posted on May 8, 2002 11:27:36 AM new
In Ebay's TOS and throughout the boards I have read several issues regarding spam.
Is it considered Spam when you e-mail your Ebay customers to notify them that you have listed a fresh batch of auctions, perhaps a slae price on some auctions, or any other reason to notify your customers regarding your auctions?
It would seem to me that promoting your auctions via e-mail would benefit all involved, as long as kept to your customers. I've had plenty of customers ask me to e-mail them when I list new items, so i'd rather e-mail all my customers than weed out those that just asked. Any thoughts?
posted on May 8, 2002 11:48:44 AM new
Unsolicited e-mail, targeted or not, is still spam. You risk being suspended by eBay if you send non-auction specific e-mails and the buyer reports you. You minimize that risk if you send e-mail only to buyers that gave you permission. There are many free web scripts that can maintain a list for you. Or you could simply keep a distribution list in your e-mail client where you send e-mail to yourself and BCC the distribution list.
[ edited by sun818 on May 8, 2002 11:51 AM ]
posted on May 8, 2002 01:16:53 PM new
As long as it is not going through Ebay's servers, they have no control over it. You have the person's email address, as long as you are using that and not going through Ebay, I don't see that they have any control over it.
posted on May 8, 2002 02:09:45 PM new
stormypetr, you are wrong here if you send your Ebay customers emails not concerning their purchase you run the risk of being NARU'd. Ebay has very clear rules on SPAM/Unsolicited Email.
Sure you can do it but is it really worth getting your account closed?
posted on May 8, 2002 02:47:07 PM newIt depends on how you word it.
I recently received an email from an ebay seller soliciting me to join her mailing list to receive notification whenever she listed something I might be interested in.
Curious, I asked Safe Harbor if her email was kosher or spam.
Their reply, which I saved for future reference, surprised me:
Hello,
Thank you very much for writing. You received the email you reported
because the sender wishes to avoid "spamming" other eBay users with
their emails about their auctions (which is prohibited as per the terms
of eBay's Privacy Policy) by requesting your permission before putting
you on a mailing list.
Users who would like to contact other eBay users about their auctions
may approach users via email and ask them privately if they would like
to receive information about their auctions. They must include no item
specifics, prices, or web links in their request email. The email you
received from this user is in accordance with these rules of procedure.
Should you receive more email from this user after responding "no" or
not at all to their request (no response is considered a "no" answer),
please forward the email to [email protected] and we will take action.
Have a great day!
Regards,
Katy Sorensen
eBay SafeHarbor
Investigations Team
______________________________
eBay
Your Personal Trading Community (tm)
Here is the seller's email (she apparently harvested my addy from ebay as my ID is my addy):
Hello!
You have shown an interest in Collectibles, such as the kind I often
have for auction. If you would like to receive notices of the great
items I put up for auction on eBay, please let me know by simply
replying to this e-mail with "Yes, I want to receive notification of
your auctions and I want to receive a discount on every item that I bid
on and win of yours!" I thank you in advance and I wish you and yours a
wonderful day!
Sincerely,
posted on May 8, 2002 11:12:19 PM new
You are allowed to ask users if they would like to join your mailing list. However, I believe this may apply only to your own customers, not eBay members with whom you have no business relationship. (Since most bidders' email addys are concealed, I doubt that particular problem occurs frequently.)
