Email Preference Center Form

[Kevin_McMahon1]

Looking for some help for the best way to set up the form for a new email preference center.

My boss wants to lock down the email address field so it displays the person's email, but cannot be edited. This way people cannot change the email address and edit other peoples' subscription preferences and potentially opt someone else in w/o consent (she's thinking GDPR). However, I'm afraid by locking it down we are still susceptible to exactly this problem. Here's a screenshot of this part of our form:

I'm afraid this will present us with multiple problems.

1.) How do I ensure the correct email address for the person is displayed? Will the email address be the one the email was sent to or will it be the one last used to fill out a form on that device? I've tested and for me it seems like it's the email I last used for a form fill.

2.) If someone has an email forwarding rule set up, which email address will be shown: the one it was sent to, the one it was forwarded to, or the one last used to fill out a form?

3.) If person A forwards the email to person B and person B goes to unsubscribe from that email, will person A's email address be shown?

There seems to be quite a few use cases where the wrong email address can be displayed. Is it typically a best practice to have the email address show but have it as an editable field? Looking for some clever solutions you all have come up with!

[Grégoire_Miche2 · Accepted solution]

Hi Kevin,

1.) How do I ensure the correct email address for the person is displayed? Will the email address be the one the email was sent to or will it be the one last used to fill out a form on that device? I've tested and for me it seems like it's the email I last used for a form fill.

It depends on how you set it up. We usually use some JS to cleanse the cookie on page entry, so that the email address that corresponds to the email of the addressee. Then we lock down the email address so that it cannot be changed in the Preference center. We also add a button that can fire an email change process with validation of the new email address.

2.) If someone has an email forwarding rule set up, which email address will be shown: the one it was sent to, the one it was forwarded to, or the one last used to fill out a form?

If you enforce rule #1 above, there is nothing you can do about that, it will show the email address of the original email addressee. We usually add a "not me button" on the preference center so that the person the email was forwarded to can enter her own email address and receive an email, click in it an access the PC but with her email address.

3.) If person A forwards the email to person B and person B goes to unsubscribe from that email, will person A's email address be shown?

Depends on how you have set it up in #1 and #2 above. But their is a risk, indeed, and there is not much you can do about it.

-Greg

[SanfordWhiteman]

1.) How do I ensure the correct email address for the person is displayed? Will the email address be the one the email was sent to or will it be the one last used to fill out a form on that device? I've tested and for me it seems like it's the email I last used for a form fill.

It depends on how much you enhance the form with custom behaviors (i.e. JS). You can make the email address always be the person who clicked the link. By default, as you say, the last one to fill out the form, if any, will take precedence over the clicker.

2.) If someone has an email forwarding rule set up, which email address will be shown: the one it was sent to, the one it was forwarded to, or the one last used to fill out a form?

The form has no idea that the link was passed around. The link contains the information from the original Marketo recipients.

3.) If person A forwards the email to person B and person B goes to unsubscribe from that email, will person A's email address be shown?

Yes, same as in (2) because it's Person A's link. That's the way a personalized link must work. It has no idea who has copied and pasted it.

[Kevin_McMahon1]

Appreciate the help guys! I'm working with a developer today to make the coding changes so will let you know if I come across any other questions/issues.

[MarCarrillo]

Hi Kevin,

We're experiencing the same issue with the email address in our preference center. The last who filled out the form is the address that changes the value.

Can you explain or share with me how is the JS you implemented?

Thank you in advance.

[SanfordWhiteman]

Please open a new thread as this one is 4 years old. Include your exact situation + goals.