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Easily urges small businesses to consider the hidden costs of free email
12 January 2005, London
Businesses and consultants who do not use a professional email address could be putting their profitability at risk, according to new research by Easily, one of the UK’s top web hosting and domain name companies. Respondents to the survey, which polled over 1,500 UK consumers, were given the choice between the fictional email addresses sales@londonplumbing.com and londonplumbing@hotmail.com and asked which they would most likely trust and purchase from. A massive 88% favoured the first option, as they felt that it suggested a more professional and trustworthy organisation. Younger consumers were identified as being the most likely to reflect this attitude, with 95% of 16-24 year olds preferring to trust a domain-specific email address. The survey found interesting regional variations, with consumers in London and the North East most inclined to trust and purchase from the @londonplumbing.com address. Jonathan Robinson, Director of Business Development at Easily commented: “According to our own research, conducted late last year, consumers are increasingly turning to the Internet to find a business and making a decision on its reputability based on what they find. Email is an extension of a company’s online presence, so it is unsurprising to find that consumers expect a professional business website to be complemented by domain-specific e-mail addresses.¿ To meet the demand for professional websites and email addresses, Easily has developed the WebStarter Package, which allows business owners with no technical expertise to create a professional website with unlimited email addresses for just £50 a year. The Easily WebStarter Package includes everything the small business owner needs to more effectively compete, and better capitalise on the business opportunities afforded by the online revolution. Jonathan Robinson concluded: “Many small businesses are continuing to use free or ISP dependent email addresses. By registering their own domain name for as little as £4.99 and using this domain name for their email address, they not only present a more professional image, they also have the freedom to change providers without changing their email address.
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