Targeted marketing emails from websites you visit

[Opti]

I know in the scheme of things this is low and first world issues. Still, I hate all the targeted emails I get simply because I look at websites for something. No, I haven't forgotten item X you are emailing about or perhaps I already decided those shoes are definitely not a good choice for me. Or maybe I'm waiting on price.

Do you get these emails? Do they annoy you as well?
I'm OK with emails on actual selections like one grocery store emailing me about expiring digital coupons.

[dannylion]

The ads that show me things I have already looked at are definitely annoying, especially the ones that keep showing me something I actually bought.  I already bought it; show me something else.  

I do like getting ads for items similar to things I have looked at, though.  I found the frames for my current glasses that way.  I looked at frames on a couple of websites and then got an ad for another website that had just what I wanted, so that turned out well.  

For the most part, I just glance at the ads and try to tune out the stuff that is of no interest to me.  

[Cheesy FL-Vol]

I hate ads. Period. They are intrusive and I do everything I possibly can to minimize it. Like danny said, who wants ads of stuff you just bought? I think it is weird when a furniture store I bought furniture from sends mailers all the time. Getting furniture is an every several years event, not weekly or even monthly like shopping for groceries.

[Opti]

I'm OK with the semi trolling ads on websites. Sometimes I do see something interesting. And I hear you on the bought or visited recently online ads.

I hate the constant trolling sales emails. Rockport is positively invasive in this regard. And it appears they dropped the Aravon line which is what I really cared about. I can get three to four emails a day from these functional idiots. I once looked at a Rockport loafer multiple times because my Aravon faves have disappeared and I need shoes that fit with cushioning for work. I probably have received ten or more emails alone showing that loafer in orange no less.

Today I looked at another shoemaker's website as I will likely replace the pair I bought before year end. Looked at one sample today with a different sole. Got an email on it today. Looked at it not even two hours ago. x 5. Decided to send them an email after starting this thread and complained to another offender.

[Cheesy FL-Vol]

Y’all know if you scroll down to the bottom of those emails, there is a tiny little “unsubscribe”?

It works.

[Opti]

Sept 11, 2022 16:46:34 GMT -5 Cheesy FL-Vol said:

Y’all know if you scroll down to the bottom of those emails, there is a tiny little “unsubscribe”?

It works.

I know although it doesn't always take. The one shoemaker I emailed today has a sale once or twice a year and that's it. If I don't get the emails I will not know when the window of opportunity is. 

On Rockport it might be worth trying unsubscribe. I still have at least three companies emailing me even though I used that button. Its months past when they promised to take me off their list.   

[Opti]

Like most things once you agree to emails you rarely get a choice on what they send you or whether they spawn off yet another marketing arm and email address.

For example Rockport sometimes sends me crap about Cobb Hill, a line that does not fit me and I have no interest in. And then there are things like companies that will email you receipts, which I like, but if I unsubscribe, I lose that feature along with the weekly or daily emails.

[NoNamePerson]

Sept 11, 2022 16:35:11 GMT -5 Cheesy FL-Vol said:

I hate ads. Period. They are intrusive and I do everything I possibly can to minimize it. Like danny said, who wants ads of stuff you just bought? I think it is weird when a furniture store I bought furniture from sends mailers all the time. Getting furniture is an every several years event, not weekly or even monthly like shopping for groceries.

The last time I bought a piece of furniture they wanted my email address I said I don't have one. Then they wanted my cell # said I don't have one. Told her I was old and not tech savvy. Any emails I give out to store, etc for a reason I use a email account. They all go into that one. Sometimes the unsubscribe button works but it takes a while and sometimes it doesn't work at all - it's a crap shoot   If I am interested in something in particular I can search online or just stop in store and look. Don't need daily emails from them.

[Opti]

Just saw an email in my Inbox on Cobb Hill. I did unsubscribe. I'll see if it takes. I should make a email address but I'm still behind on organizing the login/pws for various websites.

I agree with you on the cell#. I'll give out my zip code but actively refuse on email most of the time.

[Opti]

Countdown to see if the Pier 1 unsubscribe takes this time. Promised removal within 24 hours.

[Deleted]

With my side gig, I’ve learned even more about marketing practices and I don’t like it. 

I’d already realized that if I went to certain stores, I’d start getting ads from that store. Common sense said that enabling locations on my phone was the cause. By then, I had an IPhone and enabling locations made a lot of things easier, including getting directions to where I wanted to go and being able to see where other people were, that share their locations with me. 

