New Study Reveals Email Communications’ Continued Influence across Multiple Channels

86% of Email Users Report Purchasing In-Store After Receiving An Email Offer As Use of Anti-Spam Software Increases

DALLAS, April 17, 2007 — Epsilon, a leading provider of multi-channel, data-driven marketing technologies and services, today announced findings from the company’s latest consumer research, conducted with GfK Custom Research North America, into consumers’ experience with and attitudes toward email, email marketing, spam and inbox security.

The survey of more than 400 email users who access their accounts from home revealed generally high satisfaction with email and mailbox providers, as well as high responsiveness to email communication efforts across multiple channels. Additionally, the data indicate that email campaigns exert a powerful influence over other marketing channels’ performance.

Among the survey’s findings:

• 84% of respondents report having clicked-through from relevant email offers
• 73% of respondents report having made an online purchase as the result of receiving a relevant email offer
• 86% of respondents report having made an in-store purchase as the result of receiving a relevant email offer
• 51% of respondents report having clicked “forward to a friend” links in marketing email, but 38% have never seen these links
• 78% of respondents report having added trusted email marketers to their address books, even as 57% report that marketers don’t ask to be added

“Consumers are attesting to the power of email marketing—they trust it, they respond to it, and they take proactive steps to ensure that they get messages from companies they do business with. These data reveal an immense opportunity for marketers to build and deepen customer relationships and grow sales, but they also suggest that too many marketers are failing to take full advantage of this opportunity,” said Ragy Thomas, president of Epsilon’s Interactive Services group. “Email marketers must continue to strive for relevance and take the initiative to ensure that their messages reach their customers, and are welcomed by their customers, and inspire their customers to become brand advocates.”

Epsilon’s study also explored consumers’ perceptions of spam (53% say they received less spam than they did last year—the third consecutive year in which most respondents reported a reduction), anti-spam software (78% say they use it), and spam complaint mechanisms (30% say they use these, while two-thirds of them equate reporting spam with unsubscribing from marketers’ email programs). Epsilon has also produced a series of Insight Briefs exploring the study’s findings in more detail, and a Research Summary, with question-by-question results. To request any of these documents, or for more information on Epsilon’s 2007 study of consumers’ experience and attitudes toward email and spam, please go to www.epsilon.com.

About Epsilon
Epsilon is a leading provider of multi-channel, data-driven marketing technologies and services. Through its combination of client-centric marketing solutions, Epsilon helps leading companies understand, measure, manage and optimize their customer relationships. The organization's end-to-end suite of integrated services includes strategic consulting, creative, data, database and loyalty technology, analytics, email and direct marketing distribution services to produce multi-channel marketing programs that generate measurable results throughout the customer lifecycle.

Founded in 1969, Epsilon is headquartered in Dallas, and comprises five business groups including Strategic Database Services, Interactive Services (formerly Epsilon Interactive), Agency and Direct Services, Data Services (formerly CPC Associates, Inc.) and Retail Solutions (Abacus). Epsilon works with more than 2,200 blue-chip brands and has offices throughout the United States, Europe and Asia. Epsilon is an Alliance Data company. For more information visit www.epsilon.com.

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