Australia Post has released the results of another survey that undermines its own lack of faith in the mail segment and its plans to reduce services in that area.
The monopoly mail carrier’s newly-released survey of 2000 Australians in October 2014 on the effectiveness of letterbox advertising found it had a high level of engagement and influence on purchasing behaviour.
The survey says three quarters of people receive an average of 13 pieces of letterbox advertising a week and 77 per cent of them read at least some of it, with 20 per cent reading everything.
Some 83 per cent brought it into their home with regular mail, and 45 per cent read it straight away while 43 per cent wait until they are relaxing in the evening. 60 per cent share it with another member of the household.
Of those who want to get more information on something they saw, 38 per cent visit the company’s website and 34 per cent go to a retail store. Of those who want to buy, 56 per cent went to a shop and 20 per cent bought online.
Some 58 per cent say they used catalogues, brochures and flyers to plan their Christmas purchases and 40 per cent for birthday gifts.
Mail is by far the preferred channel for receiving catalogues and flyers, with 45 per cent saying they prefer them in print compared to 24 per cent reading online.
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Australia Post says in the report that letterbox advertising is ‘a tried and trusted way of connecting with an audience and driving enquiries and sales’ and that the survey shows it ‘continues to deliver on these promises’.
The company’s mail general manager Mark Pollock says: “This channel is still comparatively uncluttered, especially when you consider how much email people receive and how many TV, outdoor and radio adverts they are exposed to.”
“While some advertising channels are viewed as intrusive, letterbox advertising can be enjoyed by recipients at a time that suits them.”
The results follow another Australia Post consumer survey last year that found 85 per cent of people read their mail on the day it is received; 98 per cent open mail compared to 20-25 per cent for email; and 42 per cent of customers preferred to receive bills and statements by mail as opposed to 31 per cent by email, 25 per cent both mail and email, and two per cent neither.
Roy Morgan last month found 53 per cent of Australians read catalogues at least once a week and 56 per cent of those buy something they see in one.
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