...to think "opt out of Mothers Day" emails are completely counterproductive?

[OnlyOneAdda]

My inbox is currently chock full of emails from retailers inviting me to opt out of Mothers' Day emails and comms.

Now I can't speak first hand as I am very fortunate to still have my mother but I would have thought that for those that do find the day upsetting it is even WORSE to be bombarded with this sort of thing and by the time you've opened and read them all, and clicked to opt out, you've very much had it rubbed in your face and are feeling doubly miserable about the day approaching??!!

YANBU in principle, but agreeing to be bombarded by retailers means agreeing to being bombarded by retailers. I get zero communication from retailers that isn't about my orders. When on occasion, I get something, it's a case of data misuse, I try to opt out through them and am on my way to an ICO complaint. YABU to accept retailers flooding your inbox in the first place.

The following years will be better though because you won’t get the emails once you’ve opted out.

Yes, and where companies don't use sophisticated mailing software you get a general reduction in emails for a couple of weeks.

This is my first Mother's day with out my mum and I'm finding it a bit easier with the opt out emails.
Yes there has been a few arrive all at the same time but I could 'steel' myself to open and click on them, opt out and then that's it.
One email from a company mentioning Mothering Sunday as opposed to multiple from the same company advertising it over a few weeks period.

I’ve lost my mum and I disagree, I much prefer the option to opt out once, then be bombarded- somehow mothers dad felt so much more in my face after I didn’t have my mum than when she was here.

Also the opt out emails are generally much softer in tone and easier to handle.

I disagree. I think this is a good idea - better to have this one email than to have all the schmaltzy ones that follow.

My mother was absent growing up, so I've signed up to a few of these.

Yes, I find the opt out emails more upsetting than the actual gifting emails.

I get that mothers day and fathers day still happen. I don't want to ban either and I still like seeing social media posts on the day of what people have done with their parents.

I know that both dates will be promoted and I will see stuff in the run up to it. I'll walk past and ignore the displays in shops and if I get a email entitled mothers/fathers day gift ideas, then I would just delete it without opening it.

The opt out is a summons to do something. It feels like it's saying every year "click here to confirm your mother/father is still dead." The opt out emails come way before the actual date so they remind me more of their death than the actual mothers/fathers day emails.

But you only have to do it once then that's it. I found them no more upsetting than seeing all the Mother's/Father's day cards/gifts on display everywhere.

Are people really only opting out once and never again? I’ve been opting out for at least the last 2 mother’s days and still get the emails, I’m opting out again this year as the emails come in too (i haven’t lost my mum thankfully, but she got a scary diagnosis and I wanted to do opt out in anticipation do the worst case scenario, turns out that hasn’t worked!)

Ha! Yes I completely agree. It just feels like an excuse for big business to send an unsolicited email under the guise of caring.

I wish they’d permanently stop sending emails about MD rather than ask every year if she’s still shit.

I prefer the opt-out emails - they’re neutral in tone, short and sweet to action.

By contrast the first year after I estranged myself from my abusive mum, I really noticed how twee and schmaltzy the emails were - the “what to give the unsung heroines who sacrifice all of them to give us all of us - hallelujah to all our mums!” was a particularly galling one.

Plus there’s only one opt-out email whereas there are 4 or 5 if you don’t opt-out.

I still have my mum but I opted out as the shite they try and flog us not of interest. At least I won’t get so much spam.

I disagree the opt out option is better. I.opt out of Father's Day ones. The opt out emails are sensitive & acknowledge it can be a difficult time. I far prefer that. I.opt out & I don't have to see all the emails telling me how to show my Dad how much I love him

I think its a great idea. Most places I've only had to opt out once

I've never had one, is it only if you've agreed for companies to email you promotions and crap?

My mum's terminally ill, so I feel like I'm in opt out limbo. Do I? Don't I? I actually think I will just to reduce the amount of crappy marketing emails I get.

Yup. It's just marketing to make the company look caring.

Do you want us to not upset you by mentioning the very thing we've thrown like a grenade into your inbox right now?

I mean...

Now I can't speak first hand as I am very fortunate to still have my mother but I would have thought that for those that do find the day upsetting it is even WORSE to be bombarded with this sort of thing and by the time you've opened and read them all, and clicked to opt out, you've very much had it rubbed in your face and are feeling doubly miserable about the day approaching??!!

I've lost both my parents and I far prefer the single opt out email (per company!) than the flood of emails they send out on the weeks leading up to the day.

I just don’t notice a flood of emails about MD. Maybe it’s easier to switch off from the generic marketing spam rather than the targeted question about opting out. Interesting from a psychological perspective. The opt out emails certainly capture my attention (which is unwelcome). I bet someone’s done some heavy research into this as another way to hook into customers.

I did notice more than usual in my inbox this year. I wonder if they could send an “opt out of opt out emails” email.

Yes! I’ve been thinking this for days.

I agree totally

This was supposed to be my first proper mother's day as a mother but my twin boys passed away at 29 weeks November gone. I'm grateful for the opt outs but its harrowing all the same. I'll be going to their grave on mother's day so I can only hope next year will be better.

Yes. I opted out of both Mother's Day and father's Day emails in 2021 (both died in 2020), and I haven't received anymore since then. Maybe some companies are better than others at not sending emails anymore after "opt outs".