• by Jack Loechner , Staff Writer @mp_research, February 15, 2006

According to the Vertis Customer Focus 2006: Retail study reveals that advertising insert readership levels are consistently at 85 percent or above. Additionally, the study finds Web savvy individuals still rely on advertising inserts, as 88 percent of Sunday newspaper readers surveyed via the Web said they read Sunday newspaper inserts, while 79 percent of those surveyed by phone read them.

Jim Litwin, vice president, market insights at Vertis points out that:

• Advertising inserts remain an integral channel for retailers to reach consumers
• Heavy Internet users are more dependent on newspaper inserts than the average consumer

Women of all ages are an increasingly important demographic to target through inserts due to their purchasing power and retail decision making

Additionally, the survey finds that:

• 52 percent of those surveyed by phone and 71 percent of those surveyed via the Web use inserts to decide where they buy groceries
• 29 percent of those surveyed by phone and 41 percent surveyed by Web use inserts to decide where to shop for health and beauty care products
• 28 percent and 39 percent, respectively, use them for office supply decisions

The Customer Focus 2006: Retail Study provide insights into the purchasing trends and importance of advertising inserts across a variety of retail sectors:

Grocery Ad Insert

• Seventy-seven percent of women ages 18-34 do the majority of the household's grocery shopping, like discount stores, and show an interest in the grocery ethnic and organic departments

Home Electronics

• Women ages 35-49, rising 10 percentage points since 2004, show a greater interest than the average adult in special financing offers for home electronics

Furniture Retailers

• 33 percent of women ages 18-34 said they plan to purchase bedroom furniture
• 26 percent plan to purchase bedding
• 24 percent plan to purchase living room furniture

Home Improvement

• Seventy-three percent of women ages 35-49, growing12 percent in two years, compare similar home improvement inserts before heading to the selected store

Prescription and Drug

• Thirty-three percent of women 50 and older (dominant drug purchasers) said advertising inserts were the number one medium that influences their general purchase decisions, followed by 20 percent who said newspaper advertisements influenced purchase decisions

Read more about the study here.