DIRECT MARKETING ATTITUDES

The study examines empirically consumers' attitudes toward direct marketing using a sample of 354 consumers. The sample was randomly drawn from a large southern metropolitan area. The study instrument comprised items developed from literature sources. Respondents' evaluations of the items were obtained through in-home personal interviews. Underlying the study is the hypothesis that consumers' attitudes toward direct marketing are a function of their shopping orientation and patronage intention, and that consumers' attitudes toward direct marketing, in rum, influence their patronage intention. The study results indicate that four of the five shopping orientation factors examined significantly underlie consumers' attitudes toward direct marketing, i.e., too much direct mail, like to examine product before purchase, retail people are pushy, and past direct marketing experience. The results also suggest that consumers' attitudes toward direct marketing significantly influence their intention to patronize direct marketing offerings but not vice versa. The industry implications of the findings are discussed.