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AIBU?

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Original poster

Overwhelmed by email marketing

37 replies

MidnightPatrol · 02/12/2024 11:20

I know Black Friday and pre-Christmas is a bad time for email marketing - but I my personal email is becoming almost completely unusable due to the ridiculous number of marketing emails I receive.

There are some brands I shop from where I like to know if there’s a sale on or similar. That can be useful. But I’m getting daily emails (more!) from some brands. Surely no one wants to hear from retail shops daily?!

I try to keep on top of it unsubscribing (even to brands where I would like occasional updates), but for every one I manage to unsubscribe from I seem to be on another (probably by buying something and not seeing how to opt out, albeit I think I’m quite hot on this!) - or often there are multiple mailing lists for each brand, you need to unsubscribe from individually.

AIBU that personal email has just become completely unusable as a result?

OP posts:
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DanceMoveGrooveAndShoutIt · 02/12/2024 16:25

Set up an entirely new email address for online purchases and signing up to things. You only need to check it when you want to - don't put notifications on.

That's what I've done with a free email account that isn't gmail - had it for about a decade and it's really useful to only have 'real' and important emails (insurance, bank etc) in my normal account and junk/spam in the other one.

Makingchocolatecake · 02/12/2024 16:16

Two email accounts on one log in. One for rubbish you're likely to get spammed from and one for limited important stuff like banking, Facebook etc

allmybooksarefromthelibrary · 02/12/2024 15:25

Completely agree - I do not need daily emails from any brand. Or daily text messages. Or daily notifications if they have an app. Especially if I have already used that discount.

It does seem a lot worse (read desperate) this year.

kublacant · 02/12/2024 15:10

@sweetpickle2 thats a great idea I’ll be doing that this evening!

sweetpickle2 · 02/12/2024 14:56

The best thing I ever did in my gmail was set up a folder (mine is called 'marketing shite' but call it whatever you like), then set up a rule that any email with the word 'unsubscribe' in it (as only marketing emails will have this) goes directly in there.

Its all there if I ever do want to look through it (as I did this week to see if there were any good Black Friday bargains) but saves me having to spend time unsubscribing. Twice a year I delete the lot. I literally don't think about marketing emails the rest of the time. Bliss.

kublacant · 02/12/2024 14:51

I have loads too- they all come out of the woodwork/ the ether this time of year.

My tip after you’ve hit Unsubscribe …copy the email address and paste it into the email search bar - then delete the lot in one go - very satisfying.

Thepeopleversuswork · 02/12/2024 14:10

@BlueRaincoat1

several requests from retialer for a review

Yeah this. Who has time to review every website they have transacted with? I assume some people must do it or they wouldn't continue to spam people but WTF? If you filled in every question that a retailer sent you post purchase you wouldn't have time to work or eat.

Thepeopleversuswork · 02/12/2024 14:08

I can screen it out and manage it but the thing I really hate is the fake "I'm your best mate" tone they use.

"XX as a long and trusted friend of this business"
"We know you XX and we know you love XX"
"XXX, we've got you".

That kind of shit. I basically hate it when they use my name in marketing communications. It really rubs me up the wrong way.

I'm an adult, I know they need to do what they need to do to sell products and I can delete it if it gets too much But I really resent being talked to as if they knew me personally.

eurochick · 02/12/2024 13:43

BlueRaincoat1 · 02/12/2024 12:28

I entirely agree.
A single purchase now seems to involve

  • confirmation of purchase email
  • email saying dispatched
  • email from courier saying received
  • about 3 emails from courier with updates about delivery
  • email from retailer saying delivered
-email from courier saying delivered
  • several requests from retialer for a review
  • request from courier for a review.

And then Subsequent marketing emails.

All from one purchase!

It's ridiculous. This of all the power being used by the servers behind these emails. Most of it generated by fossil fuels.

xILikeJamx · 02/12/2024 12:54

ThatIsNotMyNameSoWhyAreYouCallingMeThat · 02/12/2024 12:20

I have 148 THOUSAND of the buggers.

