Why do affiliate spammers use the 'report spam' button instead of an 'unsubscribe' link?

Email marketer from Example shares that spammers often replace unsubscribe with report spam to get around the fact that with affiliate marketing you are required to stop sending emails if they unsubscribe from an email list - also they may get potential customers who accidentally click report spam, meaning they can continue to try and sell to them.

Email marketer from Reddit explains that the logic is that because the affiliate doesn't own the product they are marketing if you unsubscribe then they have a legal requirement to ensure the other affiliate they are working with stops sending emails - therefore its simpler to just rely on the report spam as it avoids the obligation to remove the email.

Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum shares that spammers prioritize maximizing their reach over compliance with unsubscribe requests. By avoiding unsubscribe links, they ensure their messages continue reaching as many recipients as possible, regardless of user consent.

Email marketer from Anti-Spam Forum explains that the strategy of using the 'report spam' button over unsubscribes is to continue selling, even to those who don't want it, hoping for conversions no matter how low the success rate.

Email marketer from Email Geeks shares that replacing 'report spam' with 'unsubscribe' is an ethical and potentially ISP-encouraged practice. They've found adding the unsubscribe at the top decreases complaint rates overall.

Email marketer from Neil Patel's Blog explains that some spammers intentionally avoid using unsubscribe links. They do this to prevent the reduction of their mailing list size and continue sending unwanted emails to a larger audience, regardless of user preference.

Email marketer from Quora explains that using 'report spam' over an 'unsubscribe' is to continue building a list of potential targets. Since spammers often obtain emails through illicit means, they disregard user intent to maintain a high volume of addresses.

Email marketer from Email Marketing Tips Blog shares that spammers often intentionally omit unsubscribe options to keep their campaigns running longer. Unsubscribes would require them to clean their lists, and spammers want to avoid the extra effort so they focus on sending emails to as many addresses as possible.

Email marketer from a blog comments section shares that spammers are less concerned about brand damage and customer retention; their focus is on quick profits, making the 'report spam' button a calculated gamble to continue their operations.

Email marketer from LinkedIn shares that spammers use this tactic to test spam filters and to gauge the effectiveness of their tactics while avoiding direct consequences such as list cleaning or compliance.

Expert from Email Geeks explains that affiliates often don't include unsubscribe links to avoid the legal obligation to stop mailing. They use the 'report spam' button to reduce complaints to mailbox providers and create the illusion of wanted mail. Additionally, depending on their arrangement, they may even get paid for these 'report spam' events.

Expert from Word to the Wise explains that the report spam button is actually an attempt to get fewer complaints sent to the mailbox provider and make it look like their mail is wanted due to engagement. Also, depending on their arrangement, it may count as an event they get paid for.

Expert from Word to the Wise explains that affiliates don't use unsubscribe links because they are legally obligated to actually stop mailing folks. There are some that just move unsubs to different affiliate programs but it’s easier to leave the link off.

Documentation from Microsoft explains that some senders use the 'report spam' to bypass security measures like SPF and DKIM. By not using authentication protocols correctly they rely on high volume to bypass these, as their messages are more likely to land in the spam folder.

Documentation from Mailchimp explains that spammers often rely on the 'report spam' button due to the absence of legitimate unsubscribe mechanisms. When recipients mark messages as spam, it contributes to feedback loops, which provide mailbox providers with information about senders potentially engaging in undesirable practices. Spammers manipulate this feedback to gauge the impact of their activities.

Documentation from RFC explains that some spammers exploit the ambiguity in compliance regulations. Instead of implementing an unsubscribe link, which requires them to remove contacts, they use the 'report spam' button to misdirect or avoid compliance checks.

Documentation from Spamhaus explains that the 'report spam' button is used by spammers because it is a direct signal to mailbox providers about unwanted email. While legitimate senders aim to avoid spam reports, spammers use the 'report spam' button to test the limits of spam filters and gauge deliverability.

Documentation from ReturnPath explains that spammers abuse the 'report spam' button because it doesn’t necessarily stop their sending infrastructure. Instead, it helps them gauge the delivery path and optimize their sending techniques to evade detection.

Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools highlights that some spammers use the 'report spam' button to mask their reputation issues. By bypassing legitimate mechanisms like unsubscribe, they attempt to avoid accumulating negative reputation signals.