E-mail system, control method for e-mail system, relay device, program, and information storage medium

1. An e-mail system comprising a relay device for relaying an e-mail sent addressed to a user, wherein

the relay device comprises:

a first memory operable to store first program code;

at least one first processor operable to access said first memory and read said first program code and operate as instructed by said first program code,

said first program code comprises:

e-mail receiving code configured to cause at least one of said at least one first processor to receive an e-mail sent addressed to an alternative mail address of the user that is used instead of an actual mail address of the user so that the relay device receives the e-mail sent addressed to the alternative mail address of the user;

actual mail address obtaining code configured to cause at least one of said at least one first processor to obtain, in response to receiving the e-mail sent to the alternative mail address of the user, the actual mail address of the user, based on the alternative mail address and information on a correlation between the actual mail address of the user and the alternative mail address of the user; and

e-mail sending code configured to cause at least one of said at least one first processor to, in response to the actual mail address of the user being obtained, send the e-mail to the actual mail address of the user after setting a predetermined destination address managed by the e-mail system as a destination of a notice of failed delivery of the e-mail to the actual mail address,

the e-mail system further comprises:

a second memory operable to store second program code;

at least one second processor operable to access said second memory and read said second program code and operate as instructed by said second program code, and

one of said first program code or said second program code comprises:

undelivered mail data saving code configured to cause at least one of said at least one first processor or at least one of said at least one second processor to, in response to the notice of failed delivery of the e-mail sent addressed to the actual mail address of the user is received by the predetermined destination address, save the e-mail in an undelivered mail data storage as undelivered mail data;

user identification information obtaining code configured to cause at least one of said at least one first processor or at least one of said at least one second processor to, after the notice of failed delivery of the e-mail sent addressed to the actual mail address of the user is received by the predetermined destination address, obtain user identification information sent from a terminal device used by the user; and

undelivered mail data sending code configured to cause at least one of said at least one first processor or at least one of said at least one second processor to, in response to the user identification information being obtained from the terminal device, send the saved undelivered mail data to the terminal device based on the obtained user identification information.

2. The e-mail system according to claim 1 , wherein

the relay device relays an e-mail sent from a seller of a product or a provider of a service to the user;

the user identification information is identification information for use in identifying a user who buys the product or uses the service;

one of the first program code or the second program code includes code configured to cause at least one of said at least one first processor or at least one of said at least one second processor to obtain content stored in history data storage, the history data storage storing history data on history of purchase of the product or use of the service by the user, relevant to the user identification information, in correlation to the user identification information,

the history data includes data indicating the actual mail address of the user, which is used in the purchase of the product or the use of the service by the user,

the undelivered mail data includes data indicating the actual mail address of the user, which is a destination of the e-mail failed to be delivered, and

the undelivered mail data sending code includes

code configured to cause at least one of said at least one first processor or at least one of said at least one second processor to obtain the actual mail address of the user, which is used in the purchase of the product or the use of the service by the user relevant to the user identification information, based on the history data stored so as to be correlated to the obtained user identification information, and

code configured to cause at least one of said at least one first processor or at least one of said at least one second processor to send the undelivered mail data to the terminal device used by the user, the undelivered mail data being an e-mail sent addressed to the obtained actual mail address and failed to be delivered.

3. The e-mail system according to claim 1 , wherein

the relay device relays an e-mail sent from a seller of a product or a provider of a service to the user;

the user identification information is identification information for use in identifying a user who buys the product or uses the service;

the undelivered mail data saving code is further configured to cause at least one of said at least one first processor or at least one of said at least one second processor to store the e-mail failed to be delivered as the undelivered mail data so as to be correlated to the user identification information of the user in the undelivered mail data storage, in the case where the notice of failed delivery of the e-mail sent to the actual mail address of the user is received at the predetermined destination address, and

the undelivered mail data sending code is further configured to cause at least one of said at least one first processor or at least one of said at least one second processor to send the undelivered mail data stored so as to be correlated to the obtained user identification information to the terminal device.

4. The e-mail system according to claim 1 , wherein

the relay device relays an e-mail sent from a seller of a product or a provider of a service to the user;

the user identification information is identification information for use in identifying a user who buys the product or uses the service;

the undelivered mail data saving code is further configured to cause at least one of said at least one first processor or at least one of said at least one second processor to store data including a main text or a header of the e-mail failed to be delivered as the undelivered mail data in the undelivered mail data storage, in the case where the notice of failed delivery of the e-mail sent to the actual mail address of the user is received at the predetermined destination address,

the main text or the header of the e-mail failed to be delivered and included in the undelivered mail data stored in the undelivered mail data storage includes the user identification information of the user who is a destination of the e-mail, and

the undelivered mail data sending code includes

code configured to cause at least one of said at least one first processor or at least one of said at least one second processor to obtain the undelivered mail data, based on the obtained user identification information and the user identification information included in the main text or the header of the e-mail failed to be delivered and included in the undelivered mail data stored in the undelivered mail data storage, the undelivered mail data being the e-mail sent addressed to the actual mail address of the user relevant to the obtained user identification information and failed to be delivered, and

code configured to cause at least one of said at least one first processor or at least one of said at least one second processor to send the undelivered mail data obtained to the terminal device.

