NICEVILLE, Fla. — A reader asks why companies seem to remove people from email lists so slowly, even though signing up is instant.
QUESTION:
Many times, when I request a company to delete me from their mailing list, I get a reply that says it will take anywhere from days to weeks for my request to be completed, and I should expect to continue to receive emails from them in the meantime. When I sign up, I am added to their list instantly, but it seems like being removed takes forever. Why doesn’t the magic of computers delete me from the list just as fast?
– Spouse P., Bluewater Bay, Florida
ANSWER:
I’m going to treat this as a continuation of your last question about unsubscribing from mailing lists (Geek Note: I.G.T.M. #923 – Mar 30, 2025). For readers who missed that one, it dealt with why clicking an “Unsubscribe” link in an email often results in a web form asking for your email address — even though the link came from an email sent to that exact address.
Of course, I can’t know with certainty how any specific company runs its marketing systems. But I can make a few educated guesses and maybe shift your thinking a bit along the way.
You said, “When I sign up, I am added to their list instantly.” But how do you know that? Do you actually start receiving emails immediately, or is that just the impression you get because they reply with something like “You’ve been successfully subscribed”? It’s likely the first email you get comes from the next scheduled batch run after you sign up — and likewise, the first one you don’t get after unsubscribing is also from the next batch run.
Unless you’re running two email accounts (one for subscribing, one as a control), it’s hard to prove how fast you’re truly added or removed.
Beyond that perception, companies are motivated to get people on their lists fast — it’s marketing, after all. But there’s little incentive for them to remove people quickly. If it happens eventually, that’s good enough for them. From their perspective, removing you means losing another opportunity to get their brand in front of a potential customer.
I’ve noticed the same thing when making purchases — especially online. My credit card is charged immediately (confirmed by real-time alerts to my phone or watch), but when I return something, I’m told, “You’ll see a refund in 5–7 days.” Why? Because the money is flowing in the wrong direction — from them to you — and that’s not good for business.
One last thought: when companies say it’ll take days or weeks to process an unsubscribe request, it’s likely legal self-protection. I’m a geek, not a lawyer, but we live in a very litigious society. We have national “Do Not Call” and anti-spam laws. If someone received another email after unsubscribing and the company had said “Done,” that could be used as grounds for legal action.
So instead, they say: “We’ve received your unsubscribe request. It will be processed in the next few days or weeks.” It’s safer for them — even if it feels slow to you.
To view additional content, comment on articles, or submit a question, visit my website at ItsGeekToMe.co (not .com!)
Jeff Werner, a software engineer based in Niceville, Florida, has been writing his popular “It’s Geek to Me” tech column since 2007. He shares his expertise to help readers solve everyday tech challenges.
