I do segment the openers and email to that group from time-to-time. I NEVER take my list for granted and always try to provide great information. I am a solutions provider.

Cost savings for slimming down a list could be considerable. It’s not uncommon for companies to send millions of emails over the course of a year. If each one costs an average of even just one cent to send, that still adds up fast. 4,000,000 x .01 = $40,000/year. Of course, even removing 50,000 names only saves $500, but it’s money that can be used elsewhere.

While it is possible that you may have been away from your machine for six months, it seems unlikely that would be the case for most people. It’s more likely the mail is either being deleted (with images off) or just going into a spam bucket.

Like you, I often will copy the URL into my browser rather than click – but we are techies, and probably in the minority.

Now having said all of that…once you remove someone from your list that does not mean it must be forever. That’s even true for people that opt out. CANSPAM allows you to periodically send a non-marketing message to those people and ask them if they would like to re-subscribe.

There are easier ways to cull names off email lists without alienating everyone on them.

This guy is a douche and doesn’t even deserve a reply.

I’m not really sure how it will save him so much money that it warrants doing this at all. However, if is list is that astronomically large, he should have better methods for figuring out who is “active” and who isn’t. At minimum, he could have written that email in a much more professional manner. What’s with the guilt trip? I, too, would feel bullied.

If I were that desperate and technically inept… and truly wanted to know who is interested and who isn’t… I’d send out a note stating that the mailing list has been revamped and interested users should please re-subscribe.

There are many ways to go about this. I think your instincts are correct… it’s a ploy to get traffic today in spite of his money-saving B.S.

I’d have done 1 of 3 things were I you upon receiving that email

1. Do nothing and wait for the next email to come along. When it’s revealed that you were never removed, tell him he’s full of crap and to get bent.

2. Replied with “you just assured that I will no longer be interested. Please remove me.

3. Replied with “get bent.”

(In other words, I applaud your efforts at education and diplomacy cuz I wouldn’t have wasted the time on him.

Here’s a tip: don’t insult your email list. There was a different way to do this, as we both know – and that is to ask “Do you still want to be on the list?” I often get that email from some of the lists to which I am subscribed and I answer yes to the ones I want to continue.