Zakazukha Zoo

Should You Buy an Email List?

Pretty much every day someone sends me an unsolicited email message offering to sell me a large list of other people’s email addresses. This morning someone was offering a list of contacts for 18,000 Australian businesses. At first glance it actually doesn’t sound like such a bad idea - it’s free to send an email out and even if only 1% of people respond, that’s still 180 people who will reply. If only 10% of those people actually buy whatever it is I’m selling, that’s still 18 sales — more than I had before I sent the email. To a small business this type of offer doesn’t actually sound like such a bad idea

There are three very important reasons why it’s not a very good idea at all.

1. It’s illegal: when you get caught (not if: when) you’ll have to pay a hefty fine
2. It’s unethical: (although this might not be a problem for you)
3. You’ll piss people off: pissing people off isn’t a good way to start a business relationship

Even if you don’t care about the ethics and aren’t afraid to piss people off, you’re still likely to get a fine. The consequences just aren’t worth it. Don’t bother.