Businesses are increasingly directing surveys and incentives exclusively to consumers who have Internet services. Marketers seem to be operating under the illusion that the sole Internet holdout is some geriatric holed up in a shack north of the tree line, humming along to eight-track disco music.
Despite press hyperbole about the “wired world,” many consumers, primarily but not exclusively seniors, are not Internet-enabled. It might be because of technophobia, economics, or a desire to simplify life by doing without such delights as viruses, spam, spyware, identity theft, and gratuitous software and hardware upgrades.
A recent survey concluded that almost one-third of U.S. households don’t have Internet access and are not planning to obtain it anytime soon. Personal experience suggests comparable data for Canada. That’s a hell of a lot of disposable income to thumb your nose at.
These promotions effectively say: “You’re not online, therefore we can’t be bothered with you.” By what stretch of the imagination can it be considered good business to isolate a large number of customers behind a technological divide?
Another consideration is data skew. How can you establish reliable consumer profiles when you’ve precluded the participation of a substantial portion of the consumer base? This makes as much sense as conducting a survey of religious demographics limited to one denomination.
Even those who gain access to these websites via public computers, such as those at libraries, are still prevented from participating. Submissions can’t be activated because they usually require the inclusion of an e-mail address.
A home computer doesn’t guarantee feedback either. An acquaintance of mine has Internet access, e-mail-even his own website. His wife, however-the one who makes all the purchasing decisions-is completely computer-phobic.
I tried to communicate these points to several national chains that have begun to employ exclusionary practices. A letter to the president of one resulted in a message from a VP who promised to call when she returned from a week-long business trip “to discuss my concern.” After not hearing anything for several weeks, I called her and left a message. I never received a response.
We keep hearing about cutting-edge marketing techniques. How about a little old-fashioned common sense? This is not rocket science. Marginalized people become alienated; alienated people become resentful people; resentful people look for the first available opportunity to shop somewhere else.
SHELDON GOLDSTEIN
WATERLOO, ONT.
