Some statistics about toll free numbers
- 90% of Americans say they use toll free numbers.
- More than one-third of Americans estimates that they make 60 or more toll free calls per year.
- Demand for new toll free 888 numbers for business and personal uses averaged above 238,00 requests per month, since introduction of the 888 code on March 1, 1996. That’s in excess of 2,800,000 new 888 numbers per year. This led to the creation of 877 numbers.
- Toll free calling generates an estimated $157 billion in annual sales of goods and services in 1997.
In addition, experts say that 84% of current Internet users rely on electronic media to search for product or service information in order to make a purchase (Source: InternetTrak). Being able to locate the 800 number on the Internet greatly improves the success rate of any Internet ad or Web site.
Sources: Individuals, Inc.; PR Newswire; Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions
- The average phone order from a catalog can be 30% to 70% higher than the average mail order.
- As telephone buyers generally use credit cards, they will order more merchandise and higher ticket items 95% of the time.
- A productive ad featuring an 800 number can generate approximately 30% more orders.
- In a study accomplished by Bellcore, paper ads that were almost identical were displayed and monitored. One group had an 800 toll-free number and the others didn’t. The toll-free number ads received six times the number of calls as did the regular long-distance listings. It also seems that this will hold true regardless of the socioeconomic level of the caller.
(Source:”Zip Feature Article”)
- If you want to decrease returns by as much as 50%, use an 800/888 number on product literature. This encourages customers to call in and resolve difficulties with a trained expert.
(Source:”Telephone Marketing Report”)
- Fund-raising organizations have increased their response approximately 25% by adding that 800/888 number in commercials, print ads or direct mail pieces which previously used only addresses.
(Source:”A.I.S.800 Report”)



Once the number was chosen, I tested the number and it rang my cell phone within minutes of selecting it! Was the service worth it? There really is no other choice for quick selection, variety of choices, professionalism, and value. Thanks Bill!
andy padell says:
December 19, 2007 at 1:01 pm
Bill
i own several numbers thru your website. Do you have any stats on ‘vanity’ number recall versus specific numbers to share with me?
Bill Quimby (209 comments.) says:
December 19, 2007 at 1:34 pm
The only statistics out there are made by people trying to sell vanity numbers and are no more reliable than the unreliable people that made them or the study to try and sell numbers to people.
The stats that count are the internal ones that marketers don’t share but which make them go get more and more vanity numbers for year after year.
-Bill