5. The e-mail system according to claim 1 , wherein

the undelivered mail data includes the actual mail address of the user which is a destination of the e-mail failed to be delivered,

one of the first program code or the second program code includes code configured to cause at least one of said at least one first processor or at least one of said at least one second processor to obtain content stored in storage for storing the actual mail address of the user relevant to the user identification information so as to be correlated to the user identification information,

the undelivered mail data sending code includes

code configured to cause at least one of said at least one first processor or at least one of said at least one second processor to obtain the actual mail address stored so as to be correlated to the obtained user identification information, and

code configured to cause at least one of said at least one first processor or at least one of said at least one second processor to send the undelivered mail data including the obtained actual mail address to the terminal device, and

the e-mail system comprises

code configured to cause at least one of said at least one first processor or at least one of said at least one second processor to change, in a case where the actual mail address of the user is changed from a first mail address to a second mail address, the actual mail address stored so as to be correlated to the user identification information of the user from the first mail address to the second mail address; and

code configured to cause at least one of said at least one first processor or at least one of said at least one second processor to change, in the case where the actual mail address of the user is changed from the first mail address to the second mail address, the actual mail address of the user included in the undelivered mail data stored in the undelivered mail data storage from the first mail address to the second mail address.

6. The e-mail system according to claim 1 , wherein

the undelivered mail data includes the actual mail address of the user which is a destination of the e-mail failed to be delivered,

the user identification information is the actual mail address of the user,

the user identification information obtaining code is further configured to cause at least one of said at least first one processor or at least one of said at least one second processor to obtain the actual mail address of the user sent from the terminal device as the user identification information,

the undelivered mail data sending code is further configured to cause at least one of said at least one first processor or at least one of said at least one second processor to send the undelivered mail data including the obtained actual mail address of the user to the terminal device, and

in a case where the actual mail address of the user is changed from a first mail address to a second mail address, the e-mail system changes the actual mail address of the user included in the undelivered mail data stored in the undelivered mail data storage from the first mail address to the second mail address.

7. The e-mail system according to claim 1 , wherein

the undelivered mail data includes the actual mail address of the user which is a destination of the e-mail failed to be delivered,

the user identification information is the alternative mail address of the user,

the user identification information obtaining code is further configured to cause at least one of said at least first one processor or at least one of said at least one second processor to obtain the alternative mail address of the user sent from the terminal device as the user identification information,

the undelivered mail data sending code includes

code configured to cause at least one of said at least first one processor or at least one of said at least one second processor to obtain the actual mail address of the user, based on the obtained alternative mail address of the user and the information on the correlation between the actual mail address and the alternative mail address, and

code configured to cause at least one of said at least one first processor or at least one of said at least one second processor to send the undelivered mail data including the obtained actual mail address of the user to the terminal device, and

in a case where the actual mail address of the user is changed from a first mail address to a second mail address, the e-mail system changes the actual mail address of the user included in the undelivered mail data stored in the undelivered mail data storage from the first mail address to the second mail address.

8. The e-mail system according to claim 1 , further comprising

performing code configured to cause at least one of said at least one first processor or at least one of said at least one second processor to performing, in the case where the notice of failed delivery of the e-mail sent addressed to the actual mail address of the user is received at the predetermined destination address, a notice to a sender of the e-mail.

9. The e-mail system according to claim 1 , wherein

the relay device relays an e-mail sent from a seller of a product or a provider of a service to the user, and relays an e-mail sent from the user to the seller or the provider,

the e-mail receiving code includes

code configured to cause at least one of said at least one first processor to receive an e-mail sent from the seller or the provider to the alternative mail address of the user; and

code configured to cause at least one of said at least one first processor to receive an e-mail sent from the user to an alternative mail address that is used instead of an actual mail address of the seller or the provider so that the relay device receives the e-mail sent to the seller or the provider,

the actual mail address obtaining code includes

code configured to cause at least one of said at least one first processor to obtain, in a case where the e-mail sent from the seller or the provider to the alternative mail address of the user is received, the actual mail address of the user, based on the alternative mail address and the information on the correlation between the actual mail address and the alternative mail address, and

code configured to cause at least one of said at least one first processor to obtain, in a case where the e-mail sent from the user to the alternative address of the seller or the provider is received, the actual mail address of the seller or the provider, based on the alternative mail address and the information on the correlation between the actual mail address and the alternative mail address, and

the e-mail sending code includes

first sending code configured to cause at least one of said at least one first processor to send, in the case where the e-mail sent from the seller or the provider to the alternative mail address of the user is received, the e-mail to the actual mail address of the user after setting a predetermined destination address as a destination of a notice of failed delivery, if caused, of the e-mail and setting the alternative mail address of the seller or the provider as a source or a reply destination of the e-mail, and

second sending code configured to cause at least one of said at least one first processor to send, in the case where the e-mail sent from the user to the alternative address of the seller or the provider is received, the e-mail to the actual mail address of the seller or the provider after setting the alternative mail address of the user as a source or a reply destination of the e-mail.

