Every promotional SMS that leaves iSend contains at its end the line "STOP SMS" with a short, personal opt-out link for the recipient. With one tap the recipient is removed from all your lists and their number goes into your account's blocklist, so that they never again receive a promotional message from you. Transactional messages, such as verification codes and order updates, continue to be delivered.
What it looks like on the phone
The message you wrote arrives as you wrote it, and two lines are added below it:
20% OFF ALL SHOES UNTIL SUNDAY. SEE THEM: ISEND.GR/X
STOP SMS: s.isend.gr/unsub/k7m2p
The link is different for each recipient. When they open it, they see a page with the sender's name and the confirmation that the opt-out is complete. They do not need to fill in anything.
This line counts toward the length of the message. The character counter in the campaign form already includes it, so what you see there is the real length. More in the article on characters per SMS.
When it is added and when it is not
The link is added automatically to every campaign message. It is not added in three cases:
- Birthday and name day wishes from the automations. They are a personal message, not advertising.
- Transactional messages, that is verification codes (OTP), order and shipping updates from the WooCommerce plugin, and API sends that have been flagged as transactional.
- Messages that already contain the "STOP SMS:" line, so that it is not inserted twice.
Removing the link from promotional messages is not an account option. Greek legislation on electronic communications requires an easy and free way to opt out in every promotional message, and this link is how iSend ensures it for all its customers.
What happens when the recipient opts out
- The contact gets the status "Unsubscribed" in all the groups of your account, not only in the one from which the message was sent.
- The number goes into the blocklist. This also blocks sends to the same number that do not go through a contact, for example a quick send or an API call.
- In subsequent campaigns the number is skipped before sending. In Reports it appears as "Unsubscribed" or "Blocked", with no credits charged.
- The opt-out applies to all members of your team who send from the same account.
If you later import the same number again from a file, the platform keeps it unsubscribed. The recipient's request is not cancelled by re-importing.
The STOP reply by SMS
The recipient can also opt out by replying STOP or ΣΤΟΠ (the Greek spelling) to the message, when the message was sent from a virtual number. Messages with an alphanumeric Sender ID, that is a name instead of a number, do not accept replies, and there the link is the only way.
The keyword is recognized anywhere within the reply, in lowercase or uppercase. The opt-out applies only to the sender of the last message that the number received, not to other businesses using iSend. The recipient receives an automatic confirmation that the opt-out is complete. If the number is not found in any list, they receive a corresponding informational message.
Which messages continue to be delivered
The opt-out concerns promotional communication. A customer who tapped STOP continues to receive:
- verification codes (OTP) for login or ordering,
- updates about their order and shipment from the WooCommerce plugin,
- messages you send through the API with the transactional message flag.
These messages do not require consent for advertising, because they concern a transaction that the recipient themselves requested. Do not use them for offers. A "your order has shipped, check out our new offers too" is advertising and violates the recipient's request.
Manual management
- In the Blocklist menu you see all the numbers that have opted out and you can add numbers by hand, for example when a customer asks for it by phone.
- Every contact group has a public opt-out form, where the recipient types their mobile number. Useful as a link on your website or in an email.
- If a customer opted out by mistake and wants to receive messages again, you remove the number from the blocklist and the customer signs up again on their own through the signup form, so that there is a newly recorded consent.
Frequently asked questions
Can I remove the STOP link from my messages?
Not from promotional ones. The link is the mandatory opt-out option required by law and it also protects your own Sender ID from complaints. It is not added to transactional messages and wishes.
Is the link charged as extra characters?
Yes, it counts toward the length of the message like any other character. The campaign counter includes it, so if it shows one part, the message will be sent as one part together with the link.
The customer tapped STOP by mistake. How do I restore them?
Remove the number from the blocklist in the platform menu. To get them back into the lists, ask them to sign up again through the signup form, so that their new consent is recorded with a date.