A recent study commissioned by Australia Post has found that national online shoppers check up to seven advertising channels when planning a banking, finance, superannuation or utilities purchase, and that personalized direct mail plays a key role in influencing decisions during the initial consideration stage of the purchase journey.
More than 8,500 Australians participated in the study conducted by the Australian Consumer, Retail, and Services (ACRS) Research Unit within Monash Business School’s Department of Marketing.
The report explored the effectiveness of multiple advertising channels including TV, radio, print, personalized direct mail, emails, websites, social media, billboards, online banners, and catalogues and flyers.
Paul Fanthorpe, general manager, customer data and insights, Australia Post, said, “Although there are more online tools and channels at a marketer’s disposal than ever before, customers still turn to multi-channels to make complex purchasing decisions; they rarely ever rely on a single channel.
“The report shows that there is an opportunity for marketers to refine the messages they send through their channels to meet different expectations. In the long run, this means that advertising and marketing dollars can be better optimized to create awareness, familiarity, trust and, finally, lead to a purchase.”
Some of the key findings from the research showed that, overall, websites influence 35% of a customer’s purchase; personalized direct mail plays a key role in influencing customers in the initial consideration stage; TV ads are well received by all demographics except retirees; social media ads do not influence service purchases in any audience segment; and that as consumers age, the number of channels that influence their purchase decision grows, for example, the youth segment focuses on just four channels, whereas retirees consider up to seven channels.
September 27, 2016
