Opt-out (unsubscribe)
Opt-out is a person's refusal to receive messages from a company: unsubscribing from a mailing, asking not to be written to again, or blocking the sender.
What it is
The person says “do not write to me”. Sometimes with an “unsubscribe” button, sometimes in words: “stop”, “enough”, “delete my number”. Sometimes silently, by blocking the sender or pressing “this is spam”. All of this is opt-out.
How it looks in practice
Every advertising message has a clear way to refuse: “Reply STOP to stop receiving offers”. The reply “stop” marks the contact, and the next mailings skip it.
Refusals in free words are harder. “Do not write here anymore” in reply to a mailing is also an unsubscribe, even if no button was pressed. If it goes unnoticed, the person gets a new message a week later and will not ask a second time. They will complain.
Why it matters
A honoured refusal costs one contact. An ignored one costs the reputation of the number: complaints pile up and the messenger restricts the sender. In many countries messages sent after a refusal also break advertising and data protection laws.
Unsubscribing from marketing does not always cancel service messages: a payment notice or a contract change notice may remain lawful. Where the line runs depends on the country, so check with a lawyer.
The typical mistake
Honouring the refusal in one list and forgetting the others. A person unsubscribed from offers, and a month later another department writes from a different number. For the client it is one company. A refusal must apply company-wide, not to a single list.
More in Signals
- WhatsApp banned your business number: why it happens and how to avoid losing clientsWhatsApp usually blocks business numbers for a combination of recipient complaints, messages to strangers, identical texts, a sudden burst on a new number or unofficial app modifications. A temporary block is a warning, a permanent one closes the account. Read the in-app message, appeal calmly once and tell clients another way to reach you. Keep the history with the company.
- Viber broadcast without bans: how to message clients and keep your senderA Viber broadcast without bans rests on recipient consent, an easy opt-out, sensible hours, a recognizable sender, and personal texts that go to a small part of your client base first. The number and the sender name must belong to the company, not to an employee. You judge a broadcast by replies, opt-outs, complaints, deals, and revenue, not by the number of sends.