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Discussion » Questions » Computers and the Internet » If you have ever used the “opt out” or “unsubscribe” features for unwanted email messages, what has been your success rate with that?

If you have ever used the “opt out” or “unsubscribe” features for unwanted email messages, what has been your success rate with that?

With some organizations, clicking the opt out or unsubscribe button is a one-and-done deal: it works just the way it’s supposed to and I receive no more messages from them.

Others, however, keep coming as if I never took any action against receiving them, sometimes it takes six or eight weeks before they finally stop, sometimes it’s only a few days before it stops. I have sometimes continued to be bombarded with emails from different entities under the same umbrella organization, yet disguised in ways to hide who they are.

Often nowadays there is an optional drop-down survey as part of the unsubscribe process, they want to know why the recipients don’t want to receive their junk mail, its choices are something like:
1. I never signed up for this 
2. I no longer need this
3. I receive too many email messages from you
4. I have allowed my account to expire
5. I no longer live in the area that you serve

I realized recently that clicking number three is code to them, it says send fewer emails or send them less often, but don’t stop sending them altogether. Grrrrrrr. 
:(





[~]

Posted - June 26, 2022

Responses


  • 32701
    Yes. It does work. 
      June 26, 2022 8:53 AM MDT
    1

  • 7776
    Success rate, you ask? In my case, that would be about 75%. There is absolutely no way to escape the damn things. I thought it would help if I just signed up for another email address, and that didn't help either. Dealing with these kinds of emails are a necessary evil and everybody is dealing with it.
      June 26, 2022 9:10 AM MDT
    3

  • 5455
    If it’s a company from where I’ve ordered something, the unsubscribe button has worked 100% of time.  However, I haven’t used it a whole lot.

    If it’s in a spam email, the unsubscribe button really means “verify your email so we can sell it to other spammers”.
      June 26, 2022 9:25 AM MDT
    3

  • 17404
    Pretty much complete success rate.  What irritates me is when I have junk email I always say to block every one of them but there are a few that Outlook just will not block.  They are recognizable names..........shouldn't matter, but it does. 
      June 26, 2022 9:27 AM MDT
    3

  • 2762
    I have been successful most of the time, but not all.  On spam emails, I don't even bother because all they are trying to do is verify that this is an active address.  
      June 26, 2022 9:38 AM MDT
    2

  • 44231
    I get no spam. All my emails are legit from those I have made purchases from or from another Q&A site.  The only ones I haven't been able to get rid of are from our vet.
      June 26, 2022 10:13 AM MDT
    1

  • 10469
    I know one company who doesn't understand what the word "unsubscribe" means.  After you've request to be unsubscribed 2 or 3 times, they may (eventually) stop (3-4 weeks).  However, they keep your address on file.  Then, when you think you're finally rid of them, they start right back up spamming you again.  That company is Lumosity.    


      June 26, 2022 11:27 AM MDT
    1