Mass Emailing Legalities?

osullivj35

Hi,

I am running an e Business and found a list of c.200 emails of people, from an irish website, that would be interested in my offering.

Is it ok to send them a mail, would this be seen as spam from a legal point of view?

Thanks,
John

jmcc

osullivj35 wrote: »

Hi,

I am running an e Business and found a list of c.200 emails of people, from an irish website, that would be interested in my offering.

Is it ok to send them a mail, would this be seen as spam from a legal point of view?

Unsolicited commercial e-mail = SPAM. And you may end up being prosecuted.

Regards...jmcc

Jimbo

Do you know how irritating unsolicited emails are?

Apart from the legal implications of it, I'd be surprised if you got any business out of it.
You'd proabably do more harm than good to your companies reputation.

On another note, what Irish website is providing peoples email addresses?

osullivj35

Thanks for the feedback

The following is a good guide to the legalities
http://www.dataprotection.ie/viewdoc.asp?DocID=905&ad=1

mneylon

osullivj35 wrote: »

Thanks for the feedback

The following is a good guide to the legalities
http://www.dataprotection.ie/viewdoc.asp?DocID=905&ad=1

The legalities are not relevant

Just because it's legal to do something doesn't mean it will be welcomed

If you want to market successfully to people you need to get their permission

watty

Agreed ++

Unsolicited email = spam

Cold calling, leaflets and Direct snail mail also greatly irritate people. The local leaflet poster is now rattling the letter box at 4am.

Unless you are selling pizza, unsolicited direct marketing methods can actually hurt your brand.

Though it's been suggested that all the unwanted AOL CDs be used to make a reflective umbrella in space to reduce Global warming.

aidan_walsh

Its a good way to remove 200+ potential customers, IMO.

mneylon

aidan_walsh wrote: »

Its a good way to remove 200+ potential customers, IMO.

Exactly

Liam Byrne

osullivj35 wrote: »

I am running an e Business and found a list of c.200 emails of people, from an irish website, that would be interested in my offering.

How could you possibly know this ?

It is up to THEM to decide whether or not they are interested, not you.

Legally (in this country at least), unless it's an explicit "opt-in" by THEM, then it's illegal*.

*Unfortunately business email addresses don't fall under this, but personal ones certainly do

osullivj35 wrote: »

I am running an e Business and found a list of c.200 emails of people, from an irish website, that would be interested in my offering.

And the site that you've "found" them on (the one that did all the work compiling them, etc) might take you to task for lifting the list as well - if there's a copyright notice on it then you're breaking that law too.

Aside from all that, as others have said, just because something might not actually be illegal doesn't mean it's a good idea.

You're running a high risk of pissing off 190 of them in order to get maybe ten to reply.

I DETEST WITH A VENGENCE the emails - even the semi-legit ones - that say "click here to opt-out"; why the hell should I have to do something that takes up MY time in order to counteract something that you've done that you shouldn't have in the first place ?

SPAMmers = scum; my advice : don't associate yourself or your service with them!!!!

Or if you do, be prepared for a SERIOUS backlash / lack of goodwill / complaints / potential legal action.

mneylon

Liam Byrne wrote: »

*Unfortunately business email addresses don't fall under this, but personal ones certainly do

Data Protection would claim otherwise .. they're currently contesting that one of my email addresses was personal!

Liam Byrne

blacknight wrote: »

Data Protection would claim otherwise .. they're currently contesting that one of my email addresses was personal!

Agreed, and I only put it in as a caveat because they do seem to treat them differently....re opt-in / opt-out.

That said, if anyone [legit-looking] spams my work email with an undirected / mass email / newsletter type I reply with "We do not deal with unsolicited email. Please respond stating who provided you with this email address and indicate who gave you the right to put it on a mailing list ?"

That usually puts them off....

mneylon

Liam Byrne wrote: »

Agreed, and I only put it in as a caveat because they do seem to treat them differently....re opt-in / opt-out.

That said, if anyone [legit-looking] spams my work email with an undirected / mass email / newsletter type I reply with "We do not deal with unsolicited email. Please respond stating who provided you with this email address and indicate who gave you the right to put it on a mailing list ?"

That usually puts them off....

I give that reply sometimes .. sometimes they try to argue with me about it