I get from companies I'm actually interested in. They are a great way for me to learn about new products/promotions without having to do research myself.

Even though I have never responded directly to online e-mail marketing, I’ve definitely been swayed by it.