Email ranks third among channels in affecting purchase decisions, according to Shopper Motives & Preferences in a Digital-First World, a study by Bluecore.
Of the consumers polled, 48%% rate email as four or five on ascending scale, with 16% saying it is the most impactful channel.
Word of mouth is rated first, with 68% giving it a four or five, and online ads coming in second, with 49%.
Email is followed by mail pamphlet/catalog (40%), influencer (35%), pop-up store (34%), coverage in publications (34%), celebrity (30%) and out-of-home ads (30%). In addition, email ranks highly with 47% of people up to age 45, and 40% of those above 45.
Overall, 44% of females like email, versus 68% who cite word of mouth and 46% online ads.
In contrast, 46% of males rate email as impactful, but 68% specify word-of-mouth and 53% cite online ads. At the same time, 52% rate celebrities as having low impact, and 42% say the same about influencers.
The picture changes slightly when consumers are asked which channels influence trying a new brand:
Shoppers cite these incentives as most likely to sway online purchase behavior:
Younger consumers are most attracted to percent-off incentives and least to free shipping, but all age groups put the latter benefit first.
Meanwhile, a third of all shoppers surveyed are favorably influenced by an in-home testing period.
Bluecore surveyed 1,005 U.S. shoppers.