42244 7 3 econsultancy_xml <p>The unsubscribe link is in pretty small text, but at least it is where you would expect to find it, and Real has included a message at the top of the email telling users where to find it:</p> <p> <img alt="Email unsubscribe link" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2002/2398784312_daeb40fda7_o.jpg" /> </p> <p> </p> <p>Here's where it starts to get complicated. After clicking on the unsubscribe link I'm directed to this page where I first have to enter my email address: </p> <p> <strong> <img alt="email unsubscribe step two" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2255/2397954393_3cd76b8a12_o.jpg" /> </strong> </p> <p>After this step I am unsubscribed from the email, but I am warned that I may still receive emails for 3-5 days afterwards. Why can't they remove me straightaway? </p> <p> <strong> <img alt="Email unsubscribe confirmation" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2076/2397997333_7f71d68165_o.jpg" /> </strong> </p> <p>It gets worse though. I thought I had unsubscribed from all of Real's emails, but this is not the case. Apparently I am subscribed to another 5 emails from Real: </p> <p> <img alt="Email preferences" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3221/2397998011_948f3eb198_o.jpg" /> </p> <p>So, to really unsubscribe from Real's emails, I now have to log in to my Real account, for which I had forgotten the password:</p> <p> <img alt="Email unsubscribe login" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2112/2397999061_dd100515b2_o.jpg" /> </p> <p>Then I need to untick the various emails I had been subscribed to and save the changes:</p> <p> <img alt="Email unsubscribe process step 5" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2192/2397998549_7f010fa8a5_o.jpg" /> </p> <p>After this, I am finally unsubscribed, but did it really have to be so complicated? How many email users would choose to go through this unsubscribe process when they can just hit the spam button and achieve the same effect for far less hassle? </p> <p>If brands want to reduce the number of recipients marking their emails as spam, and <a href="/blog/1983-tips-on-email-deliverability">improve deliverability</a>, they are going to have to make unsubscribing as easy as possible. </p> <p>This means a one or two step unsubscribe procedure which does not make the customer jump through hoops, unticking boxes, logging in and so on. </p> <p>Check out this post for <a href="/blog/1734-tips-on-the-unsubscribe-process">more tips on the unsubscribe process</a>. </p> <p> <strong>Related research:<br /></strong> <a href="http://econsultancy.com/reports/email-marketing-briefing-march-2008">Email Marketing Briefing - March 2008</a> <br /> <a href="http://econsultancy.com/reports/email-marketing-platforms-buyer-s-guide-2007">Email Marketing Platforms Buyer's Guide 2007</a> </p> <p> <strong>Related stories:</strong> <br /> <a href="/blog/2316-do-isps-need-to-change-the-report-spam-button">Do ISPs need to change the 'report spam' button?</a> <br /> <a href="/blog/2259-uk-retailers-failing-to-follow-email-best-practice">UK retailers failing to follow email best practice</a> </p> <FormattedContent xmlns="http://www.e-consultancy.com/schema/formattedContent/"> <Paragraph>The unsubscribe link is in pretty small text, but at least it is where you would expect to find it, and Real has included a message at the top of the email telling users where to find it:</Paragraph> <Paragraph> <Image AlternateText="Email unsubscribe link" Source="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2002/2398784312_daeb40fda7_o.jpg"> </Image> </Paragraph> <Paragraph> </Paragraph> <Paragraph>Here's where it starts to get complicated. After clicking on the unsubscribe link I'm directed to this page where I first have to enter my email address: </Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Center"> <Emphasis> <Image AlternateText="email unsubscribe step two" Source="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2255/2397954393_3cd76b8a12_o.jpg"> </Image> </Emphasis> </Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Left">After this step I am unsubscribed from the email, but I am warned that I may still receive emails for 3-5 days afterwards. Why can't they remove me straightaway? </Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Center"> <Emphasis> <Image AlternateText="Email unsubscribe confirmation" Source="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2076/2397997333_7f71d68165_o.jpg"> </Image> </Emphasis> </Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Left">It gets worse though. I thought I had unsubscribed from all of Real's emails, but this is not the case. Apparently I am subscribed to another 5 emails from Real: </Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Center"> <Image AlternateText="Email preferences" Source="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3221/2397998011_948f3eb198_o.jpg"> </Image> </Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Left">So, to really unsubscribe from Real's emails, I now have to log in to my Real account, for which I had forgotten the password:</Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Left"> <Image AlternateText="Email unsubscribe login" Source="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2112/2397999061_dd100515b2_o.jpg"> </Image> </Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Left">Then I need to untick the various emails I had been subscribed to and save the changes:</Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Center"> <Image AlternateText="Email unsubscribe process step 5" Source="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2192/2397998549_7f010fa8a5_o.jpg"> </Image> </Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Left">After this, I am finally unsubscribed, but did it really have to be so complicated? How many email users would choose to go through this unsubscribe process when they can just hit the spam button and achieve the same effect for far less hassle? </Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Left">If brands want to reduce the number of recipients marking their emails as spam, and <Link URL="/blog/1983-tips-on-email-deliverability" Window="Self">improve deliverability</Link>, they are going to have to make unsubscribing as easy as possible. </Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Left">This means a one or two step unsubscribe procedure which does not make the customer jump through hoops, unticking boxes, logging in and so on. </Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Left">Check out this post for <Link URL="/blog/1734-tips-on-the-unsubscribe-process" Window="Self">more tips on the unsubscribe process</Link>. </Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Left"> <Emphasis>Related research:<LineBreak /></Emphasis> <Link URL="http://econsultancy.com/reports/email-marketing-briefing-march-2008" Window="Self">Email Marketing Briefing - March 2008</Link> <LineBreak /> <Link URL="http://econsultancy.com/reports/email-marketing-platforms-buyer-s-guide-2007" Window="Self">Email Marketing Platforms Buyer's Guide 2007</Link> </Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Left"> <Emphasis>Related stories:</Emphasis> <LineBreak /> <Link URL="/blog/2316-do-isps-need-to-change-the-report-spam-button" Window="Self">Do ISPs need to change the 'report spam' button?</Link> <LineBreak /> <Link URL="/blog/2259-uk-retailers-failing-to-follow-email-best-practice" Window="Self">UK retailers failing to follow email best practice</Link> </Paragraph> </FormattedContent> 2008-04-08T15:36:00+01:00 7 1 econsultancy_xml <p> <strong>Email users are more than ready to hit the 'report spam' button for emails they no longer wish to receive, spam or not, so making the unsubscribe process quick and easy is essential.</strong> </p> <p>Still, some email marketers have yet to take this on board if the following example from Real Networks is anything to go by. </p> <FormattedContent xmlns="http://www.e-consultancy.com/schema/formattedContent/"> <Paragraph> <Emphasis>Email users are more than ready to hit the 'report spam' button for emails they no longer wish to receive, spam or not, so making the unsubscribe process quick and easy is essential.</Emphasis> </Paragraph> <Paragraph>Still, some email marketers have yet to take this on board if the following example from Real Networks is anything to go by. </Paragraph> </FormattedContent> false 2354 365401 Email unsubscribing: a worst practice example false 2008-04-09T15:33:00+01:00 email-unsubscribing-a-worst-practice-example 2009-04-30T00:09:51+01:00 2009-04-30T00:09:51+01:00 581