E-commerce
July 1, 2026
A customer may want to receive fewer emails while still staying informed about their order. The problem often stems from confusion between marketing emails, newsletters, commercial notifications, and transactional emails necessary for the service.
The chatbot must explain what can be deactivated, what remains mandatory to track an order or secure an account, and where to modify preferences. It must avoid promising a total unsubscription if certain communications are necessary.
This guide shows how to use an AI chatbot to make email preferences more understandable and reduce frustrations related to notifications.
Summary
Why do transactional emails cause confusion?
The customer often sees all of a brand\'s messages as advertising. However, an order confirmation, an invoice, a delivery update, or a security alert do not serve the same purpose as a newsletter.
The chatbot must therefore clarify the categories of messages. This distinction allows the customer to reduce unnecessary communications without losing essential information.
Managing email preferences well means respecting the customer\'s choice while keeping the messages indispensable for the smooth running of the service.
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Which categories should be distinguished?
The bot must distinguish marketing emails, newsletters, personalized offers, order confirmations, invoices, delivery tracking, returns, refunds, account alerts, and security messages.
It must also specify whether the preferences apply to the account, the email address, a country, a store, or a specific channel.
How do you explain what is mandatory?
Some emails are necessary to confirm an action, prove a payment, track a delivery, reset a password, or prevent suspicious activity. The chatbot must explain their utility in simple terms.
It must not say that the customer can opt out of everything if doing so would prevent them from receiving essential information about an ongoing order.
How to guide the modification of preferences?
The chatbot can direct users to the preference center, the customer account, or the unsubscribe link found in marketing emails. It must specify that some changes may take some time before they become visible.
If the customer uses multiple addresses, the bot must help them identify the one concerned by the received messages.
How to handle spam complaints?
If the customer feels they are receiving too many messages, the bot must check the email type, frequency, the address used, and the presence of marketing consent. It can also distinguish a legitimate email from a phishing attempt if the message appears suspicious.
The bot must transfer the case if the customer disputes a consent, reports an impersonation, or continues to receive marketing emails after unsubscribing.
Which flow to follow?
The flow must separate marketing choices and necessary messages.
Identify the type of email received, the address concerned, and the order or account context.
Explain whether the message is marketing, transactional, security, or service-related.
Guide towards unsubscription, preference center, or appropriate account setting.
Specify what will still be sent for orders, invoices, delivery, or security.
Forward consent disputes, phishing, address errors, and privacy requests.
Which messages should be used?
To clarify: "You can opt out of marketing emails, but messages related to an order or account security may still be necessary."
For guidance: "The unsubscribe link applies to commercial communications; invoices and delivery tracking follow different rules."
For security: "If this email seems suspicious to you, do not click on its links and forward it to support."
When to transfer?
Transfer is necessary if the customer disputes consent, reports phishing, still receives marketing after unsubscribing, requests proof of processing, or wants to exercise a right regarding their data.
The bot must transmit the concerned address, type of email, date, potential screenshot, requested preference, action already attempted, and the customer's concern.
Which KPIs should be monitored?
Track marketing unsubscribes, questions about transactional emails, spam complaints, phishing reports, updated preferences, and forwarded privacy requests.
This data shows whether communications are understood or if their frequency is causing mistrust.
Which mistakes should be avoided?
Avoid promising a complete email blackout, mixing marketing and transactional emails, ignoring a phishing risk, or making marketing unsubscription difficult to find.
The chatbot must respect the customer's choice while explaining indispensable messages.
How can Qstomy help?
Qstomy can connect the chatbot to communication preferences, AI transparency rules, the catalog, trial kits, proofs of trust, home trial orders, and support procedures to answer clearly, and then transfer sensitive cases with an actionable summary.
The chatbot helps the customer understand what is possible without inventing an unsubscription, proof, warranty, kit availability, or trial condition that still needs to be confirmed by a reliable source.
Explore AI support, AI sales agent or request a demo.
Key takeaways
Key Takeaways
Email preferences must distinguish between marketing, transactional, service, and security.
What the customer must understand
The customer must know what they can opt out of and which messages remain necessary for their orders or account.
The right boundary for the chatbot
The chatbot can guide simple settings, but it must hand over phishing, consent disputes, and privacy requests.
Enzo
July 1, 2026
