Letters are more popular than electronic mail (Denmark)

Even though today the option is available for the Danes to receive some of their mail by e-mail, e-Boks (an electronic mailbox), online banking and SMS or to visit websites for information, there is still a large preference for receiving a physical letter.

A survey (Qualitative strengths of the letter in a digitised everyday life) which Tranberg Marketing has conducted for Post Danmark demonstrates that this is the case. The Danes were asked how they prefer to receive information from business enterprises, public authorities, trade unions, humanitarian organisations and sports clubs.

Replies showed that, regardless of type of information, the letter is preferred for receiving information from business enterprises and public authorities. For receiving information from business enterprises, 62 per cent prefer a letter, 17 per cent an e-mail, while 11 per cent prefer to receive the information in their e-Boks. For receiving information from public authorities, 58 per cent prefer a letter, 23 per cent an e-mail, while 12 per cent prefer to receive the information in their e-Boks.

The letter is also a clear winner when it comes to receiving information from trade unions, humanitarian organisations and sports clubs. 57 per cent prefer to be con-tacted by letter, 34 per cent by e-mail and 2 per cent through use of their e-Boks.

However, e-mail is a favourite when it comes to receiving newsletters from organisations and associations with a 46 per cent preference for receiving them electronically and a 45 per cent preference for receiving them by letter.

e-Boks users prefer to receive some of their mail electronically, excluding newsletters, member bulletins, invitations, sales letters and insurance documents which they prefer to receive by letter.

Another fact established by the survey is that the Danes are not particularly interested in collecting information on the sender’s own website – regardless of type of information and sender.

Even though today the option is available for the Danes to receive some of their mail by e-mail, e-Boks (an electronic mailbox), online banking and SMS or to visit websites for information, there is still a large preference for receiving a physical letter.

A survey (Qualitative strengths of the letter in a digitised everyday life) which Tranberg Marketing has conducted for Post Danmark demonstrates that this is the case. The Danes were asked how they prefer to receive information from business enterprises, public authorities, trade unions, humanitarian organisations and sports clubs.

Replies showed that, regardless of type of information, the letter is preferred for receiving information from business enterprises and public authorities. For receiving information from business enterprises, 62 per cent prefer a letter, 17 per cent an e-mail, while 11 per cent prefer to receive the information in their e-Boks. For receiving information from public authorities, 58 per cent prefer a letter, 23 per cent an e-mail, while 12 per cent prefer to receive the information in their e-Boks.

The letter is also a clear winner when it comes to receiving information from trade unions, humanitarian organisations and sports clubs. 57 per cent prefer to be con-tacted by letter, 34 per cent by e-mail and 2 per cent through use of their e-Boks.

However, e-mail is a favourite when it comes to receiving newsletters from organisations and associations with a 46 per cent preference for receiving them electronically and a 45 per cent preference for receiving them by letter.

e-Boks users prefer to receive some of their mail electronically, excluding newsletters, member bulletins, invitations, sales letters and insurance documents which they prefer to receive by letter.

Another fact established by the survey is that the Danes are not particularly interested in collecting information on the sender’s own website – regardless of type of information and sender.

Qualitative strengths of the letter
Why then do the Danes prefer a letter to an e-mail whose strengths, the survey shows, are that it is practical, fast, easy to store and easy to pass on? Indeed, these are strengths which are all much asked for when we communicate.

– It concerns qualitative strengths. A letter signals higher importance and reliability than an e-mail. 62 per cent of the Danes evaluate the letter as reliable while this is only the case for 10 per cent in relation to an e-mail. Besides, the sender of a letter is found to be more serious and professional than the sender of an e-mail. No less than 63 per cent evaluate the sender of a letter as serious while correspondingly this is the case for 12 per cent in relation to the sender of an e-mail. It can therefore be concluded that senders must communicate their message by means of a letter if they wish to be taken seriously by the recipients.

The full report “Brevets kvaliteter i en digitaliseret hverdag” (Qualitative strengths of the letter in a digitised everyday life) can be viewed at postdanmark.dk.