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. Our auto mailing lists are compiled from multiple sources and do not come from DMV records.

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 mailing lists are a result of building databases and creating strategic alliances with the mailing list industry's most accurate 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, high mail order response households and more. We use a complete ownership masterfile of 150 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 know how to reach the customers you need to meet your goals. In the past two years alone we have rented 7 million records of automotive owners, and our customers do a lot of repeat business with us. Our mailing lists have been tested side-by-side with lists from other providers, and we have won more business from more deliverable addresses and higher response rates.

To be more specific, 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. Not only can we obtain more data, but multiple data sources ensure overall accuracy.

Besides all of that, we really understand cars, trucks, and the automotive aftermarket better than most. If you need a mailing list of fifth generation Mustang owners, we know that means 2005-2013. If you need a mailing list of Jeep TJ owners, we know that means 1997-2006 Jeep Wrangler.

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. Also, we're a National Change of Address service provider offering 18-month Change of Address (COA) updates and we process files and match them to the United States Postal Service 48-month Change of Address file. There are approximately 160 million permanent Change of Address records on file with the USPS.

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. We can dedupe at the street address level. If confidentiality of your existing records is a concern and you want maximum suppression of records by street address and by name, 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.

In addition, if you come back for additional lists in the future like many of our clients do, we can suppress new records against your previous lists.

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

Our automotive mailing lists are compiled from sources that indicate ownership of an actual vehicle, whereas modeled and predictor lists use consumer data variables and statistical modeling to make an educated guess at what is in the consumer's garage. Predictor or modeled mailing lists may work for some direct mailers but for our clients we wouldn't recommend using these lists to market performance parts and accessories of specific makes and models. We recommend lists where the ownership of the vehicle has been confirmed, through several sources, giving you assurance that you are reaching the right consumer.