What I learned from working my side gig is that companies pay other companies to gather info on people that might be interested in their product. My side gig has to do with federal employees only. So my side gig employer pays a company to gather info on people to determine who are probably federal employees and potential clients. If you are at any federal facility for several hours every day, it is assumed you are a federal employee, so you get the targeted ads from my side gig employer.

I understand that is a way for my side gig employer to get on the radar of federal employees, but I am uncomfortable with knowing how much information is gleaned from our cell phones for marketing purposes, or whatever purposes of someone is willing to pay for to get the information. 

I resisted a lot of this kind of stuff for years, by having a Blackberry and not using apps. Then Blackberry had started using an Android platform after my last Blackberry died, and I got an IPhone.

My IPhone does make a lot of things easier, but I am well aware of the downfalls regarding my privacy. I’ve mostly just given in now, even though I held out on a lot of stuff regarding my privacy regarding cell phones for many years. 

[Cheesy FL-Vol]

Sept 11, 2022 17:20:51 GMT -5 Opti said:

Just saw an email in my Inbox on Cobb Hill. I did unsubscribe. I'll see if it takes. I should make a email address but I'm still behind on organizing the login/pws for various websites.

I agree with you on the cell#. I'll give out my zip code but actively refuse on email most of the time.

I never put my number on a website. I use my phone for texting. I use all zeros or all nines. If a website wants my actual number, I don’t bother shopping for whatever I was interested in. I have no problem plugging in my email, but a careful to make sure that I unselect “yes, slam me with marketing”. If an entity is persistent in ignoring unsubscribe, I block it or mark as spam.

[Deleted]

Sept 11, 2022 18:10:00 GMT -5 Cheesy FL-Vol said:

I never put my number on a website. I use my phone for texting. I use all zeros or all nines. If a website wants my actual number, I don’t bother shopping for whatever I was interested in. I have no problem plugging in my email, but am careful to make sure that I unselect “yes, slam me with marketing”. If an entity is persistent in ignoring unsubscribe, I block it or mark as spam.

I also have a e-mail and a fake phone number I use consistently. Most of the time Unsubscribe works but I've also created rules to send things directly to Trash.

It does annoy me when a place I've done business with once bombards me with several e-mails a week for years afterwards. Most get deleted without my looking at them. I got the grandchildren a subscription to Highlights Magazine, which has no advertising, solid values and was inclusive even when I got it as a kid, but darn, they send at least one e-mail a day trying to sell me stuff- books, toys, clothing, etc.

Pink mentioned cell phone data- I have only apps that I actually use on my phone and I rarely use them to shop. I prefer my laptop. The apps all apparently share data with each other- it's buried in their "Privacy Policy". If I have no use for your app I'm not gonna let it collect and "monetize" my data.

And now I'm researching vacation destinations for a possible family trip in early 2024 and I'm already getting related banner ads.

[NoNamePerson]

I use my cell for talking and texting! All online stuff is done on iPad or desk top. I shouldn’t admit it out loud but I have one store actually say they needed my cell so they could text deals. I said sure and rattled off my landline number  yep I have both. LL is bundled with Tv and son and DIL won’t let me pay for cell so what the heck. 

[TheOtherMe]

Another one with a email and don't give out my phone number.  When I used to actually show in stores, I refused to give my phone number or email.  I didn't let dad give his phone number either.

I have a google voice number that I have set up so it only takes messages.  No one has it that knows me.  It only gets spam calls and texts.

I turn off location on most apps on my phone unless I am traveling.

[Deleted]

Sept 11, 2022 19:23:54 GMT -5 @athena53 said:

Sept 11, 2022 18:10:00 GMT -5 Cheesy FL-Vol said:

I never put my number on a website. I use my phone for texting. I use all zeros or all nines. If a website wants my actual number, I don’t bother shopping for whatever I was interested in. I have no problem plugging in my email, but am careful to make sure that I unselect “yes, slam me with marketing”. If an entity is persistent in ignoring unsubscribe, I block it or mark as spam.

I also have a e-mail and a fake phone number I use consistently. Most of the time Unsubscribe works but I've also created rules to send things directly to Trash.

It does annoy me when a place I've done business with once bombards me with several e-mails a week for years afterwards. Most get deleted without my looking at them. I got the grandchildren a subscription to Highlights Magazine, which has no advertising, solid values and was inclusive even when I got it as a kid, but darn, they send at least one e-mail a day trying to sell me stuff- books, toys, clothing, etc.

