Year after year, new platforms emerge, and trends come and go, yet email holds steady as the top channel driving consumer purchases. Over the past year, more respondents made a purchase from an email (54%) than from any other channel—including social media ads (44%) or posts (43%), SMS/MMS messages (26%), mobile app alerts (22%), and banner ads (17%).
Email’s staying power might seem surprising to some, but if you consider the role email plays in consumers’ lives, it makes perfect sense. Whether it’s signing up for services, receiving updates, or opting in to paperless billing, email is a fixture in modern life. Unlike social media, where consumers might occasionally “unplug,” email is a consistent touchpoint, and this near-universal access makes email a go-to for marketers who want to ensure their messages reach consumers. However, consumers won’t hesitate to unsubscribe if the content doesn’t add value—so relevance remains essential.
Thanks to advances in personalization tools, email has an even stronger edge, allowing marketers to craft hyper-relevant messages that resonate on an individual level. Today’s consumers expect this level of tailored messaging, as relevance, timing, and a personalized approach have become essential ingredients for relationship-building—and email remains an optimal channel for meeting these demands.
| Overall | Age Breakdown | ||
|---|---|---|---|
54% |
18-24 / 38% | 25-34 / 50% | 35-44 / 56% |
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| 45-54 / 56% | 55-64 / 59% | 65-74 / 65% | |
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| Overall | Age Breakdown | ||
|---|---|---|---|
44% |
18-24 / 53% | 25-34 / 54% | 35-44 / 49% |
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| 45-54 / 43% | 55-64 / 35% | 65-74 / 31% | |
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| Overall | Age Breakdown | ||
|---|---|---|---|
43% |
18-24 / 55% | 25-34 / 57% | 35-44 / 50% |
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| 45-54 / 41% | 55-64 / 30% | 65-74 / 24% | |
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| Overall | Age Breakdown | ||
|---|---|---|---|
26% |
18-24 / 26% | 25-34 / 29% | 35-44 / 29% |
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| 45-54 / 25% | 55-64 / 23% | 65-74 / 22% | |
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| Overall | Age Breakdown | ||
|---|---|---|---|
22% |
18-24 / 19% | 25-34 / 26% | 35-44 / 26% |
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| 45-54 / 23% | 55-64 / 18% | 65-74 / 20% | |
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| Overall | Age Breakdown | ||
|---|---|---|---|
17% |
18-24 / 18% | 25-34 / 18% | 35-44 / 19% |
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| 45-54 / 16% | 55-64 / 14% | 65-74 / 13% | |
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Social media has a significant impact in addition to email, especially among younger respondents. Both social media advertisements and organic posts drive substantial engagement, with 53% of 18 to 24-year-olds and 54% of 25 to 34-year-olds making purchases after seeing a social media ad. For younger demographics, social media extends beyond connection—it’s a shopping hub, with ads and posts triggering purchase decisions.
SMS and mobile app alerts may not lead the pack, but they add value as supporting players. Nearly one in every four respondents have made a purchase from an SMS message, with younger age groups showing slightly more engagement. Mobile is all about immediacy, making it ideal for flash sales, quick reminders, and last-minute nudges.
Meanwhile, banner ads and app alerts round out the picture by offering additional reminders, ensuring brands stay top-of-mind even if they aren’t the main driver of purchases.
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