Response rates to direct mail credit card offers slipped to a new low last year as the volume of solicitations climbed to a new high. For 2005, Americans received more than six billion credit offers in the mail as the response rate hit 0.3%. However, the number of direct mail solicitations has dropped dramatically this year by 20% to 25% in the first quarter. According to Synovate's "Mail Monitor," household penetration peaked at 79% in 2001 when issuers extended their offerings to less credit-worthy or sub-prime households. The research firm says the high level of clutter has caused response rates to drop to the all-time low from 2.8% in 1992.
Response rates to direct mail credit card offers slipped to a new low last year as the volume of solicitations climbed to a new high. For 2005, Americans received more than six billion credit offers in the mail as the response rate hit 0.3%. However, the number of direct mail solicitations has dropped dramatically this year by 20% to 25% in the first quarter. According to Synovate's "Mail Monitor," household penetration peaked at 79% in 2001 when issuers extended their offerings to less credit-worthy or sub-prime households. The research firm says the high level of clutter has caused response rates to drop to the all-time low from 2.8% in 1992.