Opt out poses problems

Opt out schemes are putting pressure on the direct marketing (DM) industry, as many choose to break ties with companies and refuse marketing material, Marketing Week reports.

Statistics about the number of consumers who choose to refuse DM mail shows access to potential customers is becoming increasingly difficult.

Since 2002, some 37 per cent, or 16 million, of people on the Electoral Roll have opted out of allowing their details to be used for commercial purposes.

On top of these, research from the Direct Marketing Information Service (DMIS) shows that just over a quarter of consumers now always tick opt-out boxes as a matter of course.

This figure is a stark contrast to the seven per cent of consumers who opt out, leaving marketers with only about half of their client base with whom they can communicate.

Similarly, the Mailing Preference Service reports that it now has about 3.5 million people on its books who have opted out of receiving direct mail from participating companies - a number which grows at a rate of some 600,000 every year.

© Adfero Ltd

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