Know-How Exchange : E-Marketing

I did a quick Google and this is a thread I saw from a group, dated 1/22/04 so post CAN-SPAM.

"I just got a call from Michael at Omnipoint Marketing, who got my name off of Superpages and my number off my website. He was very determined to have me agree with him that what they do is NOT spam because "the people in their network have asked to receive the information." When I pointed out that the people had not asked to receive my information from ME, he said that people receiving my email would have requested info about what it is that I do. He glossed over the question essentially."

When I read things like this my CAN-SPAM radar goes into full alert. That was scrapping/harvesting without question.

I guess my first reaction when people ask about renting lists is why do you have to do this? This is potentially a very expensive business decision (CAN-SPAM violation fines)

Even casting the threat and worry of sleepless nights from CAN-SPAM violations aside, rented lists results are such that:

Open rates are horrible.

Reports as spam are very high (there goes your IP address getting blocked again).

Calls to action approach zero.

On the other hand, if you start an organic program now you can build a list very, very quickly.

Even with permission-based opt-in lists people are hitting that "report as spam" button like it is a slot machine.

All that aside, for whatever reason if you have to rent a list to obtain a database as quickly as possible, as Gerardodada says, PostMasterDirect.com is as far as I have ever heard as good and reputable as they come for that kind of information.

I hope that helps!