Opinion: Online Retailers Should Limit Post-Purchase Emails to Respect Customers' Time
In a Guardian opinion piece published on December 27, 2025, comedian and writer Athena Kugblenu criticizes the overwhelming number of post-purchase emails sent by online retailers, describing them as a form of harassment.
Kugblenu argues that online retailers should limit their communication to a maximum of two emails per purchase: one confirming the order and one notifying the customer of delivery. She uses satirical analogies related to in-store shopping to highlight the intrusiveness of various online marketing tactics.
The article points out specific marketing strategies that contribute to this intrusive experience, including basket reminders such as "Twenty-one other people have this in their basket too!", guest checkout prompts, post-purchase third-party cashback offers, requests to rate the service, and review prompts.
Kugblenu concludes with a plea for retailers to stop the relentless messaging and to respect customers' time, urging a more considerate approach to online shopping communication.
