Summary
The prevailing advice from experts, marketers, and technical documentation is to avoid storing emails in a bounce email inbox for any extended period. Modern email systems use automated bounce processing to manage delivery failures. Hard bounces should be removed immediately as they are undeliverable, and soft bounces may be retried briefly. If bounce data is stored for analysis, it should be kept for a short duration, ranging from a week to a maximum of 30 days, primarily for identifying trends and troubleshooting deliverability issues. Focus should be directed towards proactively managing and reducing bounce rates through cleaning lists and optimizing sending practices rather than long-term data retention.
Key findings
- Automated Processing: Modern systems automate bounce processing, often bypassing inboxes altogether.
- Hard Bounce Removal: Hard bounces are permanently undeliverable and should be removed immediately.
- Short-Term Analysis: Bounce data, if stored, is only valuable for a short period (1 week - 30 days) for analyzing deliverability issues.
- Log Lines Preference: Many providers offer log lines detailing delivery failures instead of generating actual bounce emails.
Key considerations
- Implement Automation: Implement automated systems for bounce handling to avoid manual intervention.
- Prioritize Analysis: If storing bounce data, focus on analyzing the reasons behind the bounces to improve sending practices.
- Proactive List Hygiene: Regularly clean email lists and optimize sending practices to minimize bounce rates.
- Adhere to Data Minimization: Avoid unnecessary data retention; purge bounce data after the analysis period to comply with data minimization principles.
What email marketers say
10 marketer opinions
Email marketers generally agree that storing emails in a bounce email inbox should be kept to a minimum. The consensus is that hard bounces should be removed immediately, while soft bounces might be retried for a short period. Analysis of bounce data for trends and troubleshooting is recommended for a short duration, generally ranging from one week to a maximum of 30 days. The focus should be on proactively managing and reducing bounce rates by cleaning email lists, optimizing sending practices, and addressing the underlying issues causing bounces, rather than long-term storage of the bounced messages themselves.
Key opinions
- Hard Bounce Removal: Hard bounces should be removed immediately as these addresses are invalid and will never be delivered.
- Soft Bounce Handling: Soft bounces can be retried for a limited period before being removed.
- Short Retention Period: If stored, bounce data is useful for only a short period (1-30 days) for analysis and troubleshooting.
- Automated Tools: Automated tools help manage bounces and keep email lists clean.
Key considerations
- Monitor Bounce Rate: Regularly monitor bounce rates to identify and address potential deliverability problems.
- Analyze Bounce Reasons: Analyze the reasons behind bounces to improve email list quality and sending practices.
- Proactive Management: Focus on proactive management and reducing bounce rates rather than long-term storage.
- Data Minimization: After the analysis period, purge bounce data to comply with data minimization principles.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Reddit recommends processing bounces daily or weekly. Hard bounces should be removed immediately, while soft bounces can be retried for a short period before being removed.
21 Jun 2021 - Reddit
Marketer view
Email marketer from EmailOctopus Blog suggests that you should monitor your bounce rate regularly and address any issues promptly. While they don't specify a retention period, they imply you shouldn't keep bounces indefinitely; address and remove them to maintain list health.
23 Feb 2023 - EmailOctopus Blog
What the experts say
4 expert opinions
Experts generally advise against storing emails in a bounce email inbox. Modern email systems typically use automated bounce processing, preventing bounces from ever reaching an inbox. Most providers reject emails at transaction time and provide log lines instead. Hard bounces should be removed immediately and not stored as they are undeliverable.
Key opinions
- Automated Processing: Bounces are typically handled by automated systems rather than stored in an inbox.
- Transactional Rejection: Many providers reject emails before delivery and provide log lines instead of bounces.
- Hard Bounce Removal: Hard bounces should be removed immediately as they are permanently undeliverable.
- Storage Not Needed: Bounced emails typically do not need to be stored, implying the use of immediate processing methods.
Key considerations
- Implement Automation: Implement automated bounce processing to handle bounces efficiently.
- Monitor Log Lines: Monitor log lines from providers for delivery failures instead of relying on bounce emails.
- Remove Hard Bounces: Ensure hard bounces are promptly removed from the mailing list to maintain list hygiene and sender reputation.
- Avoid Inboxes: Avoid directing bounces to inboxes, prioritizing automated handling and log monitoring instead.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks explains that most mailbox providers don't actively bounce mail, they reject it at transaction time, and they want the log line. They mention a few implementations translate every rejected message into a bounced email.
13 Apr 2023 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks explains that typically bounces would be sent to bounce processing automation and never hit the disk. Keeping copies in a mailbox for after-the-fact diagnostics is rare in normal use.
22 Apr 2023 - Email Geeks
What the documentation says
4 technical articles
Technical documentation from various sources emphasizes that bounced emails should be handled programmatically and not stored long-term in an inbox. The focus is on automating the processing of Delivery Status Notifications (DSNs) and analyzing bounce codes to address deliverability issues. These automated processes negate the need for manual intervention and prolonged storage of bounce messages.
Key findings
- Automated Handling: Bounced emails should be handled programmatically rather than manually.
- Short Retention: Long-term storage of bounced emails is not recommended; prioritize immediate analysis and action.
- Focus on DSNs: Emphasis is placed on processing Delivery Status Notifications (DSNs) to understand and resolve delivery failures.
- Bounce Code Analysis: Understanding bounce codes is crucial for improving email deliverability.
Key considerations
- Implement Automated Processes: Set up automated processes for managing bounces to maintain sender reputation.
- Utilize Bounce Reports: Leverage bounce reports to monitor and improve deliverability metrics.
- Analyze Root Causes: Focus on identifying and addressing the root causes of bounces.
- Avoid Manual Storage: Minimize or eliminate manual storage of bounced email messages; rely on automated handling.
Technical article
Documentation from MessageBird outlines the importance of understanding bounce codes to improve email deliverability. They highlight the need to analyze and address the root causes of bounces, rather than storing the bounces themselves for extended periods.
26 Oct 2021 - MessageBird
Technical article
Documentation from Microsoft states that Exchange Online handles bounces automatically. Admins can view bounce reports, but the system is designed to manage these failures, suggesting no need for prolonged manual storage of bounced messages.
9 Feb 2022 - Microsoft
Can a hard bounced email address become deliverable again, and under what circumstances?
Can 'invalid recipient' bounce messages be false positives and what should I do about it?
Do soft bounces affect email deliverability and sender reputation?
How are email bounce rates calculated and what is considered a good bounce rate?
How can I test bounce alerts and what are some example bounce email addresses?
How do bounces impact email deliverability and how can I minimize them?
