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up vote 3 down vote favorite

Whenever I unsubscribe from a mailing list, I see that they say something like 'The change will take effect in 10 days/30 days/etc'. I would assume unsubscribing is just removing my email from some database. What is the idea behind making me wait so many days?

Edit: Since this question is close here as off-topic, I have opened it here in Superuser.

Closed in Superuser too. So rephrasing the question here.

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closed as off topic by FrustratedWithFormsDesigner, Anna Lear♦ Aug 2 '11 at 14:47

Questions on Programmers Stack Exchange are expected to relate to software development within the scope defined by the community. Consider editing the question or leaving comments for improvement if you believe the question can be reworded to fit within the scope. Read more about reopening questions here. If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
    
This is really not related to being a programmer. It would be better asked on superuser.com/questions –  FrustratedWithFormsDesigner Aug 2 '11 at 14:42
    
@Frustrated - it's not a suitable question for Super User. –  ChrisF♦ Aug 2 '11 at 14:47
    
@ChrisF: I think it would have been OK there, I've seen questions in a similar vein there. –  FrustratedWithFormsDesigner Aug 2 '11 at 14:48
1  
"just removing my email from some database" may be more complicated than the SQL query you're thinking about. A reason could be that those queries are resource hungry so they processed them in batches later dayly or weekly. but this is more for legal reasons I suppose. –  BiAiB Aug 2 '11 at 14:49
1  
Why don't you phrase the question as, "What programming issues require a delay in processing a request?" Email cancellation is one example. You may want to do this in a batch, so you're not processing this transaction every time some disgruntled user sends 5000 requests. –  JeffO Aug 2 '11 at 15:02

3 Answers 3

up vote 0 down vote

Why would they remove you imediatelly ? They're just losting money due to unsubscribing.

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This is really a comment, not an answer to the question. Please use "add comment" to leave feedback for the author. –  Dynamic Aug 17 '12 at 17:10
up vote 3 down vote

There are laws against them sending you unsolicited emails. All vendors are actually supposed to stop immediately (by that i mean about 24-48 hours) upon request of unsubscribing from there mailings. Many companies do not follow the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 but should. Just send there support an email that you unsubscribed and request that you be removed immediately or you will report them for abuse, they usually take that serious if there in the USA, and not so much if they are over seas. Final thought, most email clients or services can designate an email as spam and move it to the trash or junk mail folder if all else fails.

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up vote 1 down vote

The company sending you the spam doesn't really want you to unsubscribe so they are in no hurry. If on the other hand you wanted to give them some money for their product I bet it would not take 10 - 30 days.

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