5 mins a day for a week. 😂

Show quote history

YABU for signing up to so many mailing lists! 😂

BlueRaincoat1 · 02/12/2024 12:28

I entirely agree.
A single purchase now seems to involve

  • confirmation of purchase email
  • email saying dispatched
  • email from courier saying received
  • about 3 emails from courier with updates about delivery
  • email from retailer saying delivered
-email from courier saying delivered
  • several requests from retialer for a review
  • request from courier for a review.

And then Subsequent marketing emails.

All from one purchase!

DecayingRelic · 02/12/2024 12:27

I kept getting spam emails daily so I unsuscribed, now they are spamming with emails asking me to re-subscribe, yes, John Greed Jewellery I am looking at you😡

Motherrr · 02/12/2024 12:23

One suggestion, could you have a spare email for things you buy and any subsequent junk mails that come?

Motherrr · 02/12/2024 12:22

I feel the same... feels like another chore to add to how overwhelming life can be! I can't check my email every day and sometimes there are hundreds of messages there. I do unsubscribe from some but I'm not sure if it's worth the time or not...

ThatIsNotMyNameSoWhyAreYouCallingMeThat · 02/12/2024 12:20

xILikeJamx · 02/12/2024 11:52

YABU. Spend 5 minutes every day for a week going through them and unsubscribing and your email will be back to normal again (which in my case is no-one actually emailing me, so the spam makes me feel wanted 😭)

I have 148 THOUSAND of the buggers.

5 mins a day for a week. 😂

Original poster
MidnightPatrol · 02/12/2024 11:55

I actually do think some of these brands are using multiple addresses etc so even if you unsubscribe from one list… you are still on others from the same brand!

@ThatIsNotMyNameSoWhyAreYouCallingMeThat I have deleted 17,000 this morning on a rampage while unsubscribing. I think most people probably have email accounts with thousands of unread emails as a result of too many marketing emails!

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Gettingbysomehow · 02/12/2024 11:54

Its outrageous, I unsuscribe as quickly as I can but its pretty much a full time job.

xILikeJamx · 02/12/2024 11:52

YABU. Spend 5 minutes every day for a week going through them and unsubscribing and your email will be back to normal again (which in my case is no-one actually emailing me, so the spam makes me feel wanted 😭)

ethelredonagoodday · 02/12/2024 11:49

Completely agree. It's ridiculous.

ThatIsNotMyNameSoWhyAreYouCallingMeThat · 02/12/2024 11:43

There are currently 148,060 unread emails in my personal account. The majority are marketing emails.

Lots of companies ask if you don’t want to receive Mother’s Day or Father’s Day emails, but have never had one asking if I want to be excluded from Xmas emails. I don’t celebrate it so they’re wasting their time emailing me!

Original poster
MidnightPatrol · 02/12/2024 11:43

I’ve also noticed a real uptick in brands sending several emails if you’ve looked at the site.

I really hate this. It makes me feel watched.

I looked at one site at the weekend (Xmas shopping) and they sent me six emails.

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Oreosareawful · 02/12/2024 11:41

This year seems to have been worse than normal. Some brands sent me three emails on friday, then another daily ever since! It's making my opinion of them change and I am less likely to buy from them now.

Original poster
MidnightPatrol · 02/12/2024 11:39

I also get so many marketing emails from hotels I’ve stayed at, and then they think I want to be email twice a week for eternity.

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PorkPieForStarters · 02/12/2024 11:38

I use an old email address I have for any online purchases where i dont mind marketing going to, then another email address for anything else. It keeps my main email beautifully clear of marketing emails/spam!

Original poster
MidnightPatrol · 02/12/2024 11:38

Precipice · 02/12/2024 11:34

Although I want no marketing emails from brands at all!

I want one to say ‘there is 25% off until 23.59 on Friday’.

But then I don’t want that twice a day until then.

And then all again the next week when it is ‘extended’.

Made worse by the fact it might be thirty companies doing it currently.

OP posts: