Email Address Already Exists when Adding or Editing Contacts

[IvanR]

I had two contacts that were same person but different email addresses  I deleted one to combine them.  Then your system would not let me change the email on the remaining contact to the correct email of the deleted contact, saying it still existed (even though I had deleted that record).  A search proved it didn't exist.

So now I am screwed.  Your system has a bug.  FIX IT so I can get my data correct.

I founded a software firm in 1981 that still exists today.  Do you test your software before releasing it on an unsuspecting user?

[IvanR]

Hi all. In order for us to fully investigate the issue, please comment on the post with the following information
 

• If you search for the previously deleted contact, do they appear as a result?
• If they do appear, can you update the contact's email/information?
• Are you able to add these contacts through the workaround of importing the contact from a file or by typing/pasting the contact for import? 

[Frankie_P]

Hi @IvanR thanks for sharing this feedback with us! We apologize you are unable to add this email address as easily as you should. Receiving this error message when trying to add a deleted contact address is a defect we are continuing to troubleshoot. In the meantime we suggest importing your contact through a file instead. Are you still unable to re-add this address through a file?

[VVTim]

I just had this same problem almost one year later so apparently this defect has not yet been fixed in Constant Contact? I had the same person listed twice with 2 different email addresses. The duplicate contact that I deleted was not assigned to any email lists (was created in 2015) and had not received any campaigns. Since there was no history there and there was in the other record, I decided to delete that contact. Of course, when I try to update the contact record that I kept for historical information with the email address from the record than had no history, it says that email is already in use. Are you saying I need to upload one contact through a file in order to bypass the error message of the email already in use? and then subsequently I end up losing all of the history I was trying to keep associated with that contact which has the older email address that the contact doesn't wish to use anymore? Can Constant Contact restore the one deleted record for me and I change the email address for that record and then delete it? Would that have been the way to solve this problem and avoid the 'that email record is already in use' error? What is your ETA on fixing this bug please?

[HeatherJ38]

Thank you for the workaround. I created an excel file with the contact email that add been deleted. Import worked fine and I deleted the one I was trying to edit. Losing the history is a bit of a pain - I wish there was a way to merge dupliates.

[WoolfInstitute]

I have the exact same problem. How is there no option to simply merge contacts?

[ChrisG980]

I have the same issue, and no matter if I try 2-3 days later the system stills recognizes the old contact even though I deleted it. Constant Contact, please take the time to acknowledge and take action in order for us to stay in contact with our clients. 

[Playmakers_Admin]

Same problem here. Multiple people have managed our account, so at some point the user's email may have been deleted. I now cannot add the email to the contact who still exists, but without an email address. I see from the above complaints that Constant Contact doesn't resolve customer's problems. Constant Contact doesn't care about its customers. Time to switch to.

[Frankie_P]

Hi @Playmakers_Admin

We apologize you are having this same experience with your contacts. This experience is not something all users are having and does need to be troubleshooted on a case by case basis. Are you able to add these contacts through the workaround of Importing the contact from a file or by typing/pasting the contact for import?

[Frankie_P]

Hi everyone. We're updating the status of this idea to more accurately reflect the status of the idea with our engineering team. We can't guarantee a commitment to deliver on the idea but should indicate some awareness that we have heard your feedback and are continuing to collect both requests along with use case examples. With that said, does the contact or contacts you're seeing the error with also does not come up when searching for it in your account? Are you able to add these contacts through the workaround of Importing the contact from a file or by typing/pasting the contact for import?

[Playmakers_Admin]

The workaround worked. Although it still gave me the error, I was able to get the address back into the contact. I could not search for the email address - it returned no result, but got the error when I tried to add it to the contact. Ultimately, the user had to re-subscribe. I am all set now, and will use the workaround in the future. My apologies for showing my irritation. It's a frustrating problem. 

[Frankie_P]

Hi @Playmakers_Admin

Thanks following up with us on this! We're happy to hear you were able to add your contact after all. We will also keep this thread open and reach back out when there are any further updates to be shared.