Cartel in Dutch e-mail marketing market
by Jenny Peters
The Email Association - the Dutch organization for professional e-mail marketing - is threathened in its existence. Several parties - including even board members of the Email Association (!) - have made secret agreements to form a new exclusive e-mail association: the Dutch E-mail Service Provider Association (DESPA). Only a few e-mail marketing companies are going to be allowed to join this association.
The DESPA seems to be a cartel. Different parties - even board members of the branche association - are making underhand agreements. So far, these agreements relate mostly to e-mail delivery as far as we know, but since it is an exclusive society these may just as well be agreements about cost prices and sell ratings.
The new organization has the exact same goals as the branche Email Association does: creating a national bounce register, setting and e-mail benchmark, reaching agreements with internet providers and realizing a standard for data transfer between E-mail Service Providers.
If this continues, the market will splinter even more than it already is. Where one may question if the E-mail Association ought not be part of the DDMA (branche organization of marketing), we're now faced with yet another interest group. What the market really needs is 1 strong benchmark for professional e-mail marketing. One of the most remarkable aspects of this new association remains the involvement of one or more board members of the E-mail Association. Apparently they do not even trust the strength of action within 'their own' association.
Let it be clear that Copernica does not want any part of these secretive meetings. We operate independently with an open look and open hand. We strive for a transparent market and honest competition without secret agreements. I hope the DESPA initiative will come to the same point of view and that they'll decide to work from within the E-mail Association. Maybe this publication can contribute to that.
