Why Consumers Subscribe and Unsubscribe from Email [New Research]

Email is not dead. In fact, it‘s one of the most important channels in a marketer‘s toolkit, with a median ROI of 122% — over 4 times higher than other marketing formats including social media and paid search.[^1] But while email usage continues to rise, with over 4.2 billion users worldwide,[^2] competition for consumers‘ attention in the inbox is fiercer than ever.

To investigate what motivates consumers to subscribe or unsubscribe from marketing emails today, I surveyed 400 consumers and dug into the latest research. Here‘s what I found.

Why Consumers Subscribe to Marketing Emails

When asked about the top reasons they subscribe to a brand‘s email list, consumers‘ responses fell into three main categories.

1. To get discounts, deals and promotional offers

Over 28% of consumers said accessing exclusive offers is their number one reason for subscribing to brand emails.

Given that 80% of consumers feel encouraged to make a first-time purchase with a new brand if they found an offer or discount,[^3] it‘s clear that promotional emails are highly effective for acquiring new customers and driving first-time sales.

For example, clothing retailer Madewell consistently delights new subscribers with a 15% off welcome offer and ongoing exclusive discounts delivered straight to their inbox.

Takeaway: Make subscribing worth it by treating your email list like a VIP club with insider-only perks and offers. Promote these incentives prominently on sign-up forms to entice opt-ins.

2. To receive valuable, relevant content

Another 25% of consumers primarily subscribe to brand emails to get useful content like:

• Blog posts and articles
• How-to guides and tutorials
• Videos and webinars
• Industry news and insights

This finding underscores consumers‘ high expectations for informative, educational and entertaining email content that helps them solve problems, answer questions, or explore their interests further.

Morning Brew‘s daily business newsletter is a prime example. By curating the top business news and delivering it in an engaging, easily digestible format, they‘ve amassed over 4 million email subscribers who look forward to reading it every weekday morning.

Among Millennial and Gen Z consumers, this preference for value-add email content is even higher. 58% of consumers under 35 want brands to educate them, compared to just 30% who want to be sold to.[^4]

Takeaway: Establish your brand as a trusted resource and thought leader by packing your emails with genuinely helpful content tailored to your audience‘s needs and interests. Focus on utility first, promotion second.

3. To stay up-to-date on the brand

20% of consumers subscribe to keep tabs on a brand‘s latest news, product launches and innovations. This is especially true for brands with highly engaged communities of loyal customers eager for updates.

Beauty brand Glossier has built a cult-like following of consumers who can‘t wait to get their hands on the newest makeup and skincare products. Their email subscribers are the first to know about new product drops and restocks of fan favorites.

Luxury exercise equipment maker Peloton keeps subscribers in the loop on software updates, new class types, and instructor news to enhance the at-home fitness experience and drive ongoing engagement with the brand.

Takeaway: Foster a sense of community and insider status with subscribers by giving them a behind-the-scenes peek at what‘s new. Make them feel like part of the brand‘s inner circle.

How Consumer Email Preferences Have Evolved

It‘s worth noting how much consumer expectations for email content have changed in recent years. Gone are the days of batch-and-blast, one-size-fits-all campaigns.

Today‘s subscribers demand personalized, relevant content tailored to their individual needs and interests. In fact, 74% of customers feel frustrated when email content is not personalized,[^5] and 52% will switch brands if a company doesn‘t personalize communications to them.[^6]

This shift has been driven by innovations in marketing technology and data, which have made it easier than ever to collect insights on subscribers and automate highly targeted email campaigns at scale.

For example, travel booking site Hopper sends personalized deal recommendations based on a subscriber‘s preferred airports, destinations and trip dates.

Pet supply retailer Chewy uses data on a subscriber‘s pet type, age, and food and toy preferences to send hyper-relevant product recommendations and discounts.

The bar for email relevance has been raised. Marketers must leverage data, segmentation and dynamic content to meet consumers‘ sky-high expectations for tailored email experiences.

Why Consumers Unsubscribe from Marketing Emails

Now for the other side of the coin: why subscribers opt out of email lists they previously joined. Based on my research, here are the top reasons.

1. Too many emails, too often

By far the number one reason for unsubscribing is email overload. A full 51% of consumers said receiving emails too frequently — either more than once a day (34%) or more than once a week (17%) — was their main motivation for opting out.

But ideal email frequency is highly subjective and situational. While most consumers prefer weekly or monthly sends, optimal cadence varies by sender type:

Sender Type	Preferred Frequency[^7]
Retailers	28% prefer weekly, 26% prefer monthly
Travel companies	37% prefer monthly
Media/publishers	35% prefer weekly
Nonprofits	52% prefer monthly

Takeaway: Start with a conservative send frequency based on industry benchmarks and list type, then adjust based on engagement metrics. Including an "opt down" option to receive fewer emails can prevent unsubscribes while still allowing flexibility.

