Rules for bounces, removes

[Kino]

I have a list that I manage for a client. Over time a number of emails have collected on the bounce and remove lists. (I think that my database may have been set up before LM changed the way bounces and removes are handled).

Recently I found someone with an active email had been removed from the list. I know that spam filters can be a factor, as well as problems with full email accounts and other hosting problems on the recipient's end.

My client wants to know why an email gets bounced or removed. I don't have a satisfactory answer. Can someone explain why a subscriber is bounced, and why they are removed?

Note, I currently have a removal set to 3 bounced emails in 60 days. I turned this back from 90 days about a month ago. I've been running the list I mentioned for about 2 years.

Thanks!

K

[Kino]

Hello, Dean? I have a client wanting to know why some emails bounce and others don't. It would be a great help to have a layman's explanation as to why the emails bounce.

Thanks!

[DW]

I apologize for the delay.  You were right, users generally bounce for mailboxes being full, spam filters/bounces, blocks, etc.  Hosting problems are not always an issue.  Sometimes, if a delivery problem is suspected to be temporary, the mailer will keep trying for a few days before returning a bounce.

When you run a very large list you may run the risk of upsetting providers such as HotMail, AOL, and Yahoo by sending email to them too fast.  This is not easy to get around.  The best fix incorporates rotating IP addresses for each message.  You can apply to be whitelisted at AOL to ensure your messages get through.

http://postmaster.aol.com/faq/mailerfaq.html#whitelist

Hope that helps a little..