Unsubscribe: You want to break up with me, you HAVE to tell me why

I often advise people to create a dialog as part of the unsubscribe process. Typically, the topics are
1. Frequency Reduction. Ask people if they really want to leave, or if they just want less mail.
2. Survey. Ask them why they are leaving, so that you can get better.

ProFlowers (not someone I've worked with) got it all wrong in my opinion.

I clicked the unsubscribe link. They presented a survey. I was busy, so I didn't feel like answering and just wanted to unsubscribe. But they wouldn't let me. It was early in the morning, and so it took me a while to figure out that unless I answered one of their questions I could never get off their list. It annoyed me and I'm sure it annoys others.

It would be interesting to have a legal perspective on whether this meets the letter of the law and the spirit of the law for CAN-SPAM.

Valentine's Flowers

Flowers are also big this time of year.

1800Flowers
1800Flowers has done a really nice job. I really like the YouTube sweepstakes. Very creative. I'm seeing a number of cutting edge marketers start to use YouTube. (For exampl, Urban Outfitters uses on their home page, Jewelery TV has a channel.)



The 800# is part of the name. Not good": email address signup is at the bottom of a long page. (See slide show at the end of this post.)

Completely Above The Fold
ProFlowers, FTD and JustFlowers have designed their websites to be completely above the fold on the common 1024 x 768 browser.

Email Signup
Is above the fold for ProFlowers, Teleflora and FTD. FTD putting their signup at the top of the page. Calyx & Corolla has a simple "Join our Email" in the footer, making it nearly invisible.

800 Number
Is prominent for 1800Flowers, FTD, ProFlowers, Just Flowers, Flowers Across America. Calyx & Corolla has no 800 number on the home page.

Here are the top sites mentioned above in a slide show. {Click slide show below to view individual screen shots of each website.}