<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-08-06</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001095105</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>DIGITAL IMPACT INC /DE/</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>DIGI</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001105198</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>CAPIEL GERARDO J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>177 BOVET ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 200</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SAN MATEO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94402</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Chief Technology Officer</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-08-06</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>22800</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>2.50</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1712784</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Mr. Capiel sold 22,500 shares on August 6, 2003 in accordance with his 10b5-1 trading plan.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Kenneth Hirschman, Attorney in Fact for Gerardo Capiel</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-08-06</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

