A recently released U.S. Email Trends and Benchmarks report by Epsilon indicates that email is still a force to be reckoned with, even in a down economy.

Data from more than 6.2 billion emails sent by Epsilon in July, August, and September of 2008 indicated that click rates rose 27.6 percent from the previous quarter, as open rates remained steady at 19 to 21 percent. The areas of business publishing/media, consumer publishing/media, retail general, and travel services all boasted an increase in deliverability, opens, and clicks.

Epsilon's analysis also found that the revenue per email delivered gained an average of $0.14, while the average volume per client went up 13 percent from the previous quarter.

"Despite concerns about the declining effectiveness of advertising and the challenging economy, email continues to perform consistently in 2008," said Kevin Mabley, senior VP of strategic services for Epsilon. "Our clients view email as a valuable and cost-effective marketing tool. We anticipate increased reliance on this highly measurable and engaging method of customer interaction as we enter the New Year."