10. The e-mail system according to claim 9 , wherein

the user identification information is identification information for use in identifying a user who purchases the product or uses the service,

the first program code includes code is further configured to cause at least one of said at least one first processor to obtain content stored in history data storage for storing history data on history of purchase of the product or use of the service by the user relevant to the user identification information, so as to be correlated to the user identification information, and

the second sending code includes

information adding code configured to cause at least one of said at least one first processor to add, in the case where the e-mail sent from the user to the alternative address of the seller or the provider is received, information obtained based on the history data stored so as to be correlated to the user identification information of the user to a main text or a header of the e-mail, and

code configured to cause at least one of said at least one first processor to send the e-mail having the information added thereto to the actual mail address of the seller or the provider after setting the alternative mail address of the user as the source or the reply destination of the e-mail.

11. The e-mail system according to claim 1 , wherein

the predetermined destination address is managed by the relay device, and

the first program code includes the undelivered mail data saving code.

12. A control method for an e-mail system including a relay device, the relay device including at least one first processor, and the e-mail system further including at least one second processor, for relaying an e-mail sent addressed to a user, the control method comprising:

receiving, using at least one of said at least one first processor, by the relay device, an e-mail sent addressed to an alternative mail address of the user that is used instead of an actual mail address of the user so that the relay device receives the e-mail sent addressed to the alternative mail address of the user;

obtaining, using at least one of said at least one first processor, by the relay device, in response to receiving the e-mail sent to the alternative mail address of the user, the actual mail address of the user, based on the alternative mail address and information on a correlation between the actual mail address of the user and the alternative mail address of the user; and

sending, using at least one of said at least one first processor, by the relay device, in response to obtaining the actual mail address of the user, the e-mail to the actual mail address of the user after setting a predetermined destination address managed by the e-mail system as a destination of a notice of failed delivery to the actual mail address;

storing, using at least one of said at least one first processor or at least one of said at least one second processor, in response to the notice of failed delivery of the e-mail sent addressed to the actual mail address of the user is received by the predetermined destination address, the e-mail in an undelivered mail data storage means as undelivered mail data;

obtaining, using at least one of said at least one first processor or at least one of said at least one second processor, after the notice of failed delivery of the e-mail sent addressed to the actual mail address of the user is received by the predetermined destination address, user identification information sent from a terminal device used by the user; and

sending, using at least one of said at least one first processor or at least one of said at least one second processor, in response to the user identification information being obtained from the terminal device, the stored undelivered mail data to the terminal device based on the obtained user identification information.

13. The e-mail system according to claim 1 , wherein

the user identification information comprises log-in information to a website, and

the undelivered mail data sending code is configured to cause at least one of said at least one first processor or at least one of said at least one second processor to, in response to the log-in information being obtained from the terminal device, send the saved undelivered mail data to the terminal device through the website based on the obtained user identification information.

14. The e-mail system according to claim 13 , wherein the website is an e-commerce site.

15. A non-transitory computer readable information storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as a relay device for relaying an e-mail sent addressed to a user, the computer including at least one processor, the program for causing the computer to:

receive, using at least one of said at least one processor, an e-mail sent addressed to an alternative mail address of the user that is used instead of an actual mail address of the user so that the relay device receives the e-mail sent addressed to the alternative mail address of the user;

obtain, using at least one of said at least one processor, in response to receiving the mail sent to the alternative mail address of the user, the actual mail address of the user, based on the alternative mail address and information on correlation between the actual mail address of the user and the alternative mail address of the user;

send, using at least one of said at least one processor, in response to the actual mail address of the user being obtained, the e-mail to the actual mail address of the user after setting a predetermined destination address managed by the e-mail system as a destination of a notice of failed delivery of the e-mail to the actual mail address of the user;

save, using at least one of said at least one processor, in response to the notice of failed delivery of the e-mail sent addressed to the actual mail address of the user is received by the predetermined destination address, the e-mail in an undelivered mail data storage as undelivered mail data;

obtain, using at least one of said processor, after the notice of failed delivery of the e-mail sent addressed to the actual mail address of the user is received by the predetermined destination address, user identification information sent from a terminal device used by the user; and

send, using at least one of said at least one processor, in response to the user identification information being obtained from the terminal device, the saved undelivered mail data to the terminal device based on the obtained user identification information.