E-Mail Marketing - Opt-in And Opt-out Methods

"Opt-in" and "opt-out" are two kinds of privacy mechanisms that have been adapted to e-mail marketing. With the opt-in method, consumers must actively agree to receive commercial e-mail messages, usually by clicking a box or making some other type of positive response. Under this system, consumers only receive commercial e-mail messages after they have expressly given their permission. Therefore, opt-in e-mail lists consist only of e-mail addresses for individuals who have given their permission to receive commercial e-mail messages. Double opt-in means that, after giving their permission, consumers must also send in a confirming e-mail.

Under the opt-out method, consumers are given the option of not receiving any further promotional e-mails after they have already received one. Under this system, messages are sent to individuals until they ask to be removed from the mailing list. A similar system, known as passive consent or negative opt-in, allows marketers to add consumers to their lists if they do not click or unclick a checkbox on a Web page in order to avoid receiving commercial e-mail. The fairness of such systems has become a matter of debate in some circles, the argument being that the necessity to actively opt-out places an undue burden on consumers who may routinely visit numerous commercial Web sites, for example.

According to a 2001 study by Opt-in News and reported in eMarketer, opt-in was the most frequently used method to acquire customers. The study found that 54 percent of the companies surveyed used optin, while 32 percent used opt-out and 14 percent used double opt-in to prospect for new customers. One problem with using the opt-out method was that, in many cases, the unsolicited messages might be perceived as spam. In the absence of express permission to send e-mail, marketers are more likely to send irrelevant and intrusive e-mail that consumers will ignore.