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[May 2, 2003 - 12:00pm CST]
SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- While consumers disagree on how to define
unsolicited commercial email, a small segment admitted buying
products promoted that way, according to a new survey by anti-spam
software designer Mailshell.
The survey of Mailshell clients found 97 percent of respondents
agreed with the statement that defined junk email as "random
commercial email promoting pornography, unwanted business
opportunities, etc.," and 88 percent agreed spam is "any email sent
by any company with whom you have no prior relationship."
However, nearly 6 in 10 defined spam as "any unwanted email sent
by companies from whom you have purchased something before," and 3
in 10 said it is "any email that you don't want."
Other survey highlights:
- 8 percent said they bought products promoted by spam
email.
- 50 percent said they believed the amount of junk email they
received was related to their online activities.
- 28 percent admitted replying to spam messages.
- Many email users blame their ISPs for spam. Nearly half said
their ISPs could do more to block spam, and 57 percent either
believe or aren't sure whether to believe their ISPs sell their
email addresses to spammers.
- 60 percent said they often or sometimes open email that
appears to be spam.
For more on Mailshell's online consumer survey, which analyzed
responses from 1,118 of its software users in March, visit the Press
Releases area at the company's Web
site.
- List-News.com Editorial Staff | 
