Email Marketing Questions!

[ng87]

Hey guys,

Just a couple of quick questions that I would appreciate any help with.

I have just started a new online shop, and need to get my existing customers, from ebay to the website (easier said than done!)

I can extract a list of emails from Paypal for upto 2 years, which gives me over 5000 email addresses. The questions are:

1. Is this illegal to do?
2. If I include an 'opt out' link does this get around and problems I may encounter with ebay/paypal?

Thanks in advance!

 

[ng87]

Bump.. can anyone help?

 

[tonitarzan]

I dont think that is possible, you might have to do a manual job by messaging your customers from ebay to let them know about this.

 

[ng87]

I dont think that is possible, you might have to do a manual job by messaging your customers from ebay to let them know about this.

It is possible, as I say I have already extracted the emails from paypal, but just wondering about the legalities! :|

 

[trishmullen]

Hey guys,

Just a couple of quick questions that I would appreciate any help with.

I have just started a new online shop, and need to get my existing customers, from ebay to the website (easier said than done!)

I can extract a list of emails from Paypal for upto 2 years, which gives me over 5000 email addresses. The questions are:

1. Is this illegal to do?
2. If I include an 'opt out' link does this get around and problems I may encounter with ebay/paypal?

Thanks in advance!

With any of the reputable autoresponders i.e. AWeber and GetResponse you cannot do this. They are fanatical about spam and bounce rates for emails. If you hadn't been in regular contact with your PayPal list of subscribers, then the chances of them suddenly receiving emails from you via the autoresponder could result in them labelling as spam and these providers hate that and will terminate you.

With MailChimp which is a free service, you may be able to do it.

My advice is if you're wanting to build a list of people you can keep in regular contact with and with whom you can build a relationship so they will buy from you in future, is to go with a company that requires you to do it openly, honestly and with all transparency.

Good luck with your new online business

Trish

 

[astutiumRob]

1. Is this illegal to do?

Did they give you permission to send them emails ?
If not then yes, its illegal.

 

[emediastudiosuk]

Mailchimp or Aweber allow you to connect their email services up to PayPal - so in future you can collect emails automatically.

I use aweber as I prefer it although some prefer mailchimp.

If you join then you can add your current list and it will send an email to the users so that they can choose whether or not to opt it.

If you send out emails without permission to personal users then you could fall foul of CAN SPAM law.

The USA takes this even more seriously than the UK and they can fine for each email sent.

You can send emails out to businesses without breaching this - it's personal emails you got to watch.

 

[emailblaster]

You need a privacy statement on your website explaining exactly what you will be doing with any stored customer details. It is perfectly legal to contact your old clients via email as long as you have outlined somewhere that you will be doing so.

It's worth using a decent commercial email platform, as you'll get automated unsubscribe management, full stats, decent templates and use of an IP address that is specifically for email marketing (this means better delivery!)

 

[moo-tique]

Hey guys,

Just a couple of quick questions that I would appreciate any help with.

I have just started a new online shop, and need to get my existing customers, from ebay to the website (easier said than done!)

I can extract a list of emails from Paypal for upto 2 years, which gives me over 5000 email addresses
1. Is this illegal to do?

Only if you have their permission to do so otherwise you could get yourself into trouble.

 

[antropy]

Is there any small print on eBay where they have agreed to accept email from you by buying?

They have very comprehensive details in MailChimp about what is and what isn't allowed. It may be the case that if they've bought something from you then you're allowed to email them once asking if they would like to opt in to receive further emails. MailChimp provides templates that allow you to do this.

 

[marklouis]

You have 5000 email addresses, all you need to do is just target those emails via some email marketing software. Provide your target audience with better deals than your competitors.Hope this helps.

 

[degadar]

You have 5000 email addresses, all you need to do is just target those emails via some email marketing software. Provide your target audience with better deals than your competitors.Hope this helps.

If these email addresses are 2 years old. then far better to throw them away and start again. Really.

There may be some business in there, but there WILL be some spam-traps too.

 

[marklouis]

True if the email addresses are too old then they won't do much, that is why I have mentioned to use some email marketing software because they usually provide you with the list of email address according to your business, this can be very beneficial as your emails will be specific to your target audience.

 

[degadar]

True if the email addresses are too old then they won't do much, that is why I have mentioned to use some email marketing software because they usually provide you with the list of email address according to your business, this can be very beneficial as your emails will be specific to your target audience.

Sounds to me like you're trying to flog a spam database

 

[degadar]

OMG, it's not even a spam database it's harvesting software isn't it?

 

[Alan]

The most important thing to remember is that you can only carry out unsolicited electronic marketing if the person you're targeting has given you their permission.

However, there is an exception to this rule. Known as the 'soft opt-in' it applies if the following conditions are met;

• where you've obtained a person's details in the course of a sale or negotiations for a sale of a product or service;
• where the messages are only marketing similar products or services; and
• where the person is given a simple opportunity to refuse marketing when their details are collected, and if they don't opt out at this point, are given a simple way to do so in future messages.

So the legality hinges on whether you gave them an option to opt-out when you first took their order (normally a check box on registration/purchase saying 'can we send you future marketing messages) if you did, it is legal, if your system didn't have an opt in then you can't.

As you sold through e-bay, I am pretty certain there is no 'opt-out' of marketing messages box at the time they buy from you, so I think you won't meet the 3rd criteria of the above.