Pink mentioned cell phone data- I have only apps that I actually use on my phone and I rarely use them to shop. I prefer my laptop. The apps all apparently share data with each other- it's buried in their "Privacy Policy". If I have no use for your app I'm not gonna let it collect and "monetize" my data.

And now I'm researching vacation destinations for a possible family trip in early 2024 and I'm already getting related banner ads.

Just to be clear, what I was talking about has nothing to do with apps. It has to do with having a cell phone period, especially one that you allow to track your location. Even using GPS allows your cell phone to figure out where you are to try to get you to where you want to go. 

[jerseygirl]

I’ve unsubscribed to web sites on emails but some use the unsubscribe as there’s actually a person and cause more junk emails to be sent

[wvugurl26]

Every single time I do a transaction with my MLB tickets, I get subscribed to the MLB morning line up. I have unsubscribed so many dang times this season. It does take but as soon as I do another trade, buy a parking pass for a friend, have a game rained out it starts up again.

I have been pretty successful with unsubscribe. I try to be careful with apps but I'm sure it's a losing battle.

[finnime]

One thing you can do that may help you sort out the retailer email you get, so you can send it automatically to spam, or delete without reading, or just track it for reference later, is add a flag to your email address. This works well but only for gmail (I don't know about other email such as yahoo or aol). The trick is to append a plus sign with whatever you like after the email address name. For example, for me it might be [e-mail] for airlines. For wvugurl26 it might be [e-mail]. The flag you use with the plus sign is carried along but ignored by gmail. The email will go right into the regular inbox.

[Opti]

Turns out I got two emails from an alleged third partner called SafeOpt. I don't know or not whether the retailer has my email info, but I'm wondering if I should change it to a defunct email address to be safe. Like the furniture mentioned, what I buy at the retailer has always been in person at their store. I have never bought online from them nor received emails. I used to get constant catalogs, but no longer do.

So I wonder if SafeOpt is even legit as all I did was view some items on the website. Nothing put in a cart, just look. Found the below on reddit.


https://www.reddit.com/r/techsupport/comments/kf46ig/receiving_abandoned_cart_emails_via_safeopt_from/

I did the unsubscribe after sending a complaining email yesterday. I worry that since I had my tab of my historical free email account open at the time of browsing they could have picked my email address off without my consent. The only good news I suppose is I'm cleaning the account up as I have time and plan to move to a new one plus a for marketing crap one.

[Tiny]

I don't mind the ads that follow me around - I sometimes look for something I don't want - like pool floaties or winter boots - and then all of the ads everywhere become ads for those things. It makes the ads easier to ignore.

As for the deluge of unwanted emails from retailers (and some other sites) that I visit occassionally. I've noticed that many retailers slowly increase the number of emails - they go from once a week to couple of days to weekly and then 2 or more times per day. I do Unsubscribe at some point. The problem is that the next time I visit the website - the emails will start up again - once a week and grow to multiple per day. 

I have noticed more sites I visit start sending me email - some of them don't ask if I want to receive the email - they just send it.   

I use to just ignore the once a week emails hoping they'd go away on their own (but they grow like weeds) - but now I unsubscribe sooner than later. That seems to help keep the volume down - I nip it in the bud.

I don't ever click anything in an email that appears to be a phishing or scam attempt or any email I feel is a little off... I just delete and go about my business.

[swamp]

Sept 11, 2022 16:29:59 GMT -5 dannylion said:

The ads that show me things I have already looked at are definitely annoying, especially the ones that keep showing me something I actually bought.  I already bought it; show me something else.  

I do like getting ads for items similar to things I have looked at, though.  I found the frames for my current glasses that way.  I looked at frames on a couple of websites and then got an ad for another website that had just what I wanted, so that turned out well.  

For the most part, I just glance at the ads and try to tune out the stuff that is of no interest to me.  

yes!!! this!!

I bought a pair of sneakers online.  I kept getting sneaker ads.   How many pair of sneakers do I need?  I already have probably 5 or 6, I don't want anymore!!!! 

[nidena]

What I'm noticing more and more are the increased number of sponsored ads on FB along with Suggested For You items.

I think FB tweaked their algo again and it's been like turning the ad hose on from a trickle to a steady flow.

It got to be so many that I employed the Hide Ad on 20-30 of them just yesterday.  Normally, it's just one or two.

[NoNamePerson]

Sept 12, 2022 11:23:07 GMT -5 nidena said:

What I'm noticing more and more are the increased number of sponsored ads on FB along with Suggested For You items.

I think FB tweaked their algo again and it's been like turning the ad hose on from a trickle to a steady flow.

