# Do you reply to an email that says "Thank you"? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 13, 2012, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-reply-to-an-email-that-says-thank-you/625058 "2012-06-13T20:14:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-reply-to-an-email-that-says-thank-you/625058/1 "2012-06-13T20:14:44Z")
I work in an IT department. We’ve just upgraded a major system and today, many people are having trouble logging in. Since I made the mistake of sending out the email letting people know that the system was available again, I’m getting the calls and emails from users that are having trouble. For the most part, I’m just resetting passwords. Easy peasy. Typically, someone will email me that they can’t logon. I change their password and tell them in my email what the new one is. They reply “Thank you”. I suppose that good manners would dictate that I reply with “You’re welcome” but it seems somewhat unnecessary to me. I wouldn’t expect a “You’re welcome” email if I had just sent a “Thank you” email but I freely admit that my manners aren’t always on par with the rest of society’s. Do you reply to “thank you’s” through email? Poll coming. ---
**Author:** ![Chopper9760](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cdc98d/32.png) [@Chopper9760](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chopper9760)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-reply-to-an-email-that-says-thank-you/625058/2 "2012-06-13T20:28:33Z")
I know it shouldn’t, but it kind of annoys me when people treat email as an instant messenger. ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-reply-to-an-email-that-says-thank-you/625058/3 "2012-06-13T20:29:58Z")
I do sometimes. (no poll choice) ---
**Author:** ![TheChileanBlob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thechileanblob/32/435_2.png) [@TheChileanBlob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheChileanBlob)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-reply-to-an-email-that-says-thank-you/625058/4 "2012-06-13T20:31:35Z")
I wouldn’t reply if the email was a simple “thank you.” If it was something like “Wow, thank you so much for helping me out, you’re a lifesaver!” then I’d reply “No problem, happy to help out.” or something. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-reply-to-an-email-that-says-thank-you/625058/5 "2012-06-13T20:35:59Z")
> [@campp](#): > > I do sometimes. (no poll choice) This. If it was for something I want to try to make sure happens again, I will. If it was for something I don’t care about, I’ll let it go at that. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-reply-to-an-email-that-says-thank-you/625058/6 "2012-06-13T20:39:41Z")
No. A “you’re welcome” email too often leads to a “no problem!” reply which begs a “no, really, you are welcome” response. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-reply-to-an-email-that-says-thank-you/625058/7 "2012-06-13T21:01:08Z")
I treat it like any other thank-you note, which is to say that no response is necessary. However, if this is someone I know well and the “thank you” is part of a more involved conversation I might respond. ---
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-reply-to-an-email-that-says-thank-you/625058/8 "2012-06-13T21:10:23Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > No. A “you’re welcome” email too often leads to a “no problem!” reply which begs a “no, really, you are welcome” response. It was no trouble at all though. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-reply-to-an-email-that-says-thank-you/625058/9 "2012-06-13T22:42:13Z")
I do tech support, sort of (for one piece of software and one website). Not only do I _not_ reply to thank you e-mails, I sometimes get irrationally annoyed by people e-mailing me just to say thanks when I’m busy. ---
**Author:** ![iftheresaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecae2f/32.png) [@iftheresaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iftheresaway)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-reply-to-an-email-that-says-thank-you/625058/10 "2012-06-13T22:46:42Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > I do tech support, sort of (for one piece of software and one website). Not only do I _not_ reply to thank you e-mails, I sometimes get irrationally annoyed by people e-mailing me just to say thanks when I’m busy. If I can offer a brief defense on behalf of the “thank you” email-senders of the world, I view it as basically a nice way to let you know that he issue has been resolved and no longer needs your attention. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2012, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-reply-to-an-email-that-says-thank-you/625058/11 "2012-06-14T02:34:53Z")
> [@iftheresaway](#): > > If I can offer a brief defense on behalf of the “thank you” email-senders of the world, I view it as basically a nice way to let you know that he issue has been resolved and no longer needs your attention. I did say irrationally. But a thanks later in the day, rather than during the two hour block when 200 people are supposed to be watching a pre-recorded lecture all at the same time, would be a lot more welcomed as I try to help other people having issues with the video. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2012, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-reply-to-an-email-that-says-thank-you/625058/12 "2012-06-14T03:03:36Z")
Gah! I can’t believe I put “your welcome” in the poll question. I’m so embarrassed. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2012, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-reply-to-an-email-that-says-thank-you/625058/13 "2012-06-14T04:42:10Z")
Is emailing plaintext passwords an IT best practice? O\_o \*My \*company doesn’t even do that, and our IT department isn’t all that great. Anyway no, I don’t send you’re welcome emails at work. But I do for friends and family. ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2012, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-reply-to-an-email-that-says-thank-you/625058/14 "2012-06-14T06:01:55Z")
Replying to those emails reminds me of a 3-way handshake. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2012, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-reply-to-an-email-that-says-thank-you/625058/15 "2012-06-14T08:34:25Z")
When I thank people or reply to a “thank you” I always use the eom (end of message) before the subject so they know that they don’t have to open the email. So if someone does something I’ve asked my thanks looks like > [@](#): > > Subject: Thanks! (eom) – re: Server down If someone has thanks me and I think I should reply, I do the same. That usually ends the exchange. ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2012, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-reply-to-an-email-that-says-thank-you/625058/16 "2012-06-14T08:40:59Z")
> [@TheChileanBlob](#): > > I wouldn’t reply if the email was a simple “thank you.” > If it was something like “Wow, thank you so much for helping me out, you’re a lifesaver!” then I’d reply “No problem, happy to help out.” or something. Yep, same here. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2012, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-reply-to-an-email-that-says-thank-you/625058/17 "2012-06-14T09:35:00Z")
99.999999% of the time no: if I do, it’s because I have to say something else than “you’re welcome”. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2012, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-reply-to-an-email-that-says-thank-you/625058/18 "2012-06-14T10:47:53Z")
> [@TokyoPlayer](#): > > When I thank people or reply to a “thank you” I always use the eom (end of message) before the subject so they know that they don’t have to open the email. I would not know what that means, and I’d open the email. I very rarely send a “you’re welcome” email. There’s no point, really. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2012, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-reply-to-an-email-that-says-thank-you/625058/19 "2012-06-14T11:02:38Z")
“Thank you” in general can be a pain in the ass. I do something nice for someone. They send me a thank you card with a gift card inside. Cool. Should be end of story. But apparently I’m supposed to send them a thank you for their thank you? I sometimes will get a note, “just wanted to check and make sure you received blah blah”. Umm, if I have to thank you for thanking me I’d just as soon we skipped the first thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2012, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-reply-to-an-email-that-says-thank-you/625058/20 "2012-06-14T12:37:27Z")
> [@rachelellogram](#): > > Is emailing plaintext passwords an IT best practice? O\_o \*My \*company doesn’t even do that, and our IT department isn’t all that great. No, it’s not. But in our defense, we do lots of things poorly. We do, at least, make the users change their passwords after they log back on. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-reply-to-an-email-that-says-thank-you/625058.md?page=2)