E-mail Service Provider Market Guide, 2005

JupiterResearch recently released an Email Marketing Buyers Guide, a detailed evaluation and ranking of 30 vendors. Jupiter evaluated each vendor in the categories of client references, product demo, financial stability, services expertise, application features such as usability and functionality, partnerships, and technology integration. It also compared the needs of b-to-b marketers with those of b-to-c marketers in a bid to help the former make better vendor decisions.

The company then based overall value, suitability and breadth on the distinct needs of six types of marketers -- small business, service-oriented, low-volume promotional, low-volume newsletter, high-volume promotional and high-volume newsletter.

Jupiter Research included the following vendors in the report: Accucast, BlueHornet, Bluesky Factory, BlueStreak, Click Tactics, Cheetahmail, Constant Contact, Digital Impact, DoubleClick, Dynamics Direct, e-Dialog, Email Labs, Epsilon Interactive, Exact Target, Listrak, Lyris, Harte-Hanks Post Future, Postmaster, Quris, Responsys, Rightnow Technologies, Silverpop, SKYLIST, Subscribermail, Talisma, Topica, Twelve Horses, Vertical Response, Yesmail and Zustek.

Here's some insight into the firm's criteria and rankings, provided by Dawn Anfuso, editor of iMedia Connection.