Once upon a time I signed up for an email newsletter. I tried to unsubscribe from this newsletter a few weeks ago.
When I clicked on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of the email I saw this page:
You’ll notice that there are two radio buttons but no label on them. I clicked the “Change subscription” button and was on my way.
A week or so later I realize I was still getting this guy’s newsletter. What’s going on?
I again clicked on the link at the bottom of the email to unsubscribe and this time I noticed something different:
For some reason, the labels of the radio buttons were white text. They were impossible to see without highlighting the words with the mouse.
So this time I did select the right radio and was on my way. Let’s hope it worked!
This is a great example of how companies try to make it difficult for customers to leave. You can’t keep customers forever. If you try to prevent a customer from leaving by some form of trickery, they will just leave angry. That anger could undoubtedly prevent future business from that customer, not to mention potential business from the friends and family that hear about their experience.
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Devin Reams
October 10, 2007
Good point, sometimes they’re preying on our lack of desire to follow-up or spend the time figuring stuff like this out. It only takes a minute or two but that’s the biggest barrier for most people… and it works in the companies’ favors!
Joe Rawlinson
October 10, 2007
Devin: Exactly! Companies that get sneaky are completely forgetting that customers don’t like to be tricked. Surely people that are retained in a mailing list due to tricks like this can’t be good prospects. It is easier just to let those that want to unsubscribe do so. If you keep providing a great service, they may just return later.