Everyone touts the ease of shopping via the internet. It is easy, and the breadth of product available can hardly be beat. But here’s the problem; in exchange for that convenience you subject yourself to the electronic equivalent to the travelling salesman.
Recently I purchased something online from Benefit Cosmetics for my wife for her birthday. I’ll be darned if I know if they have a B&M store anywhere, but my wife was kind enough to post a link to something she wanted, call attention to it, and I was smart enough to take the hint and order it.
Then the emails started. Keep in mind, at no point did I see a “Please pester me” or “Please don’t pester me” checkbox in the checkout process. Yet a week or so after I ordered I started to get special offers. What do I care? I’m a guy who doesn’t wear makeup, and here they are muddying up my inbox.
Being a considerate person (I know…play along), I tried to use the unsubscribe link in their email. It of course went no where. I logged into my account, unticked the box for communications, and 2 days later, I have a newsletter from them.
So tonight, I used their contact form and let them know that as a thank you for not honoring my wishes, I’m going to start marketing to them weekly.
I can happily say, however, that when I shop at my local supermarket, it’s not followed up with an email solicitation. When I purchase something from GameStop in the mall, I don’t get ads following me. Sometimes it’s worth leaving the house.
I do believe I need to post some more glass to my shop.