How Australian consumers expect brands to show up in their inboxes and message threads.

Capturing subscriber attention is harder than ever. Australian consumers shop online multiple times a month, scroll on smartphones late into the evening, and manage growing numbers of brand relationships across channels. They have high expectations and want marketing that feels relevant, timely, and personal. Miss the mark and you risk disengagement or unsubscribes even after just one misstep.

To understand how email and SMS fit into this landscape, Attentive surveyed 1,500 Australian consumers across January and August 2025. All participants were active online shoppers and recipients of at least one channel. The findings reveal a clear pattern: when used together, they reinforce trust, deepen engagement, and drive action; in isolation, they risk losing influence over subscribers. What follows are the strategies to achieve success.

Key Takeaways

What you’ll learn in this report:

• When shoppers are most likely to act on communication, and why timing must match subscriber behavior, not just time of day.
• Which types of content strengthen loyalty (and which lead to fast unsubscribes).
• The personalizations that influence behavior, and what happens when brands miss the mark.
• How AI is reshaping both channels, helping brands send fewer, but more effective, messages.
• What differentiates the brands that will win in 2026.

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Email as the foundation, SMS as the prompt-to-act

Email remains the backbone of brand communication. Australians typically subscribe to 6–10 brands by email versus 1–5 by SMS, using it for order confirmations, loyalty updates, and storytelling too detailed for a text.

SMS works alongside this channel with 87% of SMS subscribers also receiving emails from the same brand, showing that texts are not a competitor but a way to cut through noise and add urgency. Email lays the foundation; SMS nudges action at the right moment.

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Recognition and trust unlock engagement

Trust is different across channels. Email benefits from years of usage, while SMS lands in a personal space most commonly reserved for friends and family, making it powerful but a channel that requires authenticity and accountability. While SMS marketing always requires an explicit opt-in, nearly half of Australians won’t save an unknown number. Clear purpose and prior engagement increase trust, 45% will save a number if the purpose is clear, and 41% if they’ve interacted with the brand before.

Actionable insight: Brands must always opt-in subscribers, use consistent sender IDs, familiar branding, and aligned messaging across channels. Recognition turns SMS from a perceived interruption to a trusted touchpoint. 

Attentive's patented two-tap mobile technology helps brands establish recognition early. Subscribers opt in directly from their device, helping ensure messages appear from a trusted number and stay out of the "unknown sender” inbox. 

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Subscriber behavior determines the best time to message

When messages are sent at the wrong time, engagement drops; 55% of Australians report that poorly timed SMS makes them less likely to respond. Engagement peaks when consumers are actively shopping (51%) or running low on a product (46%), showing the best timing isn’t about the clock, it’s about context. Consistency matters too. One in three (36%) unsubscribe if a brand stops communicating regularly.

‍Tactic takeaway: Brands should schedule SMS and email around subscriber behavior, not just the time of day, to stay relevant and reduce unsubscribes. 

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The content that builds loyalty

Discounts still matter, but they’re not enough. Shoppers also value timely, useful updates that make their experience easier. They respond strongly to:

• Back-in-stock notifications: 79%
• Sales alerts: 68%
• Loyalty reminders: 64%

They also appreciate helpful, non-promotional content: 

• Personalized recommendations: 53%
• Product tips: 46%
• Launch news: 42%

SMS works best when interactive. Most people (62%) say two-way texting improves brand perception, and 24% say it could directly increase purchases.

Key takeaway: Content should educate and assist, not just sell, to build long-term loyalty.

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Personalization is the baseline

When brands demonstrate a deep understanding of their customers' preferences and behaviors, it creates a better connection. A quarter (33%) of subscribers appreciate brands that remember their preferences, and 39% of SMS subscribers value offers linked to previous purchases. Irrelevant messages do more harm than good. Nearly three in four (72%) say they feel frustrated when a brand sends messages that aren’t relevant to their needs.

Tactic takeaway: Leverage data to personalize offers and messaging consistently across channels.

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AI enables tailored experiences at scale

Shoppers don’t want more messages—they want smarter, more personalized ones.

• 39% want accurate personalization of offers and discounts
• 30% want content that feels more relevant and high-quality
• 17% want brands to anticipate future product needs

‍AI can help brands deliver personalization at scale, refining timing and content to make every message feel individual.

Actionable approach: Attentive AI Pro™ can help brands refine send times, tailor copy, and predict intent across both SMS & Email, turning one-size-fits-all campaigns into tailored conversations.

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The brands that will lead in 2026 share one thing in common

The brands that will win in 2026 aren’t the ones sending more—they’re the ones connecting more authentically with shoppers. When email and SMS work together as one experience, supported by personalization and behavioral insights, every message builds trust and loyalty.

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For a broader view, explore our 2025 Global Survey for insights from the UK, US, and Australia, all in one place.

Methodology

Attentive’s consumer survey reports were conducted in:

January 2025. Based on answers from 300 respondents in Australia.

August 2025. Based on answers from 1,200 respondents in Australia.