15 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}
15 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}

A Strange Thing Happened with Aweber

by Dennis Gaskill
13 replies
Naturally I subscribe to my own mailing lists. I sent out my newsletter shortly before Easter, only I didn't get a copy of it. I've been with Aweber for years, and this is the first time I've never received a copy of one of my own broadcasts.

Upon checking, it seems I'd been unsubscribed. Now, I didn't unsubscribe myself, my email address just disappeared from their data base.

I wrote to tech support and asked them why my email address was no longer on my mailing list, and was to I could just resubscribe.

They missed the point. I wrote back and explained in detail that I didn't unsubscribe, by my email address had been removed. I explained that if I was removed from my own mailing list without asking to be removed, my concern was that the same thing was happening to other subscribers.

The wrote back and said I could just resubscribe.

Played that game one more time, and asked for a supervisor to answer. I wanted an explanation as to why my email address was no longer on my list when my emails never bounce and I hadn't unsubscribed myself.

A supervisor (I presume) wrote back to tell me my email address wasn't on the list, but I could resubscribe. Argh!!!

I think I'm pretty good with language, and I'm pretty sure any normal person could understand what my concern was, but all I get is the run around from Aweber tech support.

I don't know what to make of this, to tell you the truth. I guess I'm writing this to see what anyone else has to say, and to perhaps offer a bit of a warning that something funny seems to be going on at Aweber so you might want to monitor your lists a little closer.
#aweber #happened #strange #thing
  • Profile picture of the author Stefan Vee
    Hi Dennis,
    I am not insinuating that you're the victim of your own automation rules, but if you're subscribed to your own mailing list, that could have happened.
    Just a thought.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1953532].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Dennis Gaskill
      Originally Posted by Stefan Vee View Post

      Hi Dennis,
      I am not insinuating that you're the victim of your own automation rules, but if you're subscribed to your own mailing list, that could have happened.
      Just a thought.
      Stefan, I've received my own broadcasts for years without a problem. This is the first time I didn't get a copy of my own email, and that's because it was removed from my list. I don't know what kind of "automation rules" there are that could have removed my own address from my own mailing list when there have been no bounces.
      Signature

      Just when you think you've got it all figured out, someone changes the rules.

      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1953555].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author Stefan Vee
        Originally Posted by Dennis Gaskill View Post

        Stefan, I've received my own broadcasts for years without a problem. This is the first time I didn't get a copy of my own email, and that's because it was removed from my list. I don't know what kind of "automation rules" there are that could have removed my own address from my own mailing list when there have been no bounces.
        Hi Dennis,
        You can basically set up an automation rule to unsubscribe anyone form one particular list who subscribed to one of your other lists. I use it all the time. With the aweber dlguard-parser for example, I automatically unsubscribe a person from my sales pitch list the moment he/she becomes a paying member.
        I mentioned the possibility that this could have happened to you (but it can only happen if you have set up your list this way)
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1953575].message }}
        • Profile picture of the author Dennis Gaskill
          Originally Posted by Stefan Vee View Post

          Hi Dennis,
          You can basically set up an automation rule to unsubscribe anyone form one particular list who subscribed to one of your other lists. I use it all the time. With the aweber dlguard-parser for example, I automatically unsubscribe a person from my sales pitch list the moment he/she becomes a paying member.
          I mentioned the possibility that this could have happened to you (but it can only happen if you have set up your list this way)
          Thanks, but there's no chance that's what happened. This list is a newsletter. You're on it for the newsletter or not on it. There is no automated rules like you define. Appreciate the idea, though.
          Signature

          Just when you think you've got it all figured out, someone changes the rules.

