Abstract

This study assesses Middle Eastern consumers’ beliefs regarding attitude and behavioural responses toward e-mail advertising. To date, little is known about Middle Eastern consumers’ attitudes and behavioural responses towards email advertising. Our findings show that gender moderates the relationship between beliefs and attitudes, and responses to email advertising. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1200 respondents and yielded 321 valid responses. The hypothesized model was tested using structural equation modelling. Our findings show that both informativeness and entertainment beliefs positively predicted Middle Eastern consumers’ attitudes toward e-mail advertising. Additionally, attitude was found to fully mediate the relationship between beliefs regarding and behavioural responses toward e-mail advertising. Notably, females were found to react more intensely when exposed to email ads. Our findings suggest that advertisers promoting in a Middle Eastern context should take further steps to enhance the quality of information and the perceived entertainment value that could be delivered to Middle Eastern consumers through e-mail advertising specially for female internet users.