Endless emails

Many businesses send emails to their customers to advertise their products on a regular basis, and this is generally weekly, two weekly or monthly, even though most customers would purchase their products far less frequently. These businesses are out of step with their customers’ needs and expectations. If they knew their customers, as they say they do, they wouldn’t send them frequent emails. I am less likely to return to a business when I am emailed far too often. Examples include  glasses or sunglasses retailers, and speaker companies.

I wear multi focal glasses with transitions lenses and get my eyes checked by an optometrist each year. If my eyesight changes sufficiently for me to get new lenses, I consider if I need to update the frames. I value the reminder email and the importance of having my eyes checked each year, but being bombarded with emails every week with specials or announcements about new frames is not going to convince me to purchases a pair of glasses I don’t need. I understand they are trying to gain sales from those who believe they are a fashion accessory, but that’s not me. I am more likely to look for an alternate provider who would consider my needs a little better.

The same goes for a speaker manufacturer whose products I have bought and appreciate the great sound and convenience they provide. However, how many speakers do they think I need? Emails are received frequently. Not always announcing new products I might be interested in, but more often simply pushing their existing range. It has got to the stage I would consider products from an alternate manufacturer if I needed another speaker or if a friend or family member was looking to buy new speakers.

Yes, I could simply unsubscribe from their mailing lists, but often this is an all or nothing option. This means I would miss out on hearing about their new products or not receive a reminder when I needed a check up. Businesses have been talking about how they need to know all about you to tailor their products and services specifically to you, but over the years this hasn’t changed anything. If anything, it has made matters worse as they have so much data to evaluate they don't know what to do with it all. Processing it is expensive and time consuming resulting in them sending you all their emails even if they don’t apply to you.

Perhaps the ability to subscribe to a finer grained set of options would be better, but my experience with current sets of options hasn’t been a good one. It just seems businesses know better.