91% of consumers react positively to the idea of brands offering holiday email opt-outs, according to Capterra’s survey

More brands are offering email subscribers the opportunity to opt out of specific holiday email messages that may trigger difficult or negative feelings, and this practice of empathy can help boost brand perception and even sales. According to Capterra’s latest survey, 81% of consumers are inspired to buy from a brand after seeing holiday opt-out emails.

Four in five (83%) of consumers say they receive more emails during the holidays. The main reason consumers proactively unsubscribe from holiday marketing emails is because they receive too much spam or emails from the brand. Only a small percentage (7%) unsubscribe because the holidays trigger negative emotions.

While the research shows that overwhelming volume is why most people unsubscribe from holiday marketing emails, 91% of consumers do react positively to the idea of brands offering holiday email opt-outs. That’s likely driven by the fact that over two-thirds of consumers (68%) want brands to prioritize their well-being over sales during the holidays.

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“Businesses considering offering holiday email opt-outs should evaluate how this practice may be received by their core audience and the impact it could have on their email marketing metrics.”

Most consumers say they’re not personally sensitive towards holiday marketing emails, but they are more concerned that others may be sensitive toward these messages. People view brands as empathetic (rated by 60% of consumers), personalized (53%), and authentic (52%) when they offer the option to opt out of holiday marketing emails.

While they drive positive brand perception, holiday email opt-outs are not yet mainstream. The majority of consumers (68%) say they haven’t come across one. If given the option to opt out of holiday marketing emails, 39% say they would always or usually unsubscribe. The survey also found that Gen Z consumers would be more likely to opt out compared to other age groups, as are men compared to women.

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Consumers are most likely to proactively unsubscribe from marketing emails related to events targeting specific audiences, including back to school (84% of consumers), Valentine’s Day (84%), and Mother’s Day/Father’s Day (83%). Unsurprisingly, calendar events typically associated with sales or discounts, such as birthdays, Prime Day, or Black Friday, tend to remain in consumer inboxes.

“Holiday email opt-outs demonstrate brand empathy, encourage some people to buy, and are overall viewed positively among consumers,” says Meghan Bazaman, senior marketing analyst at Capterra. “Businesses considering offering holiday email opt-outs should evaluate how this practice may be received by their core audience and the impact it could have on their email marketing metrics.”