Hey @JohnnyDTucker! Welcome to the Klaviyo Community!  Here's how to handle the new email list with caution:

1. Compliance First: Sending emails to a purchased list can be risky.  CAN-SPAM (US) and GDPR (EU) regulations require prior opt-in consent.  A blast campaign could violate these regulations. 
2. Welcome Flow with Opt-in:  The best approach is to create a dedicated Welcome Flow in Klaviyo. This flow can:

• Explain the recent acquisition
• Highlight your brand value
• Clearly offer an opt-in option for your newsletters

This gives new contacts a chance to learn about your brand and choose to receive future communications. Klaviyo has a great resource on building Welcome Flows: Welcome Flow Article

3. Segmentation Power: If the competitor's email categories are available, consider segmenting the list based on those categories. This allows you to personalize the welcome flow and future communications for better engagement. Klaviyo offers a helpful guide on segmentation: Segmentation Article

By following these steps and ensuring compliance, you can effectively integrate the new email list into your Klaviyo strategy while building trust and avoiding legal issues.

@Sujal Thanks for the reply! Where I still have some confusion is the legal aspect. If our competitor’s subs aren’t automatically our subs via the purchase and merging in of the entire company, then how are we legally allowed to send them that first email even in a flow?

I don’t know if this makes any difference, but both ours and the competitor brand were very public with the transition on both email and socials.

Hey @JohnnyDTucker, Publicly announcing the acquisition on social media and email doesn't equate to automatic opt-in consent for the competitor's list. These regulations require explicit consent directly from the individual email address owners.

• Separate List: Consider keeping the list separate from your existing list until they opt-in through the welcome flow. This ensures compliance and allows for targeted communication specific to these new contacts.

The best course of action, as previously mentioned, is to create a dedicated Welcome Flow in Klaviyo. This flow should address the legal aspects and build trust with the new contacts:

1. Transparency: Clearly explain the recent acquisition and the transition of the competitor's email list.
2. Opt-in Opportunity: Provide a clear and easy-to-understand opt-in option within the flow. This allows the new contacts to choose whether they want to receive future communications from you.
3. Value Proposition: Highlight the value your brand offers and how it aligns with the competitor's brand (if relevant).

This Welcome Flow approach allows you to ethically reach out, explain the situation, and provide them with a clear choice to opt-in or unsubscribe.