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No one would expect to walk down their local high street to be accosted by the butcher announcing a special offer on sausages. Why do people put up with online sellers both being intrusive and wasting precious time?

Just buy from the high street then if online shopping irritates you.
 
No one would expect to walk down their local high street to be accosted by the butcher announcing a special offer on sausages.
Of course one would!! Have you never seen a High Street with no advertising in shop windows or on 'A' boards on the pavement?

As far as 'promotional' e-mail is concerned you have been told on a number of occasions how to deal with it but you refuse to accept that you ought to handle it like everyone else - it's not [Spam] in any sense of the term ... and in any case what does it matter if your e-mail address is passed on to third parties? There can be many benefits (on both sides) to companies knowing what you are interested in - you could well be advised of some special price on something that you are currently looking for.

Axminster have never e-mailed me with offers even though I have used them (very satisfactorily) on many occasions.
Rutlands e-mail me on average 1¼ times a day and have done since 2015.
eBay e-mail me every time I even look at any item. Only yesterday I 'watched' an item just to keep the reference for comparison, within 15 minutes I had a discount offer which made the purchase beneficial.
CooksonGold e-mail me nearly every day.

None of these cause me any concern - I'm just better informed.
 
From an audio forum of which I am a member.

Axminster are a good reliable company and prices are fair, considering the range and services

Different people different opinions.
Sometimes the most vociferous on the internet are not the most representative.

Note - considering the range.

Comparing a one stop shop with one that only stocks 50 items is a little skewed.
 
This thread stared as an issue with Axminster service quality. I’m not sure why it developed into a rant about spam emails.
On the subject of service quality I have been using Axminster for many years and have had only one occasion to contact them about a problem when a grinder wheel broke up when I was doing the initial dressing after buying a new grinder. They not only replaced it immediately when I contacted them but upgraded it to a better quality wheel.
My feeling is that any company with the volume of trade of Axminster is bound to have occasional issues with service and people are more likely to air their grievances than advertise good service.
 
To those of you saying Axminster advertising emails are not spam the following definition was found on Google:-

noun: Spam

1. irrelevant or unsolicited messages sent over the internet, typically to a large number of users, for the purposes of advertising, phishing, spreading malware, etc.

I select one OR condition and one list item from above:- Spam is unsolicited messages sent over the internet, typically to a large number of users, for the purposes of advertising.
The output from Axminster is thus spam. QED

To those of you saying you like emails from Axminster, well, OK. And I am happy for you.
But at the dawn of the Internet age when we were starting to use computers, in the days of Amstrads and Ataris and Commodore PETs and Acorn Atoms and BBC Micros a number of people, far more intelligent than I, lobbied the European Parliament to have companies' use of our personal data controlled. So around 1986 the first Data Laws were enacted. Over the years the personal protections were enhanced and an over-arching Law calle the General Data Protection Regulations came into force around the middle of the last decade. 2016 to be precise.

It gave us prols choice.

You may choose how your data is used. You may choose to have all the data a company hold about you deleted forever.

If you choose to allow marketing emails to be sent to you, that is your prerogative. I think it silly, but accept you have a choice and a differing point of view from my own.

I always choose to opt out of any email contact after purchase. I do this at the instant I buy something; without fail; because I jealously guard my data. Please accept that I too am free to choose.

The problem with Axminster is that at the time purchase you are not presented with the ability to opt out, either from data sharing or from marketing emails. And that is simply against the law.

So if you want to play their game, feel free. I suppose you also like having adverts pushed through your mailbox with your post and then play the game picking up the dross and walking it to your waste bin. I asked the Post Office to stop posting adverting and they do. By all means waste your time glancing at email pings on your phone. Play their game and be a good little consumer. But allow me to opt-out, for the law allows it.

You may think this is a bit pointless and I am making a fuss. But let me recount an experience with Three, the telecom company. Three held my data; I had been a customer for some time pre-GDPR.
I hadn't realized I had allowed them permission to contact me. So one night at 1.30 am I was awoken by a phone call from a number I didn't recognize. This went on for four more nights; phone ringing; me being woken up; me declining the call. The problem is annoying for anyone at home but I was asleep in New Zealand. Now if any of you have been that far you'll know the jet-lag is horrible and when asleep the last thing you need to to be woken because it will take forever to get to sleep again. Finally I looked up the number via Google and saw it belonged to Three and they were ringing because I was costing them money with free roaming charges and they wanted to 'upgrade' my plan! That came from me being a nice, trusting, acquiescent type of guy; no longer.

Finally, I ask the rhetorical question, if Axminster cannot get the GDPR right what else are they getting wrong?
 
irrelevant or unsolicited messages sent over the internet, typically to a large number of users,
If they are connected with a recent purchase - they are NOT irrelevant.
If you haven't taken the opportunity to decline - they are NOT unsolicited.
They are to your address only - NOT to a large number of users.

NOT Spam - QED.
 
I switch my phone off at night.
Oh the luxury! Aged unwell relative prevented that.
If they are connected with a recent purchase - they are NOT irrelevant.
If you haven't taken the opportunity to decline - they are NOT unsolicited.
They are to your address only - NOT to a large number of users.
NOT Spam - QED.
Comprehension a little awry here; the whole point of my posts is that Axminster do not allow you to decline marketing emails at sign up or purchase of goods. And of course, Captain Obvious, timely emails sent as part of the order process are not spam; marketing and soliciting feedback emails are. Have I put that simply enough?
 
