When you order a gift for someone, it's always disappointing if they discover what they're receiving ahead of time. This must have been a problem for L.L.Bean customers who share email accounts with loved ones, because the "Tracking Your Order" FAQ page at its website has quite an interesting recommendation for people with a shared email account: "Although the [confirmation] email begins with a notice that it might contain gift information, you still might want to alert the gift recipient not to open email from L.L.Bean."
The warnings don't stop there. An email confirmation comes with the subject line "Your L.L.Bean Order (Might Contain Gift Information)" and a prominent header that reads, "PLEASE NOTE: The following message might contain details about gifts from L.L.Bean. If you share this email address and have not recently placed an order with us, please do not read on. We don't want to spoil a surprise." In other words, if you're not expecting an order confirmation from L.L.Bean, this isn't for you.
It's worth remembering that some of your customers might share an email address with someone else—and forget that a detailed order confirmation will spell it all out for an unsuspecting loved one.
The Po!nt: Include that "spoiler alert." Customers who share email addresses will appreciate the heads-up; those who don't will be reminded to think of your company the next time they buy a gift.
Source: L.L.Bean. Read the full page here.
by Christina "CK" Kerley
Comments
by Williams Ford Tue Jun 2, 2009
People who share email address and forward messages from their contacts make up a unique community. I see it as a market ripe for the picking but should be exploited with caution. Thanks for the heads up.
Williams Ford, President
WGF Enterprises, Inc.
wgfenterprises.com/1SourceBlog