User-First Marketing Email Defaults | A Rare Example of Doing It Right

Finally, a Company Doing Email Defaults Right | A Case for Common Sense Privacy Preferences

It’s been years since I’ve seen a company implement email preferences in a way that actually respects the user. And yes, I say this often: I’d love for just one company to “get it right.” Today, I can finally highlight a concrete example without implying perfection anywhere else.

I was genuinely surprised, and pleasantly so, to see a company configure email defaults in a way that actually respects the user.

This simple, thoughtful default, enabling only essential service emails while leaving marketing options off, is a rare but welcome moment of common sense, user-first design.

Unique Features of This Article

What makes this article different:

Attention to User Intent: This is not a news item or a sponsored post. It is me writing about something that surprised me after 32 years in technology. This post analyzes the real-world implications of the difference a simple default setting change can make.
Practical Takeaways: Highlights what other organizations could learn and implement today.
Balanced Perspective: Notes the positive step without implying overall perfection.
Glossary and SEO Optimization: Makes the article accessible, informative, and search engine friendly.

The Situation | Customer Privacy Respected

In a major U.S. bank (J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.), I noticed something remarkable during account setup: the default email preferences were configured for customer clarity and sanity, not marketing leverage. Below is a list of the positive changes I observed.

Service Notifications are Enabled by Default

Service emails (account updates, notifications, essential communications) are enabled by default. They were set to email by default instead of text messaging. These choices demonstrate that Chase understands that financial matters do not require the customer to be on call 24 hours a day.

There was respect for communication preferences and boundaries, as well as a real understanding of what notifications customers would need. User Experience (UX) designers clearly spent time making sure they understood how to reduce friction in the online experience.

By contrast, most companies require users to turn these notifications on. They are almost always set defaults to text messages, rather than email.

Marketing and Sharing Are Disabled by Default

Almost every company I’ve seen defaults to “yes” for everything, forcing users to navigate opt-outs, complex menus, and confusing toggles.

However, Chase set all other marketing options, including special offers, points, perks, prizes, events, and partner promotions, to “no” by default.

There is an option to unsubscribe from all, leaving only essential service emails. However, it was already checked. For the first time in decades, customers do not have to unsubscribe from emails they never signed up for in the first place. Chase seems to have listened to customer feedback, but to have taken the rare step of acting on that customer feedback.

Language is Customized to the Customer

Even the language selection surprised me. English was already the default setting, no extra clicks required. It’s a small detail, but one of those rare moments where common sense actually shows up in the user experience. A reasonable language choice that matches the context without forcing the user to make a selection.

Yes, in most cases, our Internet browsers will handle the language with no issues. Nevertheless, choosing the correct default language setting is the digital equivalent of a hallmark of class. It’s like setting a card next to the customer’s plate at a fine dining establishment. Like the other design settings, it is a sign of respect for the customer.

Simple, well-thought-out defaults matter, and they’re shockingly rare. Their User Experience (UX) designers actually considered where people live and what language they most likely expect — no extra clicks, no unnecessary prompts, just a default that respects the user. It’s a small thing, but it’s genuinely nice to see.

Finally, a reasonable use for geolocation that does not violate privacy but instead enhances the user experience. This may seem like a small detail, but in practice, it’s a huge win for consumer experience and privacy.

Historical Perspective | Seeing Privacy-First User Design Ignored (and Rarely Implemented)

I’ve been observing these patterns for decades, often because people talk freely in front of me. One vivid memory: back in 2001, I was there when a development manager at American Express wisely instructed her development team not to embed tracking into cookies. A simple, user-first decision.

Fast forward to today, and you can see how far the industry drifted from that kind of thinking. Defaults that prioritize marketing over user intent became the norm. That’s why seeing a major bank like Chase implement service emails enabled by default, marketing opt-outs pre-selected, and privacy preferences respected is so striking.

It’s not novel in concept. The principles have been obvious to security and technology professionals for years, but execution is rare. Moments like this earn a nod in my “Doing It Right Award” series, because common sense, customer-first settings in practice are surprisingly uncommon.

