Skip to main content

Understanding Email Bounce Suspension and How to Prevent It

Email sending can be suspended if your account experiences a high hard bounce rate. Email providers and anti-spam networks keep a close eye on bounce rates, and high rates can lead to a suspension of your email sending capabilities, affecting your overall deliverability. Let's dive into what bounces are, what causes suspensions, and how you can prevent them.

What Are Bounces?​

A bounce happens when an email fails to be delivered or is rejected by the recipient's email provider. There are two types of bounces:

  • Hard Bounce: This occurs when an email address is invalid or does not exist.
  • Soft Bounce: This is a temporary issue, such as a full mailbox or the recipient's server being down.

What Causes an Account Suspension?​

If your bounce rate exceeds the industry threshold of 5%, Stack will temporarily suspend email sending for your account. A high bounce rate often indicates that emails are being sent to invalid addresses or that external spam filters are blocking your emails due to past sending behavior. Ideally, your bounce rate should be between 0% and 3%.

During a suspension, only email sending is disabled; all other features of Stack remain operational.

Duration of Email Sending Block​

Initially, email sending is blocked for 12 hours. You can resume sending by enabling email validation. If your account is suspended three times within seven days, email sending will be blocked indefinitely until email validation is activated.

Immediate Steps to Take​

If your account is suspended, you'll receive an email notification. Here's what you should do:

  • Clean Your Contacts: Use an email validation service to remove invalid or non-existent addresses.
  • Avoid Bulk Emails: Refrain from sending bulk communications or cold email campaigns until the issue is resolved.

Ignoring these steps may result in further restrictions on your email capabilities. If your complaint, unsubscribe, or hard bounce rates continue to rise, your account may face additional blocks.

Preventing Future Suspensions​

To ensure uninterrupted email sending, follow these best practices:

Email Best Practices​

  1. Email Validation: Validate all existing contacts before sending emails. This helps prevent emails from bouncing due to invalid addresses.

  2. Set Up a Dedicated Domain: Establish a dedicated sending domain to improve deliverability and maintain a professional image.

  3. Configure Sender Email: Ensure your sender email matches the dedicated domain you've set up. For example, if your domain is replies.yourcompany.com, your sender email should be sender_name@yourcompany.com.

  4. Schedule Emails in Small Batches: Avoid sending large volumes of emails at once. Instead, schedule them in smaller batches to reduce bounce rates.

  5. Set Up Double Opt-In: Implement a double opt-in process to ensure recipients consent to receive your emails. This can be done by adding a checkbox in your opt-in forms.

  6. Include Unsubscribe Links: Make sure every email contains an unsubscribe link to comply with regulations and maintain a healthy email list.

By following these guidelines, you can minimize the risk of email bounce suspensions and maintain a strong email delivery reputation with Stack.