I see the emails from Axminster contain an unsubscribe link as well as a link to set marketing preferences,

As someone that often engages with IASME to get clients certified for Cyber Essentials, I don’t consider Axminster emails to be spam or in contravention of the current regs regarding GDPR.

Perhaps anyone that doesn’t like emails from companies should do a Subject Access Request, find what information they have and then, if no legitimate reason for holding your information, tell them it must be removed.

If you have ever traded with them, they will of course need to hold on to some of your information for 7 years for HMRC purposes.

Lots of companies are getting around the GDPR regs by claiming legitimate interest. So google a lathe, in your mailbox next day could be several emails from companies you have not given consent to. They can though claim ‘Legitimate Interest’ as they supply goods or services you have enquired about (This is why is use DuckDuckGo). HM Gov don’t allow certain departments to use google because of the amount of tracking google do.

But back to the main subject, and being someone that has used Axminster 3 or 4 times in as many weeks, can’t really fault them. Yes, stock levels could be better but then there are probably numerous world events that are all having varying degrees of influence from manufacturer, supply chain and distribution.

The fact I can’t go to my local store and browse has its positives. I have as much money at the end of the week now as I had at the start. Well almost, but buying mail order may mean the store fronts are no longer required. Be a great shame if it’s all on line in years to come.
 
Turning off third party cookies will stop Google or other marketing/advertising companies from tracking you across different websites.
 
Why not call them to order what you want, pay by card, politely refuse to provide an email address and get on with it? As much as things are now done through the internet, people forget that that the likes of Axminster still provide a telephone number for sales unlike a lot of other "modern" companies and also have stores that ordinarily you could walk into and pay by cash. As much as people moan about the prices of goods from Axminster, they have got a number of stores which will shut down if not used so enjoy what we have while we have it maybe?
 
The resistance to my point of view about Axminster shown in this thread is amazing. With some comments displaying an unwholesome personalization.
I really care not if people like Axminster and their spam - it takes all types. But, by the same token, I expect people to care not whether I dislike Axminster and no longer do business with them. Why are some folk so worked up?

I imagine, when I'm planning a project, that the outcome will be perfection. I suppose you do too. I strive to do the best possible work. I never do; but importantly I learn from my mistakes. I would have thought that Axminster, having learned of their mistaken interpretation of the GDPR would similarly 'strive to do better'. Alas no.

I can recommend these companies I have bought from and received good service in 2020

Elektrowerkzeug-Shop
FFX
N&B Tools
Healey's Tools
Kelvin Power Tools
Tools and Parts Direct
Top Dogs
Isaac Lord

It is not an exhaustive list.
 
To those of you saying Axminster advertising emails are not spam the following definition was found on Google:-

noun: Spam

1. irrelevant or unsolicited messages sent over the internet, typically to a large number of users, for the purposes of advertising, phishing, spreading malware, etc.

I select one OR condition and one list item from above:- Spam is unsolicited messages sent over the internet, typically to a large number of users, for the purposes of advertising.
The output from Axminster is thus spam. QED

To those of you saying you like emails from Axminster, well, OK. And I am happy for you.
But at the dawn of the Internet age when we were starting to use computers, in the days of Amstrads and Ataris and Commodore PETs and Acorn Atoms and BBC Micros a number of people, far more intelligent than I, lobbied the European Parliament to have companies' use of our personal data controlled. So around 1986 the first Data Laws were enacted. Over the years the personal protections were enhanced and an over-arching Law calle the General Data Protection Regulations came into force around the middle of the last decade. 2016 to be precise.

It gave us prols choice.

You may choose how your data is used. You may choose to have all the data a company hold about you deleted forever.

If you choose to allow marketing emails to be sent to you, that is your prerogative. I think it silly, but accept you have a choice and a differing point of view from my own.

I always choose to opt out of any email contact after purchase. I do this at the instant I buy something; without fail; because I jealously guard my data. Please accept that I too am free to choose.

The problem with Axminster is that at the time purchase you are not presented with the ability to opt out, either from data sharing or from marketing emails. And that is simply against the law.

So if you want to play their game, feel free. I suppose you also like having adverts pushed through your mailbox with your post and then play the game picking up the dross and walking it to your waste bin. I asked the Post Office to stop posting adverting and they do. By all means waste your time glancing at email pings on your phone. Play their game and be a good little consumer. But allow me to opt-out, for the law allows it.

You may think this is a bit pointless and I am making a fuss. But let me recount an experience with Three, the telecom company. Three held my data; I had been a customer for some time pre-GDPR.
I hadn't realized I had allowed them permission to contact me. So one night at 1.30 am I was awoken by a phone call from a number I didn't recognize. This went on for four more nights; phone ringing; me being woken up; me declining the call. The problem is annoying for anyone at home but I was asleep in New Zealand. Now if any of you have been that far you'll know the jet-lag is horrible and when asleep the last thing you need to to be woken because it will take forever to get to sleep again. Finally I looked up the number via Google and saw it belonged to Three and they were ringing because I was costing them money with free roaming charges and they wanted to 'upgrade' my plan! That came from me being a nice, trusting, acquiescent type of guy; no longer.

Finally, I ask the rhetorical question, if Axminster cannot get the GDPR right what else are they getting wrong?


I bet you are a wow at parties 🤣
 
Over the years I've spent two or three thousand pounds with Axminster Tools. On three occasions that I've had problems Axminster didn't want to know. Since then, where I can, I've spent my money with someone else.
 

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