Out of Dark Patterns in User Experience (UX) and into the Light of Good Customer Interaction

This may not sound groundbreaking, but for those of us who have navigated countless company websites over the years, it is. Almost every organization defaults to “yes” for everything, relying on opt-out mechanisms and hidden settings to manage consent. That means inbox clutter, increased phishing risk, and constant mental overhead for users.

What makes this approach so noteworthy is its simplicity and respect for the user. No tricks, no forced preferences, no dark-pattern labyrinths. Just a sensible default that prioritizes customer intent and clarity.

It’s the first time I’ve seen this level of thoughtful default implemented anywhere. I hope it becomes the baseline for other companies, because respectful, secure design like this shouldn’t be a rarity.

Why J.P. Morgan Chase’s Default User Settings Matter

Default settings are not just about convenience. They affect:

Privacy and Trust – Respecting user preferences by default protects sensitive information and reduces exposure.
Inbox Health – Fewer unnecessary emails mean less clutter, lower stress, and fewer opportunities for phishing attacks.
Operational Clarity – Clear defaults reduce questions, complaints, and follow-ups, letting systems and humans operate efficiently.
User Intent Alignment – Setting sane defaults ensures companies deliver what users actually want, without hidden assumptions.

Glossary

Checkbox Defaults: Pre-selected options on forms or account setups that determine initial user preferences.

Consumer Privacy: Protection of personal data and control over communication preferences.

Doing It Right Award: Conceptual recognition for companies implementing thoughtful, user-centric systems.

Marketing Opt-Out: Mechanism that allows users to decline promotional emails or communications.

Service Emails: Essential communications required for account maintenance, notifications, or legal compliance.

User Intent: The actual preference or desire of the end user, especially regarding communication and privacy.

Observations and Next Steps

While this is a positive step, it’s important to note:

I haven’t reviewed other companies’ account setups recently. It’s possible this behavior is more widespread than I know, or this bank may be a trailblazer.
The next step is to assess how far this trend extends, and how many other organizations have adopted similar user-first email defaults.

This article is a reminder that doing the right thing doesn’t require perfection — it starts with simple, thoughtful design choices that put the user first.

Privacy and User Experience by Choice, Not Legal Coercion

At first, I wondered whether or not there was a new privacy regulation I had somehow missed. Perhaps Chase was responding to that, but no. This was voluntary, thoughtful design, not the result of a freshly passed law.

That’s what makes it so striking:

It’s common sense executed well, not compliance-minimum thinking.
If defaults like this had existed from the beginning, users would have experienced less inbox clutter, fewer accidental consents, and generally more privacy-respecting interactions.
This kind of simple, human-centered design could have prevented countless small privacy headaches over the years — and likely reduced broader downstream problems for both consumers and companies.

Mutual Trust and Customer Care by Design

Default email settings matter. They impact privacy, trust, and operational efficiency. When a company sets sensible defaults — enabling only service emails and leaving marketing options off by default — it signals respect for the user and their business ecosystem.

This is one small, concrete step toward more consumer-friendly, thoughtful defaults, and it deserves recognition. Let’s hope it sparks a broader shift in the industry.

Doing It Right Award

I’ve often talked about the “Doing It Right Award | Recognition for the Unsung Heroes,” a conceptual recognition for companies that prioritize common sense, usability, and privacy over clever tricks or marketing games.

I like to think of J.P. Morgan Chase’s UX design decisions as a ‘Doing It Right Award’ moment. They set a clear, user-first choice that other organizations could adopt.

This bank’s default email setup is a worthy example. Again, this isn’t a blanket statement of perfection: every company has its challenges, and I haven’t done a full audit across the entire industry lately. But what I can say is: this is exactly the type of thoughtful, user-centric behavior I’d give a “Doing It Right” nod to.

Privacy respected is respect for both the consumer and all of their business partners. That principle matters just as much as efficiency or marketing reach.

In fact, many financial services and other organizations focus on a concept called “Know Your Customer (KYC).” However, I coined a term for what Chase did here: “Respect Your Customer (RYC).” Hoping to see this concept take the industry by Storm.

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