Q: What is undeliverable mail and how should it be interpreted? A: Undeliverable mail, also called nixies or gone-aways, is mail which can not be delivered by the postal service due to incorrect, illegible or insufficient address. Such mail may be forwarded (if possible), discarded or returned to the sender.
There is only a tenuous relationship between the amount of undeliverable mail produced by a rented list and its response performance.
For example, while an entirely undeliverable list will produce zero response, a deliverable, but poorly targeted, list may also produce zero (or very little) response. Conversely, a list that returns many nixies (20%+) may also produce acceptable response if it is properly targeted.
The savvy direct marketer will normally measure a list's performance by its response and not by the quantity of nixies. Most mailing lists, even the cleanest, produce undeliverable mail at the rate of 2% to 10%. Any quantity over 10% to 15% may be a cause for concern, but only if the list appears properly targeted and the response rate falls well below expectations.
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Q: What is a list broker? A: In the marketing list trade, there are a number of middlemen standing between the owner of a list and the marketer who wishes to use it. One of these is called the list broker. The list broker, like a travel agent, has specialized knowledge of lists -- their profiles, quantities, costs, sources, etc. -- and uses it to advise list users.
This knowledge is shared with the list user free of charge with the understanding that the user will order the lists through the broker. The broker earns a commission on this transaction, typically paid by the owner of the list. List users cannot obtain lower prices by ordering directly from list owners.
Do you have a question about direct marketing lists? If so, e-mail it to us. We'll be happy to answer it for you.
