Affluent Internet users are picky when it comes to brand messaging notably from "luxury" companies.

According to a survey by Luxury Institute, affluent Internet respondents prefer email from a luxury brand rather than text messages. The Luxury Institute categorized affluent Internet users as those with an income of $150,000 or higher.

Millennial respondents stated they would opt in to receive text messages from a luxury brand with 27 percent, and the Gen X responded at 24 percent. Baby boomers were not as enthused about receiving texts from luxury brands as only 12 percent responded for the survey.

The millennial group included people born between 1981 and 1993. The Gen X group featured people born between 1965 and 1980. Baby boomers, for the survey, were placed between the years 1946 and 1964.

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Regardless of generation, the three groups preferred opting to emails for luxury brands by large margins. Millennials responded at 61 percent. Gen Xers were at 54 percent. Baby boomers also responded lower than the previous two generations but with 44 percent.

"Either way, digital didn't appear to play a major role in U.S. affluent internet users' research or purchase processes when buying luxury items," eMarketer said.

The three generations are also slightly interested in researching about their products before purchasing. Researching online then purchasing in-store is the method of choice for millennials, Gen X and baby boomers with 27 percent, 23 percent and 21 percent, respectively. The alternative -- researching in-store and then purchasing online -- was also popular with millennials with 20 percent. Gen X wasn't too far behind with 18 percent while baby boomers responded at 13 percent.

According to the Shullman Research Center, an August 2013 study revealed affluent Internet users with an income of $250,000 or more felt least comfortable shopping online. Half of the affluent Internet respondents said they did not feel "OK" making a purchase via computer, smartphone or tablet.

An eMarketer report last November, titled "Affluents in the U.S.: How They Behave as Consumers (and Matter to Marketers)," noted affluent individuals' spending are a "life-or-death matter" for luxury brands. Affluent individuals' expenditures is considered "important" because they spend more on "everyday goods," but also they're "best" to buy things such as cars, clothing, refrigerators, etc., even before an older item falls apart.

The report said U.S. affluent individuals have a combined spending power of $1.9 trillion in 158 consumer categories during 2012.

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