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frequently asked questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this service require a contract?

No contracts required and you can cancel at anytime. However, if you cancel, there is no refund for the prorated unused term.

Is there a setup fee?

No, there are no setup fees.

What happens after I place my order?

Once your order has been successfully placed after checkout your browser will be redirected to our Order Form where we will need additional information regarding access to your chosen domain's DNS panel to make the necessary DNS entries.

Each domain registrar has different methods of delegating management of the domain's DNS. Please check with your domain registrar's support or their knowledgebase for instructions on how to grant that access.

What payment methods do you accept?

We use Stripe and PayPal as our payment processing partners, which allows us to accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, JCB, Discover, and Diners Club.

Is there a limit to the number of subscribers I can add to my account?

No there are no limits. You can import as many subscribers as you have.

How long does it take for my account to get setup?

All accounts are setup manually so, for AltMailer and SMTP Relay accounts it may take up to 48 hours, depending on our workload. Dedicated email servers may take up to 72 hours due to the complexity of the setup.

Should I use a domain with a website on it already or a new domain?

It's recommended that you get a separate domain that is different from your primary domain, just in case you end up on blacklists. Having a domain on blacklists may cause problems with search engines and your SEO efforts.

Here are some suggestions for domain selection…
•If possible, you should NOT use a domain that’s being used for a money site in case you get blacklisted you wouldn’t want that to impact your SEO and the reputation of that website/domain.

•If you feel you need to use a branded domain, be sure to use a different TLD. For example, let’s say your primary branded domain is mycooldomain.com and you want to build your branding around that domain name then consider using something like mycooldomain.net or mycooldomain.org, etc.

•If at all possible, use a domain that’s at least one year old, but the older the better for reputation and delivery.

•It’s also best to use a .com, .net, or .org for better reputation and delivery.

Why aren't people getting my emails?

Unfortunately, no email service can guarantee 100% delivery. People change email addresses when they move or leave jobs, autoresponders are set up when people are on vacation and spam filters can block messages before they arrive based on spam trigger words and phrases in the subject and/or content.

Your message content and your relationship with your list (whether or not they whitelisted you in their email client) also have a lot to do with successful email delivery. With SMTP Depot's Email Marketing Platforms, you are able to see exactly who has opened which email over time and you should work on improving your open rates. Without these valuable reporting tools in our platforms, you'd never have any idea who is receiving your emails and how they are engaging with them.

Is there a delivery guarantee?

Unfortunately, no one can offer a delivery guarantee due to too many variables that go into email delivery. However, we will do our best to help you with any delivery issues you may experience.

What's the difference between a hard bounce and a soft bounce?

A hard bounce is an email message that has been returned to you because the recipient’s address is invalid. A hard bounce might occur because the domain name does not exist, the recipient is unknown, or there is a network problem on the recipient’s end.

A soft bounce is an email message that gets as far as the recipient’s mail server, but is bounced back before it reaches the recipient. One of the most common causes for a soft bounce is a full mailbox. This will happen A LOT with your subscribers who use free email services like Gmail, Yahoo Hotmail and others, because of their relatively low email storage quotas on free email accounts.

If I’m unhappy with the service, can I get a refund?

Because this is a service with ongoing overhead hard costs to us, there are no refunds. However, you can cancel at any time.

What behavior will get my account suspended?

Users may not:
Send email to a user who has requested removal at any time.
Attempt to hide or render in-operable the unsubscribe link.
 Violation of the CAN-SPAM act.
Using a deceptive, misleading, or unrelated subject line (click-bait).
Sending Unsolicited email (SPAM). You are allowed to send cold email marketing legally in the US, but your emails need to be CAN-SPAM act .
Sending malware, phishing, or any other illegal activities.

What content isn't allowed?

The SMTP Depot service may not be used to distribute any content that is

Pornographic (if you run an adult business no, graphic images allowed)
 Hateful and/or threating content
Sending Malware
Libelous content
Any content deemed illegal in your jurisdiction
In addition, the service may not be used to distribute the following types of content, due to their likelihood of creating delivery problems for our customers through higher than normal bounce rates, and complaints.

1. Escort/Prostitution solicitations
2. Any type of betting or handicapping service.
3. Any type of content that violates copyrights and DCMA.

What if my IP(s) get blacklisted?

If your IP(s) get on a blacklist we will notify you that your IP(s) are on whichever blacklist(s). You will have the option of ignoring it, request removal on your own or we can provide you with blacklisting removal services for $5/IP/Blacklist. Ex: you have one IP listed on 3 blacklists. We will send you an email informing you that your IP(s) are blacklisted and provide you with the IP blacklisted along with the name of the blacklist. At this time, you have 3 options:

Option 1: Ignore it and do nothing. Ignoring being blacklisted can have a MAJOR negative impact on email delivery.

Option 2: You can contact the blacklist(s) in question and request removal yourself.

Option 3: We will take care of removing your IP(s) from the blacklist for $5/IP/Blacklist(s). Blacklist removal can take up to a week or longer depending on the blacklist involved and their policies and there are no guarantees when it comes to delistings. If you have been repeatedly blacklisted by some blacklists your IPs/domain may become permanently blacklisted.

It is always best to try and stay off blacklist by practicing good email sending behaviors such as, only emailing people who have opted into your list. Double or confirmed opt-ins are always best practices. Do not scrape emails. If you purchase leads, please be sure to verify email addresses through a reputable verification service. Have an obvious unsubscribe link in each email and make sure all emails are CAN-SPAM compliant.