It got to be so many that I employed the Hide Ad on 20-30 of them just yesterday.  Normally, it's just one or two.

I had so many the other day I almost couldn't find friends posts. I did the hide ad just to clean up the page. I wish they had a "FY/I Hate Your Product " option on why you are closing/hiding ads  

[Tiny]

Forgot that just driving around or going thru stores with your cell phone polling for WIFI can also result in emails and FB ads.

A friend uses Alexa at home (and in their car?) - and I swear every time I'm there or car pool with them driving - whatever we were talking about generates ads and sometimes email as well.  

Maybe I'm paranoid.

[Tiny]

I've noticed my FB feed is mostly sponsored ads or "things I might be interested in".

I've also noticed that I miss a lot of posts from my friends and relatives. I'm not sure if I just don't scroll far enough - and then when I leave FB their posts never appear again or what. It's really really annoying. It's like if I don't see the post and acknowledge it - it's gone forever (ok, I have to go the person's page to see what they posted. )

Maybe it's some sort of security or privacy setting I have? or they have? It's annoying.


It also annoying because sometimes I will see something interesting on FB - but not have time to look at it.  If I don't "save" it - it's gone forever and I won't be able to find it in my feed.   

[Tiny]

Sept 12, 2022 10:17:01 GMT -5 swamp said:

Sept 11, 2022 16:29:59 GMT -5 dannylion said:

The ads that show me things I have already looked at are definitely annoying, especially the ones that keep showing me something I actually bought.  I already bought it; show me something else.  

I do like getting ads for items similar to things I have looked at, though.  I found the frames for my current glasses that way.  I looked at frames on a couple of websites and then got an ad for another website that had just what I wanted, so that turned out well.  

For the most part, I just glance at the ads and try to tune out the stuff that is of no interest to me.  

yes!!! this!!

I bought a pair of sneakers online.  I kept getting sneaker ads.   How many pair of sneakers do I need?  I already have probably 5 or 6, I don't want anymore!!!! 

Yes, this has been a long term problem - pre pandemic for sure.       

My advice is find some common place item - that will generate ads.   I use dress shoes or purses or socks  --  things I do NOT buy or regularly search for.   I do a search - and then that product pops up in ads - and it's easy to ignore. 

[swamp]

Sept 12, 2022 11:49:58 GMT -5 Tiny said:

Sept 12, 2022 10:17:01 GMT -5 swamp said:

yes!!! this!!

I bought a pair of sneakers online.  I kept getting sneaker ads.   How many pair of sneakers do I need?  I already have probably 5 or 6, I don't want anymore!!!! 

Yes, this has been a long term problem - pre pandemic for sure.       

My advice is find some common place item - that will generate ads.   I use dress shoes or purses or socks  --  things I do NOT buy or regularly search for.   I do a search - and then that product pops up in ads - and it's easy to ignore. 

My most recent FB ad assault is for a genital area groomer.   I think it's called Nood.  

Do with that what you wish. 

[lurkyloo]

Possibly my Neanderthal habits have a plus side, since I don’t use facebook or google...but are y‘all going into your browser settings and clicking the do not track button?  Browsing private or incognito is also an option.

I get the occasional easily recognized spam, and have unsubscribed from bath and body works and papa johns more times than I can count, but never been emailed about a product after looking at it on a website    Mostly I’m just doing normal browsing with edited privacy settings.

Pink, you can turn location services off selectively by app-so keep it for Maps and turn it off for apps that don’t have a valid reason to need it.  Not perfect, I believe Target tracks your actual phone even if you don’t have their app downloaded, nominally that should be anonymized but I wouldn’t put it past them to link it to a CC transaction or something to deanonymize.

HTH.

[NastyWoman]

Sept 12, 2022 10:17:01 GMT -5 swamp said:

Sept 11, 2022 16:29:59 GMT -5 dannylion said:

The ads that show me things I have already looked at are definitely annoying, especially the ones that keep showing me something I actually bought.  I already bought it; show me something else.  

I do like getting ads for items similar to things I have looked at, though.  I found the frames for my current glasses that way.  I looked at frames on a couple of websites and then got an ad for another website that had just what I wanted, so that turned out well.  

For the most part, I just glance at the ads and try to tune out the stuff that is of no interest to me.  

yes!!! this!!

I bought a pair of sneakers online.  I kept getting sneaker ads.   How many pair of sneakers do I need?  I already have probably 5 or 6, I don't want anymore!!!! 

Ask andi9899. She can tell you (hint you don't have enough)