E-mailing Customers, is it spam?

I run a herbal online store. Whenever a visitor purchases a product from my site he becomes my customer. So am I allowed to email him once a week with useful tips or promotions and special offers? With an unsubscribe link at the bottom, if they don't wish to continue recieving they can easily unsubscribe but is this considered spam?

 

This isn't considered spam if they checked a box agreeing that they want to recieve these useful tips weekly

 

I'd say once a week is a bit often, but if they clicked a box saying they wanted the info, then sure you can send them info once a week.

 

If you let them know they where going to get weekly updates great, and If you offer a opt out link in the newsletter I don't see any problems with it.

 

You have to inform your customers about your newsletters and they have to agree to receive them. Buying from you doesn't mean you have the right to message them. Ask their permission.

 

I believe ( or have read that) by law you have the right to email clients and customers who have corresponded to you within a certain period of time. I think it was a year. I believe an opt out is required. I think it would be best to ask permission or get consent first as a common courtesy. Not certain about the accuracy of this info though...

 

Suprised noone has mentioned the CAN SPAM law... I would suggest you read up on the requirements to stay in the clear.

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/buspubs/canspam.shtm

 

If they gave their concent to receive promotional offers then, no its not considered spam.

 

There are three guidelines to follow:

1. You must have a previous relationship with them (i.e. they gave you their email address)
2. You must include a way for them to opt out
3. You must include a physical mailing address in the message

If you satisfy those three requirements, the message is not (by law, anyway) spam.

 

Once a week is too often.
Personally I would hate to receive that much emails and would consider this as spam.

email your customers once every month with some really useful info

 

Emailing offers to your own subscriber list is not spam. You can send them an email once or twice a month. And as you already mentioned, the unsubscribe option will always be there to allow the users to opt out.

Also, add a separate section for Newsletter subscription to your site home page and promote it. Someone who has not actually bought anything from your site might still be interested to receive special offers or newsletter from you, just because they liked the website. Also, you can redirect the customers to this subscribe page also once they make a purchase.

 

Once a week is too often, I think.
If you do include unsubscibe button, then it's ok, I believe.