Revisiting Direct Mail Effectiveness: Balancing Organizational Goals with Consumer Sustainability Concerns
研究比较了直邮和电子邮件对非营利与营利组织消费者反应的影响，发现直邮仅对非营利组织募捐有效，且当非营利组织关注可持续性时，该优势消失。
Despite the rise of digital marketing, direct mail remains widely used. However, concerns over its environmental impact call for a reevaluation of its effectiveness. This research examines how direct marketing channel (mail vs. email) and organization type (nonprofit vs. for-profit) interact to shape consumer response. Across four studies, we find that direct mail is more effective for nonprofits in eliciting donations but offers no advantage for for-profits. This effect is driven by consumer perceptions of an organization’s (in)efficient use of resources. Notably, nonprofits focused on sustainability do not benefit from direct mail, as consumers hold them to similar environmental standards as for-profits.