• by Ray Schultz , March 10, 2021

Shoppers are most likely to click the unsubscribe button when they feel they are being contacted too frequently, according to Navigating Disruptions to Communication, a study released Wednesday by SlickText.

This has become especially annoying for consumers during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Among the consumers polled, 35.64% rarely open branded emails or are now less likely to do so. But 17.27% are more likely to open them, and 17.73% report no change. Only 9.36% say they always open emails from brands. 

Shoppers are also turned off by these types of message:

• Receiving politicized content 
• Receiving impersonal information
• Insignificant discounts 
• Messages that are too long 
• Feeling targeted 

Rather, consumers want these forms of messaging:

• Discounts
• Order updates 
• Product updates
• Notifications about service disruptions
• Messages on social distancing requirements

Here is what they prioritize most when evaluating communications: 

• Quick to read, with just the facts
• Easy to open
• Fast to send
• Reliable deliverability
• Easy to respond to
• Thorough, even if message is too long
• Feels personal

“With consumers citing too frequent communication as the reason to unsubscribe, brands must find a desirable, direct way to communicate only the most relevant information or else risk losing them for good,” states Meg Scales, CMO of SlickText.