• by Ray Schultz , Columnist, April 3, 2023

Brands sending out summer shopping emails will be barely in time if they get them out now, judging by the Optimove 2023 summer shopping survey.  

By May, the summer flow is already slowing down and in June it is a mere trickle, consumers say. 

Of the consumers polled, 52% prefer email for receiving summer sales offers. The second choice, mobile/web ads, is favored by only 18%.

But email systems do misfire, as 53% of respondents said they get “welcome” messages from a retailer they have purchased from before—and with some frequency: 

• Always— 21%
• Once a month — 32% 
• Twice per month — 18%
• Once every three months — 24% 
• Multiple times every month — 5%

In addition, 73% will unsubscribe if they think a brand has abused their customer information, up from 71% in 2021.

Shoppers determine online trust in these ways: 

• Check reviews from other customers — 38% 
• Check the merchant’s website for security measures (e.g., SSL encryption) — 24% 
• Look for trust seals or certifications on the website — 18% 
• Check the merchant’s rating with the Better Business Bureau or other  third-party rating agencies — 15% 
• Check for social media presence and engagement — 4%
• Other — 1% 

What makes people open a marketing email? They cite: 

• Relevancy, an offer of a product I am interested in at the time — 45%
• Identity of the brand — 18% 
• Catchy subject line — 15% 
• Personalized to me beyond just my name—11%
• Absolutely nothing — 11%

The main motivations for purchasing are price 77% and quality 78%. A distant third is brand reputation at 28%. 

This year, consumers are shopping for clothing (78%), swimwear (58%), and home goods and beauty products, each at (50%).

Timing is important—by June, the promotion season seems pretty much over. Consumers say they shop on the following timetable:

• I started at the beginning of the year — 11% 
• March — 21% 
• April — 32%
• May — 24%
• June — 8%
• July and after — 2% 
• I don’t be shopping — 2%

But they want to know about summer sales as early as possible: 

• March — 35%
• April — 33%
• May — 23% 
• June — 6% 
• July and after — 3% 

Most of those who shop in stores check, prices online with their mobile device, 35% very often and 44% often.  

Optimove 2023 Consumer Summer Shopping Survey queried 400 U.S. citizens in March 2023.