Quick Guide to Amazon Buyer Seller Messaging Opt Out

In May 2017, Amazon began allowing buyers to opt out of non-critical communication. By January 2018, this option was available to Amazon customers worldwide.

When the Amazon Buyer Seller Messaging opt out was introduced, some merchants worried that Amazon would no longer allow them to request seller feedback. In the end, it's clear that this was not the case. Amazon still permits sellers to ask for feedback. The only difference is that now buyers can choose to opt out of such solicitations.

In this post, we’ll take a closer look at buyer opt out and why it is actually a good thing for Amazon sellers.

What is Amazon Buyer Seller Messaging Opt Out?

The opt out is essentially a checkbox in the Communication Preferences > Email Preferences section of a buyer's Amazon account. They can change that preference either by going to Communication Preferences under their account, or by clicking on the sentence in the footer of all seller emails "To unsubscribe from unsolicited seller messages, please click here to set your Amazon email preferences. Keep in mind that sellers will no longer be able to make initial contact with you."

Buyers who choose to opt out of non-critical communication will still receive messages with information that is necessary for completing orders, such as product customization questions, issues with a shipping address or delivery scheduling. (See how to send critical information to opted-out buyers here. Do not abuse this by sending non-critical information.)

If you attempt to send an email to a buyer who has opted out, you will not be penalized. Amazon will block the message and you will receive a notification that the buyer has opted out.

How Does This Impact Amazon Seller Feedback Requests?

At first glance, Amazon's decision to provide a buyer opt-out option might seem scary - especially to third-party merchants who request feedback. What if every customer opted out? How will I still generate enough seller feedback for my business? These are the types of questions that many sellers are still asking.

The good news is that we’ve analyzed the opt out percentages for various sellers, and the vast majority of buyers have not opted out. If you’re a FeedbackFive customer, you can actually see your email open rates, which allows you to make sure that most buyers are still receiving your messages. If your open rates are lower than you would like, you can try A/B testing your subject lines to see which phrasing generates the most opens for your messages. Don’t just set it and forget it--continually test and optimize for the best results.

You Don't Want to Ask Opted Out Buyers for Feedback Anyway

Let's imagine for a moment that Amazon reversed its opt-out policy. Sure, the universe of buyers to ask for feedback would slightly increase once again. Yet, knowing what you know now, would you actually want to send solicitations to those customers?

I doubt it.

Remember, buyers who opt out do so for a reason. They're either too busy, their inbox is too full or they simply don't like communicating with sellers. Sending any type of email to this type of customer is unlikely to result in a favorable outcome for you. In fact, I could make the case that the opposite (i.e. negative feedback) is the more probable.

You're In the Business of Keeping People Happy

Think of the many times you've gone above and beyond just to make a single customer happy. You've issued refunds, sent replacement parts and answered countless buyer questions - all in the interest of ensuring satisfaction.

Although most customers appreciate the personal touch that you provide, some prefer to bypass the pleasantries. Amazon is actually helping sellers deliver a more enjoyable buying experience to that group of customers. Buyers can opt out of all "promotional emails" (including seller feedback emails) by clicking "do not send me any marketing email for now" within their account communication preferences. Checking this box will stop all non-critical emails, such as:

• Department-specific communications (there are dozens of department-specific emails)
• Customer surveys
• General offers
• News
• Seller communications
• ...and many others

Simply put, shoppers are in control of what communication they receive from sellers. In the long run, this will help sellers to better respect their clients' wishes, thereby reaffirming the commitment to satisfaction.

A Final Thought: Compliance is Key

With all of this being said about the merits of Amazon's opt-out program, it's still up to you to respect each customer's request. FeedbackFive makes it easy to comply - customers can forward (or auto forward) opt-out notifications to this inbox: optout@mail.feedbackfive.com. The customer will be added to a database, ensuring he or she will never receive an email from your FeedbackFive account.

As always, we are here to help you manage your Amazon reputation and ensure that you are compliant with Amazon's guidelines. If you have any questions about this policy or any others, contact our Customer Success team. We are always happy to help!

This post was originally published on May 17, 2017 and was updated in June 2019.