GameStore Spam

[Cthulhu's Librarian]

Opt-Out is uncool. Opt-In is the way we should go.

While I don't mind the ENGS emails and don't personally consider them spam, I wholeheartedly agree with the above. The ENGS newsletter should not default to the general messageboard settings as the emails are of two very different natures-board messages are usually administrative in nature, while ENGS emails are advertisements and promotional emails. Two very different things. The boards were not setup initially to support the store, so defaulting to those settings for store emails is not the best practice.

 

[Twin Rose]

While I don't mind the ENGS emails and don't personally consider them spam, I wholeheartedly agree with the above. The ENGS newsletter should not default to the general messageboard settings as the emails are of two very different natures-board messages are usually administrative in nature, while ENGS emails are advertisements and promotional emails. Two very different things. The boards were not setup initially to support the store, so defaulting to those settings for store emails is not the best practice.

Believe it or not, I've tried to include -news- in the newsletter, which is why it was late a couple of weeks ago. New features, new ... Well.. new things!

I would love everyones help on this, in that I'm in a bit of a pickle. For every person complaining, there are hundreds of people, well... Not complaining, and in fact, sending me emails discussing problems in the email (such as receiving multiple copies) and asking me to correct it before next weeks newsletter.... And then going on to say thank you for letting them know about such things as the community supporter discounts that so many publishers have opted to give... A huge number of people have come from the newsletter to check out the "Most Wanted" feature that we added, and many publishers have been glad to receive the information about the "Good Faith" program.

Now, this is where my problem lies. I have people who are happy to receive it, people who are unhappy, and ... Honestly .. Only about 1% of the visitors to the store actually GO to their account settings at the store and change them. I am very open to suggestions!

 

[robomage]

I like the newletter but why did I get 3 copies of the same newsletter in my inbox?

 

[Twin Rose]

I like the newletter but why did I get 3 copies of the same newsletter in my inbox?

It's a vbulletin error, too many people received it, and so the system kept resetting the mail queue. Terribly sorry about that. I've fixed the problem for next time. (If there is a next time, depending on customer response)

 

[Crothian]

I liked it and is is opt in, I remember signing up for the boards and asking to recieve e-mails. I had to specifically click that to allow it to happen. I think the problem is people clicked it and then never got any since until now as far as I know, EN World has never sent out e-mails to people.

 

[Cthulhu's Librarian]

I liked it and is is opt in, I remember signing up for the boards and asking to recieve e-mails. I had to specifically click that to allow it to happen. I think the problem is people clicked it and then never got any since until now as far as I know, EN World has never sent out e-mails to people.

The problem is that the Opt In was for the boards, not for the store. I did sign up to receive email, but at the time I did so, there wasn't an ENGS, and I did not opt in to receive email from it. I only Opted to receive email from the boards.

The store should be considered a seperate entity, especially where email is concerned.

 

[Graywolf-ELM]

I was concerned with this E-mail as well. Not only did I not buy anything at the store, like the message stated, (which was why I was getting this e-mail) I did not opt-in for any such thing. The other problem I had with it, was that it was not from an enworld e-mail address, so it was additionally indicative of spam trying to phish for information as well.

I'm just glad to have what it is cleared up. This is still my favorite board for gaming discussion and such.

Thank you,
GW

 

[Steverooo]

Only about 1% of the visitors to the store actually GO to their account settings at the store and change them. I am very open to suggestions!

Well then, here's mine: Don't send E-mail to people who haven't opted in to receive it (and by that I mean specifically from the ENWGS, not the ENW boards). There is a setting on the ENWGS, already, which allows people to OPT OUT. Change that, and make it OPT IN, instead. If only 1% use it, then it is the fault of the 99% that they don't! Set up the initial accounts to default to Opt-out, and allow users the option to change it.

Then, post a note to the opening page of ENWorld, as well as on the Homepage of the ENWGS, on the Shopping Cart, and other appropriate places, saying that the ENWGS has an Opt-in Newsletter, and that the default is NOT to receive it. For best results, a "Click here to be added to the Newsletter Mailing List" and "Click here to be removed from the Newsletter Mailing List" link should also be added.

When/If you have people E-mailing you, asking about the newsletter, you can send them a link to this page (or the existing account settings page). As long as people know that opting in is required, and how to get there/do that, it shouldn't be a problem (except, perhaps, for an internet newbie). People who DON'T want "Spam" won't be getting it. People who DO want it will have to go an extra step to get it, but then they'll also learn how to use the account settings page, so maybe that's a good thing!

Of course, the ENWGS doesn't listen to me, anyway... They still don't believe that they're losing 11.25% of their potential business by not accepting checks/money orders, either, so...

 

[Twin Rose]

Of course, the ENWGS doesn't listen to me, anyway... They still don't believe that they're losing 11.25% of their potential business by not accepting checks/money orders, either, so...

We do.... Please check the paypal checkout option

Edit: With the new paypal options, I'm looking into being able to take phone orders, checks via mail, etc.

 

[RangerWickett]

This is why I'll never buy from the EN World GameStore. And tell everyone I know not to.


Peace and smiles

j.

May I ask what specifically is making you not want to buy from the store? Is it the emails? I fully agree with that. I personally loath any form of email sent by a store or business or website. If a particular publisher sent me an email saying, "Hey, you bought our Book of Things. Here's another book related to that one," I might be interested. But I hate general newsletters. I don't think the ENGS should have one, and I sell through it.

If, however, you think that you have received poor customer service from Morrus because he could not fix a problem right away just as it was starting to be discussed, and because he did not refund your money for a purchase that is only tangentally related to your complaint, I'd have to say that you're being unfair to EN World and to the store. If you went to a gas station, filled up, and bought a hot dog that was bad, you should get your money back for the hot dog, but getting free gas is not going to happen.

They're working to fix the email problem. The rest of EN World is just as good as it was before. I can understand why you'd want a refund, but I'd hope you'd reconsider leaving the site. With luck this email thing will be fixed shortly, and you can go back to enjoying your community supporter account. I'm guessing Russ is just a bit defensive because he's trying to provide services people will appreciate, and instead people are expecting everything to be perfect right off the bat, and are getting angry at him when they're not.

Please, I sell through the store and I'm asking that you reconsider.