I'm sure this [reporting spam rather than unsubscribing] happens all the time but it's sort of obnoxious if the email is legit and, especially, if it's a list you requested to get put on at some point.
If you got my email address because I applied for a job, then I do not want to be marketed to.
If you got my email address because I signed up for a service, then I do not want to be marketed to.
If you got my email address because I purchased something, then I do not want to be marketed to.
If you got my email address because someone else "legitimately" entered my email address into your field, then I do not want to be marketed to.
In short: your definition of "legit" likely does not meet my definition of legit. The only email that I deem to be legit is an email that:
1) is @from a domain name that I recognize (walk like a junk, talk like a junk, it's junk) 2) is @from the same domain name as the correspondent (no third party bulk email or proxies; eg mailchimp et al) 3) does not have a no-reply@ as the reply-to address (I must be able to talk to a human) 4) does not hyperlink to third party domains (from@domain must match hyperlinked domain text)
Any legitimate email outside of those parameters are specially treated with liberal amounts of filtering.
This is the nature of any relationship. You can't be ruthless in eliminating aspects you don't like, if you don't want to end it entirely because it's net positive.
You are incorrect and interpreting my comments very narrowly.
Doing specific business with somebody should not give that somebody carte blanch to use my email address for whatever reason they wish. I absolutely can be ruthless in eliminating aspects I don't like and if businesses don't like that: tough shit. My world doesn't revolve around your business. If that means that the business relationship ends right there, then I'm better off for it.
I know it sucks when an IP gets burned, but when you're acting in good faith it's a rarity - or has been in my experience.