          {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1953588].message }}
          • Profile picture of the author Ruth Hendrickson
            I read somewhere that when someone opts into a list you can send them emails for up to two years. Maybe aweber automatically unsubscribes onyone who has been on your list more than two years?
            {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1953623].message }}
            • Profile picture of the author Dennis Gaskill
              Originally Posted by L Wilson View Post

              re the emails, sounds like you may be getting an automated response. You can normally figure that out by sending some nonsense with some keywords stuffed in to see if it triggers an automated reply. Either way, it's a dis-service to have support monitored by a robot or a bunch of idiots.
              Hmm...I don't think that's it. The wording of the replies varied, but they basically said the same thing. A robot would have used the same text. Of course, you couldn't have known that from my OP.

              Originally Posted by Ruth Hendrickson View Post

              I read somewhere that when someone opts into a list you can send them emails for up to two years. Maybe aweber automatically unsubscribes onyone who has been on your list more than two years?
              I don't know where you read that, Ruth, but forget it, that's not true. I have subscribers that have been on my list for 10 years, including myself until recently.
              Signature

              Just when you think you've got it all figured out, someone changes the rules.

              {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1953652].message }}
            • Profile picture of the author marcdonovan
              Could it have been a spider?

              I've been pondering how to prevent spiders from unsubscribing customers on my system. The only solution I could think of is to send the subscriber an email with a link to opt-in again. The other idea was to use a <form and a <submit since spiders don't click buttons. Does aweber use a button?
              Signature

              1.5¢ per word article writing. Limited time offer. Check my WSO.

              {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1953661].message }}
              • Profile picture of the author marcdonovan
                Yeah they use a button, just checked. Wasn't a spider.
                Signature

                1.5¢ per word article writing. Limited time offer. Check my WSO.

                {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1953674].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author globalpro
    Dennis,

    As hard as they try, sometimes they aren't the sharpest knives in the drawer.

    I fought with testing a list that wasn't sending the 1st follow up message. Went back and forth with tech support with them saying all is well, until I asked them to please check with the tech department and sure enough, they had a problem.

    Not sure what you can do in your case, except possibly resubscribe and monitor it...

    like you really need something else to do.

    Thanks,

    John

    PS I don't doubt what you are saying one bit.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1953550].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
    Banned
    Definitely think it's a matter for concern. The answers they gave you don't even address the problem. Of course you can re-subscribe, but what if other addresses are disappearing. I subscribe to my own lists also and haven't encountered this problem.

    I wonder how you get through to them to get a real answer.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1953556].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Dennis Gaskill
      Originally Posted by globalpro View Post

      Dennis,

      As hard as they try, sometimes they aren't the sharpest knives in the drawer.

      I fought with testing a list that wasn't sending the 1st follow up message. Went back and forth with tech support with them saying all is well, until I asked them to please check with the tech department and sure enough, they had a problem.

      Not sure what you can do in your case, except possibly resubscribe and monitor it...

      like you really need something else to do.

      Thanks,

      John

      PS I don't doubt what you are saying one bit.
      I guess I'm not surprised by your problem. It seems they just want problems to go away, rather than to resolve them. I've paid them a lot of money over the years, so I'm disappointed in the level of support I've received. At least acknowledge the problem I'm even if you can't offer an explanation.

      Originally Posted by sbucciarel View Post

      Definitely think it's a matter for concern. The answers they gave you don't even address the problem. Of course you can re-subscribe, but what if other addresses are disappearing. I subscribe to my own lists also and haven't encountered this problem.

      I wonder how you get through to them to get a real answer.
      That's my point exactly!
      Signature

      Just when you think you've got it all figured out, someone changes the rules.

      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1953574].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Lee Wilson
    re the emails, sounds like you may be getting an automated response. You can normally figure that out by sending some nonsense with some keywords stuffed in to see if it triggers an automated reply. Either way, it's a dis-service to have support monitored by a robot or a bunch of idiots.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1953610].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Dennis Gaskill
    Marc - yes, they use buttons. Someone would have to know the email address I used to be able to unsubscribe me, if it was even possible, I'm not sure about that. I've never tried to unsubscribe from an Aweber list except through the unique link they provide in each email.
    Signature

    Just when you think you've got it all figured out, someone changes the rules.

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1953688].message }}

Trending Topics