2. Low-value, irrelevant or overly promotional content

26% of consumers will unsubscribe if emails become spammy, impersonal or repetitive. Common offenses include:

• Too much focus on selling vs. providing value
• Generic mass emails not personalized to interests
• Lack of variety in content and offers
• Clickbait subject lines that don‘t deliver
• Stale, repetitive content that lacks freshness

Online furniture retailer Wayfair sends a high volume of promotional emails — sometimes multiple times per day — with little variety and value-add content mixed in. Many of their emails employ misleading clickbait tactics like fake "RE:" and "FWD:" subject lines. As a result, Wayfair has one of the highest unsubscribe rates in the retail industry at 1.19% per send.[^8]

Takeaway: Use data to segment subscribers into granular buckets based on interests, behaviors and preferences. Craft email content tailored to each segment, with a healthy mix of engaging non-promotional content, personalized recommendations and exclusive offers. Constantly test and iterate based on engagement metrics.

3. Misaligned expectations and lack of trust

Another 15% of consumers most often unsubscribe when emails don‘t match the content or frequency expectations originally set, or when they didn‘t intentionally sign up in the first place.

Common scenarios include:

• Automatically opting in purchasers without consent
• Sending irrelevant cross-sell offers after purchase
• Promoting sister brands not included in original signup
• Increasing email frequency without notice or permission

For example, many consumers have experienced subscribing to one brand‘s emails (say, signing up for Pottery Barn emails when purchasing furniture), then suddenly receiving an onslaught of emails from a dozen other related brands owned by the same parent company (like West Elm, Williams Sonoma, Mark & Graham). This leads to frustration and erosion of trust.

Takeaway: Explicitly state the type and cadence of emails subscribers should expect on sign-up forms. Only send subscribers content they have proactively opted into – no exceptions. If you want to promote other brands or newsletters, secure separate opt-ins for each one. Respect the trust subscribers place in you by keeping your promises.

Strategies to Grow Your Email List the Right Way

Armed with these insights into why consumers subscribe and unsubscribe, try these proven tactics to attract engaged subscribers and minimize list churn.

1. Craft an enticing, specific value proposition

On sign-up forms, clearly articulate the unique benefits and value subscribers will get in exchange for their email address. The more specific, the better.

For instance, social media scheduling tool Hootsuite goes beyond generic promises, offering "Free guides and templates to help you get the most out of social" to new subscribers.

2. Offer instant gratification for signing up

Give new subscribers a welcome gift they can enjoy right away, such as:

• Discount or free shipping promo code
• Free resource download (ebook, template, checklist)
• Access to gated content or course
• Free product sample or trial

Beauty retailer Sephora offers new email subscribers free beauty classes and a birthday gift as an immediate benefit for joining.

3. Allow subscribers to tailor email preferences

Put subscribers in the driver‘s seat by letting them control the content and frequency of emails they receive. During onboarding, prompt them to select:

• Topics they‘re interested in hearing about
• How often they want to hear from you
• Which types of emails they want (newsletters, promotions, etc.)

Streaming service Hulu allows subscribers to toggle on and off different email types like account updates, new show recommendations, and special offers.

4. Always secure explicit, informed consent

Make sure subscribers know exactly what they‘re signing up for to avoid surprises later. On your sign-up form, include:

• Specific content and offers they‘ll receive
• Expected email frequency
• Links to privacy policy and terms
• Checkbox to proactively opt in (no pre-checked boxes)

Skincare brand Drunk Elephant‘s sign-up form clearly states subscribers will receive the latest offers, product launches and "a few emails a month," along with a consent checkbox.

5. Leverage social proof

Feature customer testimonials, industry awards, or notable press mentions near sign-up forms to build trust and credibility. If you have an impressive subscriber count, flaunt it!

TheSkimm‘s sign-up CTA highlights that subscribers will be "joining a community of 7M+" and includes a glowing Forbes quote about their engaged readership.

6. Test and optimize over time

Continuously A/B test sign-up CTAs to find the most effective:

• Phrasing of benefit statements
• Incentives and offers
• Button text and color
• Page placement and timing

Then, obsessively monitor email metrics like open rates, click-through rates and unsubscribe rates to spot issues and iterate. Solicit qualitative feedback from subscribers about what they like and dislike about your emails to supplement data insights.

Key Takeaways

Consumers have endless options for content in their inboxes. To earn their trust and attention, marketers must:

• Clearly communicate the value and benefits of subscribing
• Deliver on those promises consistently with every email sent
• Invest in deeply understanding subscribers‘ needs and preferences
• Use those insights to craft hyper-relevant, personalized email journeys
• Proactively prevent unsubscribes by aligning email type and cadence to expectations

With the right data-driven approach and relentless focus on putting subscribers first, email marketing will continue to drive outsized returns for your business.

[^1]: Litmus State of Email 2021
[^2]: Statista Email Usage Worldwide
[^3]: RetailMeNot Incrementality Study
[^4]: Klaviyo Generational Consumer Trends
[^5]: Instapage Personalization Stats
[^6]: Accenture Interactive Study
[^7]: Zettasphere Email Frequency Study
[^8]: MailCharts Retail Industry Report