How do I stop unsolicited mail shots ?

[lordofthewings]

I am looking for a legal way to stop the incredibly annoying junk mail shots and "tailored marketing" (mostly deals on new models and servicing) that still arrive from the main dealerships from whom I have bought cars in the past, but seem incapable of taking me off their databases....

[TooMany2cvs]

GDPR comes in next month, so I wouldn't worry about it. If they don't twig and take you off, then shop 'em to the ICO.

[Efbe]

lordofthewings said:

I am looking for a legal way to stop the incredibly annoying junk mail shots and "tailored marketing" (mostly deals on new models and servicing) that still arrive from the main dealerships from whom I have bought cars in the past, but seem incapable of taking me off their databases....

Don't worry... I have just signed you up here: http://www.sclubmedia.net/

[4x4Tyke]

Mail Preference Service, worked reasonable well for me

https://www.mpsonline.org.uk/

Also Telephone Preference service, you know any unsolicited call is a scam.

http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/tps/index.html

[lordofthewings]

Thanks guys, I'd overlooked the MPS -- I also have an old BT landline phone with a very useful call blocking facility which keeps away the spammers

[rallycross]

MPS will help you out.
GDPR will cut down on a large amount of pointless mail.
You will still receive mailings from people who you have bought something/enquired about something before as they are entitled to keep in touch under Legitimate Interest.

[Audicab]

rallycross said:

MPS will help you out.
GDPR will cut down on a large amount of pointless mail.
You will still receive mailings from people who you have bought something/enquired about something before as they are entitled to keep in touch under Legitimate Interest.

That isn't true, GDPR may not affect the amount of direct mail that you get, legitimate interest could be used as the basis for holding and processing data for all direct marketing.

[TooMany2cvs]

Explicit opt-in for storing/processing your personal data for that purpose? I don't think I did...

[Audicab]

TooMany2cvs said:

Explicit opt-in for storing/processing your personal data for that purpose? I don't think I did...

Many people think a company needs your consent to process your personal data but it is only one of a number of grounds for processing personal data. Direct marketing may not need consent.

[TonyRPH]

They can only send you email on an 'opt in' basis, or a clearly defined customer relationship.

However they still have to honour unsubscribe requests in the latter case.

And as others have pointed out, this is becoming even stricter under GDPR rules.

[Audicab]

That is PECR which is completely different to GDPR and will still be law governing emails when GDPR comes into force next month . We were talking about processing personal data and direct mail not email.

There is a common misconception that GDPR will halt all direct marketing that people haven't consented into. This just isn't the case.

[Australiam]

TonyRPH said:

They can only send you email on an 'opt in' basis, or a clearly defined customer relationship.

However they still have to honour unsubscribe requests in the latter case.

And as others have pointed out, this is becoming even stricter under GDPR rules.

Soft Opt-In exceptions in GDPR may leave that door open for you to continue receiving marketing in regards to similar products or services. However, there should be an easy way to opt out.

To be fair, the volume of marketing emails I receive is now minimal, as most legitimate companies have been adding opt-outs for some time now.

[rallycross]

Australiam said:

Soft Opt-In exceptions in GDPR may leave that door open for you to continue receiving marketing in regards to similar products or services. However, there should be an easy way to opt out.

To be fair, the volume of marketing emails I receive is now minimal, as most legitimate companies have been adding opt-outs for some time now.

As someone above has stated, email is already regulated under PECR and is a different set of rules to postal/off line marketing.
This is due to be replaced by the E-Privacy Act which when it finally arrives will bring in similar regs to GDPR). It will also bring in new legislation specific to online targeting/display (for example permissions to use 3rd party data in targeting ads in social media platforms like FB).

[Murph7355]

GDPR will make little to no difference (I'm far from convinced it's "good" legislation...it has a whiff of y2k about it in terms of a lot of people will make money out of it for little material gain for the masses.

OP - be more careful about what you sign up to, and which boxes you tick. The companies pushing this stuff are sly about how they go about things.

[anonymous-user]

4x4Tyke said:

Mail Preference Service, worked reasonable well for me

https://www.mpsonline.org.uk/

Also Telephone Preference service, you know any unsolicited call is a scam.

http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/tps/index.html

Thanks for that link. I was on TPS but never got around to the mail version - thanks for the post (no pun intended)

[4x4Tyke]

It's not perfect and takes a while to be really effective, but it does stop most of the big guys.