Most U.S. Consumers Want Option to Receive Paper Bills, Statements

As pressure to go paperless from banks, utilities, telecommunications companies, and other service providers grows, a majority of U.S. consumers wants to keep the option to receive paper bills and statements, according to survey results published this week by Two Sides, Chicago, Ill., USA. More than six in ten consumers say they would not choose a provider that does not offer paper bills and statements, and 88% want to be able to switch between electronic and paper bills without difficulty or cost. The survey of 2,000 U.S. consumers was conducted for Two Sides in June by research firm Toluna.

"While e-billing can be very convenient and internet delivery is now commonplace, it's clear that U.S. consumers like paper bills and statements and don't want to be pushed into electronic-only communications," says Two Sides President Phil Riebel. "More than eight in ten believe that cost savings are the driving force behind the 'go paperless' marketing hype, and many are suspicious of marketing claims that going paperless will 'save trees' or 'protect the environment.' In fact, 50% of those surveyed said they either did not believe such claims, felt misled by them, or questioned their validity."

"Even though half of survey respondents believe that reducing environmental impacts is one of the reasons companies are switching to electronic billing, 72% also believe that print on paper can be a sustainable way to communicate when produced and used responsibly," Riebel says. "It's also important to note that more than one-third of survey participants reported that they print some or all of their electronic bills at home, so the claim that e-bills are paperless really isn't true in many cases."

Beyond the fact that most consumers want the option of paper bills, as many as 30% of Americans are not online, including 65% of seniors who don't own computers (U.S. Department of Commerce, 2011). Forcing people to go paperless or pay added fees for paper bills and statements disenfranchises a significant part of the population.

"When it comes to billing, consumer choice should not be a casualty of the digital revolution," Riebel says. "The American public has spoken, and billing companies that don't listen risk losing business. Those who continue to use unsubstantiated environmental claims as a smokescreen for reducing costs also risk greater scrutiny by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

"We fully understand the advantages of electronic billing," Riebel continues. "We just want companies to stop misleading consumers by using vague and unsubstantiated environmental claims and to continue offering no-cost paper options to people who say they want and need them."

An overview of survey results include:

64% of consumers say they would not choose a company that did not offer a paper bill option
72% agree that print and paper can be an environmentally sustainable way to communicate if responsibly produced, used and recycled
50% of consumers either do not believe, feel misled by, or question the validity of claims like "Save Trees, Go Paperless" and "Go Green, Go Digital"
More than 84% of people agree that e-billing and e-statements are being promoted to save costs
91% of consumers say they are unwilling to pay for paper bills
44% prefer to receive bills by postal mail only
59% of consumers would refuse to switch to electronic bills and statements or would not take action when asked to do so
50% of consumers read their bills and statements received both electronically and by postal mail; only 15% read bills which they receive by email only
34% of consumers are clearly "home printers" with 20% printing up to 20% of their bills and 8% printing between 80% and 100% of their bills (66% don't print out any bills at home).

The full survey report is available online to Two Sides members.

TAPPI
http://www.tappi.org/