Mailing Lists: Frequently Asked Questions

Do Hedges & Company's automotive mailing lists comply with the Driver's Privacy Protection Act (DPPA)?

Yes. All of our mailing lists comply with Federal privacy laws that protect drivers.

What exactly is the Driver's Privacy Protection Act (DPPA) and the Shelby amendment?

The DPPA was enacted by Congress in 1994, and is Public Law No. 103-322 codified and amended by Public Law 106-69. The DPPA aims to protect the privacy of personal information of drivers that is put together by the State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). The DPPA was amended on June 1, 2000, with the Shelby Amendment, which some mistakenly call "The Shelby Act." The Shelby Amendment requires states to obtain a driver's consent before giving out any personal information.

What is the source of your automotive mailing lists?

Our lists are a result of building our databases and creating strategic alliances with the mailing list industry's most prevalent data providers. We have access to hundreds of variables on nearly all of the nation's 114+ million households including vehicle ownership (year/make/model), income, employment, consumer buying histories, ZIP code and more. We use a complete ownership masterfile of 149 million U.S. consumers including car, truck, motorcycle and even RV owners. We can drill down to consumers with a buying history of aftermarket performance parts and accessories with DIY behavior.

*NOTE: Watch statistics you get from any list provider carefully and ask questions. We have seen lists marketed that cover "150 million" US households or more. The 2010 Census counted 114,235,996 households, so any higher number is suspicious. Likewise, we've seen consumer lists marketed that cover "300 million US consumers." The official US population for 2010 was just over 308 million, so any list source that claims to have a higher number is inaccurate or includes millions of children. (The 2010 Census shows that out of 308 million people in the United States, 6.5% are under the age of 5 and 24% are under the age of 18, which means in the US there are about 235 million 19 and older.)

How are your automotive mailing lists different from other mailing lists?

Our automotive mailing lists were created specifically for the automotive aftermarket industry. We understand consumers and have an affinity for the automotive industry, in other words we can help you reach the people you need to meet your goals. In the past two years alone we have rented 5 million records of automotive owners, and retain many of our customers who have used our lists. Some of our larger accounts have tested our lists side-by-side with lists from other providers, and found that ours yielded more deliverable addresses than other lists as well as higher response rates.

To be more specific with our lists, we use data from primary sources such as auto dealerships, warranty companies, online insurance quotations, major national OEM car clubs, automotive service chains and insurance companies. By using so many sources, we have a wide reach and not only can we obtain more data, but multiple data sources ensure overall accuracy.

Are your mailing lists current? Are they accurate?

Yes. Our mailing lists are run through the U.S. Postal Service's National Change of Address (NCOA) file before delivery, giving you the most recent and accurate file available. This process also lets you qualify for all applicable postal discounts. Our list data is updated every Monday, giving you the most accurate data each week. The masterfile only uses records that are confirmed by at least two sources and can be confirmed by a third source within 12 months. About 275,000 new automotive records are added each month.

Are you able to remove duplicate records that exist in our customer file?

Yes, for an additional charge we can make sure that your list does not contain any customers already on file. If confidentiality of your existing records is a concern, we accept MD5 hash encrypted files to protect your records. When you send us an encrypted file, we will only be able to see if our records match any of your records, we can then exclude a matched record from the file we send you. We will also gladly sign a confidentiality agreement at your request.

How do your mailing lists differ from modeled or predictor lists?

Our automotive mailing lists are compiled from sources that indicate registration of an actual vehicle, whereas model and predictor lists use consumer data variables to make an educated guess at what is in the consumer's garage. We wouldn't recommend using predictor or modeled lists for marketing performance parts and accessories of specific makes and models. We recommend lists where the registration of the vehicle has been confirmed, through several sources, giving you assurance that you are reaching the right consumer.