Wednesday, October 24, 2007
By: Tobias Knecht, European Email Policy Manager
Because many commercial emailers are sending messages internationally, feedback from these sources are just as important as in the US. This begs the question: how do unsubscribes function in Europe? At the moment, there are quite a few opinions about the correct unsubscribe mechanisms and the "must-haves" for newsletters or commercial mail.
For example, a German court issued an order at the beginning of this year that email users must be able to instantly unsubscribe from a newsletter or email list. This is called the "One-Click-Unsubscribe" and means that the instant you click the button you are unsubscribed. This court order requires the following:
* No confirmation questions during the unsubscribe process.
* Any questions about the reason for unsubscribing must be asked after the unsubscribe process is complete.
* You may confirm the unsubscribe via email, but may not require any action within this email.
In addition, the court has also stated that any user who marks a newsletter or other communication as spam via a feedback loop must be immediately unsubscribed from that list.
Another point is that most ISPs in Europe require that volume email contains a "List-Unsubscribe Header". More information about the "List-Unsubscribe Header" can be found on www.list-unsubscribe.com
A combination of both the List-Unsubscribe Header and the Unsubscribe Button would create an ideal new great scenario for senders, receivers, and customers. Imagine a customer receiving a travel newsletter in his personal email account that he decides he does not want anymore. Instead of clicking the "This is Spam" Button he can click the Unsubscribe Button the ISP provides for him, and the ISP unsubscribes him automatically. For more information about list unsubscribes go to:
www.list-unsubscribe.com/2006/09/case_study_wind.html
