Creating a customer account email subscription

[JB00]

Hi all,

When someone creates a customer account in our shop (https://shop.survivalinternational.org/account/register), there is no consent tick box for them to give consent for email marketing. However, we have found that customer accounts have Marketing preferences that are automatically set to Email subscribed. This is obviously not explicit consent.

Is there a way within Shopify for customers to give explicit consent for email marketing when creating an account?

Many thanks.

[Lana]

Hello, @JB00!

It is indeed possible to get explicit consent from customers before they sign up for email marketing. This can be done through double opt-in, by taking the following steps:

• In your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Notifications 
• Scroll down to the Marketing section
• Click to check the box next to Email subscription:

Since you shared the link, I was able to have a closer look at your store, and I am very impressed!

I can see you're affiliated with Survival International, is this in support of Indigenous Communities? I think it would be very interesting for you to add an About us page to further build on this, by following these steps here. This would further highlight the important mission behind your store. 

[JB00]

Thank you, Lana!

I just tested this and the Marketing preferences now say "Pending." If the customer does not react to the double opt-in email, will it change to "Not subscribed" ? If so, after many days will that change take affect?

Kind wishes.

[Lana · Accepted solution]

Happy to help!

The Pending status will remain until such time as they actually go through with the double opt-in, so this does not expire. 

Pending is essentially the same as Not Subscribed in terms of that customer not receiving marketing emails until after the double opt-in.

[Kate_Rachel_Loz]

Is there away to follow up with these pending customers to remind them to opt into my email newsletter list?  So many don't remember or don't "get" the double opt-in.  Thanks, Kate

[JB00]

I don't think so. They get the double opt-in email, which may go to their spam/junk folder as you imply, and that's it. We can't email them again (until they subscribe) as we don't have explicit consent under GDPR. Thanks.

[Kate_Rachel_Loz]

Yeah, I figured.

Meanwhile I no longer sell on Etsy and want to invite these folks to my email newsletter with coupon enticement.  Other than a direct email I don't know how to accomplish this.

[JB00]

Yes, the rules around consent re email marketing are very strict now !

[Brett_Helium]

Hey @JB00,

Another possible way to do this would be using an app such as Helium Customer Fields which allows you to create a fully customized registration, including adding a checkbox for email marketing consent. You can take advantage of other features such as collecting custom data, requiring email verification or account approval, and letting customers edit or update their own account information.