Sharon Tucci <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>We did a test "welcome" message to approx 4,000 subscribers. We
>wanted to check this out for two reasons: 1. To see the number of
>bounces on the list and 2. to verify that the list was in fact
>opt-in.
>
>The number of bounces was what we expected - about 8-9%. We
>received one complaint direct to us from someone who, when we
>questioned it, said they didn't recognize the list address.
>(Given that the list was moved to our service, the list address
>would have obviously changed.)
>
>The welcome message provided removal information and about 2%
>unsubscribed.
>
>Because of the high unsubscribe rate and the complaint,
I don't think 2% droppout since December is high.
>Here's where the fun starts. Of the 20,000, again, the
>number of bounces was normal - what we had expected. However,
>we've received three spam complaints in less than 24 hours.
Three complaints out of 20,000? That's totally insignificant.
>So, in total, we've received more spam complaints from about
>24,000 recipients than we normally do in 6 months across
>hundreds of new lists.
Well, gosh, you have to expect some reaction when you move 24,000
subscribers.
>The problem is what do we do about this? Obviously, we don't
>want to be involved in spamming.
How could sending a subscription confirmation for a list move be
considered "spamming", unless the "confirmation" is more than that?
>... But my gut won't
>let me advise this because I really do think that the list
>has been seeded with email addresses who haven't opted in.
That's the purpose of the confirmation, no?
>Anyhow, to get to the REAL point of this post... recently,
>there was talk on this list about verification of
>subscriber lists. Now I'm starting to change my thinking.
>Based on this experience, I know that in the future, we'll
>be taking the following measure:
>
>Randomly selecting email addresses from the list to be
>transferred and confirming individually that they were
>in fact subscribers to the list in question and that they
>did opt-in.
What purpose will that serve that a mass re-confirmation won't? What
level of "I didn't opt-in" responses causes you trash the whole list?
You realize that some people will forget having opted in, that some
accounts are shared by multiple people, and that some people will just
plain lie about it?
-Dave
