In the current version of the store it is possible to send a newsletter to subscribers from the mailing lists and to any other users that are registered in the store.
The link to unsubscribe will be displayed only in newsletters sent to subscribers, user will not get such a link.
Follow this link to see the details about the bug: [url]http://forum.cs-cart.com/vbugs.php?do=view&vbug_id=1797[/url]
I think that you should not include the unsubscribe link in newsletters sent to users. The ability to send a newsletter directly to a user is useful for sending a newsletter to a customer once without subscription. For instance, you have the customer on the phone and ask if he received your newsletter sent yesterday. He replies ‘no’ and asks about it. You see he is not subscribed to the newsletter and offer to send it to him. Adding his name to a mailing list would require that he wait for the next time the newsletter is sent.
But, you should also remove the user from the newsletter once it is sent otherwise adding a user amounts to another type of subscription.
Bob
It is best practice to always include an unsubscribe link not only in the newsletter but also on the website; at least that is what we have always done.
I have not sent a newsletter using CS-Cart yet but will attempt to do so in the next couple of weeks before deciding if it is a real option; depending on how it goes will continue using or switch back to Constant Contact or Squirrel-mail.
[quote name=‘ywalker’]It is best practice to always include an unsubscribe link not only in the newsletter but also on the website; at least that is what we have always done.[/QUOTE]
The unsubcribe link will be included in a newsletter sent to any member of a mailing list; this makes sense since they are subscribed to that list.
The question at hand is what to do when you send a newsletter directly to a user by specifying their email address in the “Send to” area of the newsletter. Since you sent this newsletter directly, they are not receiving it as a result of a mailing list subscription.
Bob
Thanks for the clarification Bob; for me it does not matter as I have always included an unsubscribe link at the bottom.
The customer that receives the newsletter will not use it as they requested the newsletter be sent to them.
Although all our newsletter recipients are “Opt In” we still include the link.
[quote name=‘ywalker’]Thanks for the clarification Bob; for me it does not matter as I have always included an unsubscribe link at the bottom.[/QUOTE]
But what would the unsubscribe link unsubscribe them from? In the case we are discussing, the newsletter was not sent as part of the mailing list - it was sent to them directly just like an email.
EDIT: The only possibility that I can think of is basically a ‘nuke’ option: if they unsubscribed from a newsletter sent directly to their email address (rather than because of inclusion on a mailing list), the unsubscribe link would remove them from any and all mailing lists to which they are subscribed. Is this what you are suggesting?
Bob
What function does sending a list to a single user serve? Are people using it to send regular emails to customers?
If there’s a special deal you only want to show to a few customers, is it possible to make sub-lists from the main list for dealing with that issue?
[quote name=‘phazei’]What function does sending a list to a single user serve? Are people using it to send regular emails to customers?
If there’s a special deal you only want to show to a few customers, is it possible to make sub-lists from the main list for dealing with that issue?[/QUOTE]
I have sent a existing newsletter to people based on a conversation and, yes, it is basically an email. I do not want to establish a separate list - adding an email to send the newsletter then immediately removing that email from the same list just so that I can send the newsletter.
As I see it, this impromptu newsletter capability requires only that the unsubscribe link be removed when the addressee is not based on a mailing list and that the address is immediately removed once the newsletter is sent so that a “subscription” does not occur.
Bob
"disable the displaying of the unsubscribe link to users "
- I don’t think it is legal here in USA. With every mass e-mail one must give some unsubscribe option per SPAM law.
[quote name=‘TexasGuy’]"disable the displaying of the unsubscribe link to users "
- I don’t think it is legal here in USA. With every mass e-mail one must give some unsubscribe option per SPAM law.[/QUOTE]
There is no question that the unsubscribe link should be included when sending to members of a mailing list - this makes sense because they can unsubscribe from that list.
However, if I add a user’s email address in the “Send to” area, what do I unsubscribe the user from? They did not receive the mailing because of inclusion on some list. The only reason to send something using the “Send to” section is to do a one-off mailing which is likely the result of some correspondence with the customer (and in this context, it is also not a mass mailing). It would be the equivalent of copying the newsletter content and pasting it into an email message.
Bob
I think that CS-Cart doing newsletters is a step sideways. They should consentrate on doing a shopping cart. I, for one, use Interspire soft to send out newsletters. It is made to do that and it does it quite well. I want a robust shopping cart not a Swiss knife. I do find that for the money CS-Cart is hard to beat, however, I don’t it want it to wash my dishes.
[quote name=‘TexasGuy’]I think that CS-Cart doing newsletters is a step sideways. They should consentrate on doing a shopping cart. I, for one, use Interspire soft to send out newsletters. It is made to do that and it does it quite well. I want a robust shopping cart not a Swiss knife. I do find that for the money CS-Cart is hard to beat, however, I don’t it want it to wash my dishes.[/QUOTE]
Whether or not something should be included in the base cart is frequently debated here. Others will rely on (and might have even made a purchase decision based upon) some feature you deem unnecessary.
At any rate, the issue here is not whether or not the newsletter feature should be included but that it needs to work properly.
Bob
A very skillful re-direct back to the topic at hand, I applaud.
[quote name=‘jobosales’]Whether or not something should be included in the base cart is frequently debated here. Others will rely on (and might have even made a purchase decision based upon) some feature you deem unnecessary.
At any rate, the issue here is not whether or not the newsletter feature should be included but that it needs to work properly.
Bob[/QUOTE]
After thinking about this I think I’m with Bob on this one, the Unsubscribe link should only show for those subscribed to the mailing list and not any other user from the store . If a user wants to be added to the list we can easily add him/her to the appropriate list in the subscribers section.
May I suggest the following?
url.com/index.php?dispatch=subscriptions.remove&{subscriber email address goes here}
This will allow store owners using different email marketing products(using interspire) an efficient way to manage both.