Reminders are usually fine; anything that promotes makes it a marketing message

The rule

Only commercial messages are spam. ACMA's consumer page says messages that are appointment or payment reminders are generally not spam. But a message becomes commercial as soon as it promotes something, even if it's mostly factual.

What ACMA says, in short

• Reminders: appointment and payment reminders are generally not spam (ACMA, "Dealing with spam", updated 29 August 2025).
• Any promotion makes it commercial. If a message contains any promotional or sales content, it's commercial, even if its main purpose is factual (ACMA compliance report, April to June 2024).
• Links count. A link to commercial content makes the whole message commercial (same report).
• "Come back" messages are commercial. ACMA says messages trying to keep or win back customers who have cancelled are commercial and must comply.
• Asking for consent by text is itself a marketing message, and buying something once doesn't give inferred consent to marketing (ACMA, "Avoid sending spam").

ACMA content is published under CC BY 4.0.

What it means for your business

• Keep reminders purely factual. Put offers in separate marketing messages that have consent, your name and an unsubscribe.
• Win-back, recall offers and abandoned-cart nudges that link to buying are marketing messages. Treat them that way.

Used in

Cosmetics lesson 10. Physio lesson 06.