I have been having a lot of trouble with Mail Chimp over the last few weeks and it is because of people who come to my site and enter contests. As you can see above, my entry form has an OPTIONAL way to subscribe to my newsletter. Many of you (thousands of you in fact) over the last few months have OPTED IN to receive my newsletter. Two weeks ago, I filtered through all the spreadsheets and uploaded all those people who said they wanted to receive LATB information to my Mail Chimp account.
The next day HUNDREDS of people marked the newsletter as spam. EVEN THOUGH THEY OPTED IN. My account has been shut down. This is completely unfair. I spend countless hours putting together these contests and now I am being penalized because a group of people forgot that they OPTED IN for my newsletter.
I don’t have a regular job. This is it for me. This is how we have heat and put food on the table and now a portion of my marketing has been shut down. I am currently trying to convince MailChimp that I am LEGIT and that these emails were not bought by a third company.
This is a big deal.
I almost never want to do a contest again because of what is happening right now. It is unbelievable and I am so UPSET. If you opted in for my newsletter through one of my contests and you no longer want to receive it – please just unsubscribe. Don’t spam me. I am not spam. I am not randomly getting your email. You have told me that you allowed me to send you newsletters. That isn’t spam. Please this is a big deal for me.
Thank you for understanding.
Vera Sweeney is a mom of two beautiful children and the founder of 
at 7:45 am
That’s awful!!! Hope it all gets worked out. I really like your blog. So troubling to hear this happened to you
at 8:14 am
So sad, you have my email here- let me know if I can do anything to help..I love your newsletters and blog and do understand its income. I don’t know how to help, but am here if you need it.
Can we sign something for mailchimp?
at 10:07 am
Good grief what is with people! I hope this get resolved quickly! Love your blog! Let us know what we can do to help!
at 12:14 pm
I can’t believe that happened to you! I am so sorry.
at 3:21 pm
I feel sooo bad this happened to you. my gosh why are ppl entering but not subscribing? is there a way you can do a petition and have your subscriber sign it?
at 9:35 pm
Oh no! I hope it gets resolved.
at 4:18 am
I opted in to your emails and that is how I was able to read this! I am so sorry this is happening to you and I agree it is completely unfair! Is there any other carriers that you could possibly go with? Is there something we can sign saying we confirmed our opt-in with your newsletter?
I don’t have a job either right now and considered blogging, but your issue…. well, now I don’t know. You have put so much time into this just to have people crap out on you.
(((HUGS)))
at 4:18 am
So sorry you are having to deal with this, and like the others above, if there is a way we can help, let us know. I never understood flakey people…hope it gets fixed soon!
at 5:20 am
I don’t remember every opting in for your newsletter BUT that only means I DON’T REMEMBER – LOL – I to a lot of surfer so I may have entered a contest. But I always use the “unsubscribe” button first; I give it 2 wks tops and then I hit “spam”. So I’m going to “unsubscribe” and I’m sorry this has happened to you – I feel your pain; TRUST ME – I feel your pain.
at 6:32 am
Is there some way we can contact mailchimp on your behalf?
at 7:50 am
I understand how that can happen. Looking at your contest form, the words that stick out are “Never miss a giveaway again!”. This is what folks see and opt in to receive notification of only giveaways. When they receive an email from someone they haven’t heard of before (new to your site, etc) and it doesn’t mention the giveaways they signed up for, they spam you. I am new to your blogs and looking forward to hearing from you. Best wishes to your quests.
at 11:38 am
Yikes!!! I get how that would get you upset. If you need us to sign a virtual petition or email someone then let us know
at 1:48 pm
I’m so sorry this happened to you. Let us know if Mailchimp needs prove from us.
at 7:17 pm
Bummer!! I know I’ve thought in the past that I had asked to be subscribed but this was the first time I’ve received anything.. I didn’t/won’t mark you as spam!! Hope it gets resolved.
at 7:28 pm
what a mess. sincerely hope that it gets straightened out with mail chimp. The thing that jumps out at me – you mentioned waiting months to filter out and activate the subscriptions. I can totally understand people not remembering they requested the subscription. Those blogs who do not automate their subscriptions, process the requests as quickly as possible. There are just so many blogs out there, the names and promotions run together.
at 8:10 am
/ That’s really nice of you guys to dnaote a couple of games for charity. I wish I could pitch in, though I doubt it would reach them. Praying is pretty much the best thing I can do right now.
at 10:31 am
Hope things are better today. I know you are frustrated but please, could I offer a suggestion? Put your blog name as sender instead of Vera Sweeney.
When I screened thru my inbox this morning, there were 6 messages from first name/last name females and 5 of them were most definitely spam. The 6th was yours. When your newsletter first arrived, I have connections with 2 other Vera’s who blog so I definitely opened the message. Some would not take the risk and that full name is seldom seen except for spam. A few blogs use ‘Updates from Vera or Sue’ but most use the Blog title for sender. I like that your subject line relates to update material. Your readers also have limited time and we really appreciate getting a headsup if the new thread we want to read but can put off until the kiddo gets put to bed. (hugs)