The Pros And Cons Of Not Giving Your Real Email Address When Purchasing

[Steven Wagenheim]

I honestly never thought that I'd be bringing up this subject but something
happened to me just now that I believe should be discussed, probably more
for those members who are buyers rather than sellers.

I don't know how you run your business, but when somebody buys something
from me, I send a personal thank you. I think it adds a nice touch.

Well, I just send a thank you and got back a very rude autoresponder saying
that if I had read their ad, I'd know that this wasn't a real address.

Okay, I didn't read any ad. It was the address attached to the Clickbank
purchase. Okay, so apparently this person buys things and doesn't want to
be bothered after the purchase, and that's fine.

But this thank you wasn't just a thank you. It was also meant to provide
them with some information that would have been beneficial to them in
regard to the product itself.

Now, they did provide a way for me to get a hold of them. Unfortunately, it
involves going to their web site, filling in some form and jumping through
a ton of hoops just to get a valid email from them, which ultimately will
end up putting me on THEIR list.

I think this is more than any merchant should have to go through in order
to contact a customer.

FYI. This isn't a rant. I'm not really upset about it personally, but I do feel
bad for my customer. He's not getting my thank you, which is bad enough,
but he's also not getting some info that I feel he could use.

So here is what I want to bring up for discussion, because I am sure there
are pros and cons to doing what this person did. I'm just not seeing them.

So please, I'd like to know your opinions on customers giving junk emails
when making purchases. The good and bad on both ends.

[ChristianM]

The problem is that a lot of merchants aren't necessarily like you - they add you to a mailing list when you purchase which then doesn't necessarily include unsub links. There's then also the chance of them sharing your email address. So it depends how much it annoys you.

Personally I just use a autoresponder / purchase only email address which I trash every year or so when the spam gets too bad...

[TimGross]

I don't use my main email accounts when I make some purchases, because after awhile purchases seem to ratchet up spam email eventually, but that's what yahoo/hotmail/aol/gmail accounts are for, there are plenty of ways to order without exposing your main email accounts to any hassle.

My concern with what you're describing is that it could be a fraudulent order.

[Dixiebelle]

I have a special email address that I make all purchases through. It seems that almost every time I make a purchase, or sign up for a newletter or blog, it isn't long - sometimes immediately - before a whole rash or spam mail hits the mail box.

I have even waited and watched the screen after making a purchase. This has more times than not, caused me to go back and unsubscribe from the seller that I just purchased from, or signed up with.

Just because I made a purchase, or signed up for someone's newsletter, doesn't mean that I want all of their "Viagra" type offers.

I think that is the main reason so many people use Yahoo, Gmail, and Hotmail today. They are much easier to change that your main email address.

Dixie

[PeterArnold]

From the perspective of a "buyer" - and just speaking for myself - - -

When I subscribe to (or purchase) something Online, I always give a good e-mail
address. I greatly appreciate a genuine thank you message - and, if it also offers
'more information or resources' as a bonus - that will really catch my attention.

I'll respect that seller more because I'm now beginning to trust her/him more - they're
developing a bit of a relationship with me - I'll be more open to doing business with
them again.

I can relate totally to any frustration you might have with that purchaser.

Just my .02-cents worth (Canadian :-)

Sincerely / Peter A.

[matthewd]

Unless this is a common thing, I think your customer has bought from me also.

I think it is dumb to not give a real email address. I see people being afraid of spam, but why are they even buying if they think the person is a spammer?

Personally, I have a lot of great content programmed into my autoresponder for customers, so it is their loss when they give me a fake email address.

I just don't want to hear them bitch when they wonder why they didn't get to see "This Video" or get "That Update".

[write-stuff]

I always use anonymous emails for signups specifically because a substantial percentage of marketer "overdo" the autoresponder emails. I signed up with a guy name Cody Moya 2 months ago. He emails me four times a day (started out with just a paltry two emails/day) and I've gotten over 300 from him. I can't imagine how people would think this would be an effective form of marketing. It's certainly an effective way of alienating the customer!
- Russ