Ok on a more serious note, I agree 100% with what you said in the first post, about internet marketers doing the ‘need to do’ crap and not going that extra step to making an actual effort.

I for one had a few on going subscriptions here and there, most lifetime but some I get billed for monthly, some marketing related others monthly listing sites for some of my sites. Anyway, after reading your blog I went ahead and tested it out. I actually unsubscribed to one of the services I have been paying for, since back in 2001. $70 a month., so I’m a valuable client no doubt. guess what….

chirp chirp or whatever the hell crickets sound like here

Nothing. They let me go! I’m expecting them to bombard me with emails soon though (i hope) so as to feel loved and pay up again every month, because in truth I need their services But we’ll see, maybe they’ll find out and contact me, maybe they wont care, which will only prove your prev point even more.

Oh well, personally when my clients come to me and ask for traffic, pay me on a monthly basis, if someone dares unsubscribe, i’m at their doorstep with a baseball bat, simple as that.

Okay, after spending a significant amount of time reading though every single shed of “subscription relevant” information on the PayPal website, I’ve concluded that PayPal DOES send instant notifications to membership site owners. It is called IPN and, as you’ve probably figured out, it stands for Instant PayPal Notification.

The information delivered is so detailed I’m surprised they don’t have my son’s astrological sign included in the delivery options.

After I did that research, I got on the horn (read: IM) with some folks I know using PayPay to process subscription payments.

Here is the problem with the system: you have to manual open the email and record the personal information of the unsubscriber. I imagine there are scripts out there that can extract the info and automatically add it to a database though. But I’m not sure. Either way, the process can still be automated (in a sense.)

One option we came up with for automation is to set up the IPN to be automatically forwarded to a 24/7 outsourced customer service center. They are then responsible for send out the message you want to deliver. Hell, a lot of those services even have outbound calling option. So, you don’t even have to use email. Or, you could use a combination of email and live person.

Cost on this *should* still be insignificant when contrasted to the profits made from keeping a subscriber. It might take a while to average out the “Extended Customer Value” vs. “Attrition Mitigation Costs”, but I suspect it will ultimately prove profitable.

I’m sure there are other ways to make the process hands-free, too… if one bothers to invest the brain power required.

So, after all the research is said and done, my very broad finger pointing (used as context for discussing Points of Contact), was very likely justified.

okay, I’m done.

You mean to tell me that PayPal can notify ME in an instant, but doesn’t notify the site owner?

I haven’t used paypal as a merchant account, so I’m not familiar with the process (everything I’ve done has been affiliate - I just drove traffic.)

Well, shit. That throws a wrench in my whole post. Grrr.

Thanks for the heads up, Lisa.

I think I’ll leave the post up anyway, just to see how many people comment to tell me the same thing.

Cheers -
Lisa