Summary
SenderScore may display inaccurate or low scores for a range of reasons, often stemming from the underlying data it utilizes and its proprietary nature. A common factor is insufficient or inconsistent sending volume, or the use of new IP addresses, which prevents the system from establishing a stable reputation. Since SenderScore relies on data from Return Path's specific network, it might not always accurately reflect your deliverability across all ISPs, especially if your primary audience isn't heavily represented in their data. Furthermore, recent or ongoing issues with specific data feeds, such as those experienced with Comcast, can significantly skew scores due to their weighting. Other contributing factors include the negative practices of other senders on a shared IP address, and directly impactful metrics like high bounce rates, spam complaints, or spam trap hits. It's important to recognize that SenderScore is just one diagnostic tool, and its insights should be combined with other deliverability metrics for a comprehensive understanding of your email program's health.
Key findings
- Low Volume Instability: Insufficient sending volume, the use of new IP addresses, or inconsistent sending patterns can lead to unstable, inaccurate, or 'not enough data' SenderScores because there isn't enough historical data to establish a consistent reputation.
- Proprietary Network Limitations: SenderScore is a proprietary metric derived from Return Path's specific data network. This means it may not accurately represent your actual recipient base or all ISPs, potentially leading to scores that don't fully reflect your true deliverability.
- Weighted Averages & Lag: The score is based on a rolling 30-day average of various metrics. Consequently, recent improvements in your sending practices might not be immediately reflected, and issues can take time to recover from, causing the score to appear 'stuck' or inaccurate.
- External Data Feed Issues: Temporary problems with specific data feeds, such as recent catch-ups and backfills from Comcast, can significantly impact SenderScore due to the heavy weighting of certain data sources, leading to erratic or unexpectedly low scores.
- Shared IP Influence: If you are using a shared IP address, the poor sending practices of other senders on that same IP can negatively affect your SenderScore, even if your own email sending adheres to best practices.
- Negative Sending Metrics: High bounce rates, elevated spam complaints, hitting spam traps, a high rate of unknown users, or sudden spikes in sending volume can directly contribute to a lower or inaccurate SenderScore.
Key considerations
- Holistic Deliverability View: Avoid over-relying on SenderScore as a sole indicator. It's crucial to monitor a broader set of metrics including bounce rates, complaint rates, engagement, and direct feedback from major ISPs to gain a comprehensive understanding of your email deliverability status.
- Granular Issue Diagnosis: SenderScore provides a summary but often lacks the specific, granular details needed to diagnose the root cause of deliverability issues. It's essential to delve into underlying sending metrics to pinpoint and address problems effectively.
- Contextual Interpretation: A low SenderScore does not always directly correlate with poor deliverability, as not all ISPs heavily rely on this specific metric. Conversely, a high score does not guarantee optimal deliverability across all mailbox providers.
- Volume and IP Management: To ensure a stable and accurate SenderScore, maintain consistent and sufficient sending volumes. New IP addresses will naturally start with a low or neutral score and require time and consistent good sending practices to build a positive reputation.
What email marketers say
12 marketer opinions
Several factors contribute to instances where SenderScore may appear inaccurate or unexpectedly low, with many issues tied to the nature of its data collection and the dynamics of email sending. Problems can arise from temporary disruptions in key data feeds, such as those from major ISPs, which are heavily weighted in the score's calculation. Furthermore, since SenderScore is a proprietary metric based on Return Path's network, it might not always accurately reflect a sender's true deliverability across all recipient bases. Factors specific to the sender also play a role, including new or low-volume IP addresses, inconsistent sending patterns, and the negative influence of other senders on shared IP addresses. Critically, SenderScore is a historical metric, usually based on a 30-day average, meaning improvements take time to reflect, and underlying issues like high bounce rates or spam complaints directly impact the score. Therefore, it's essential to view SenderScore as one diagnostic tool among many, integrating its insights with a broader set of deliverability metrics for a comprehensive understanding of email program health.
Key opinions
- Data Feed Disruptions: Issues with specific data inputs, such as those from major ISPs like Comcast, can cause significant and erratic fluctuations in SenderScore due to their heavy weighting.
- Network-Specific Metrics: As a proprietary metric of Return Path, SenderScore's data may not fully align with the diverse recipient bases of all senders, potentially leading to discrepancies in reported reputation.
- Sending Volume & IP Maturity: Insufficient or inconsistent email volumes, as well as the use of new IP addresses, can result in unstable or unrepresentative SenderScores due to a lack of sufficient historical data.
- Shared IP Reputation Impact: Senders utilizing shared IP addresses may see their SenderScore negatively affected by the poor sending practices of other users on the same IP.
- Lag in Reporting: SenderScore is based on a rolling average over a specific period, typically 30 days, meaning that recent improvements or issues may not be immediately reflected, causing an apparent lag in accuracy.
- Underlying Negative Metrics: High rates of bounces, spam complaints, and hits on spam traps, or sudden spikes in sending volume, are direct contributors to a lower or inaccurate SenderScore.
Key considerations
- Beyond SenderScore: Relying solely on SenderScore can be misleading; integrate its data with other vital metrics like bounce rates, complaint rates, and engagement data for a more complete understanding of email health.
- Understanding Score Limitations: Recognize that SenderScore is a summary metric that doesn't detail specific issues, and its relevance can vary since not all ISPs heavily prioritize it in their filtering decisions.
- Strategic IP and Volume Management: New IP addresses require time and consistent, good sending practices to build a positive reputation, and maintaining consistent sending volumes helps stabilize your SenderScore.
- Proactive Issue Investigation: If your SenderScore drops, investigate underlying causes such as recent sending pattern changes, spam trap hits, or list hygiene issues rather than solely focusing on the score itself.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Email Geeks explains that SenderScore issues, specifically erratic scores and impacts from 'Sender Rejected', are likely due to recent Comcast feed catch-ups and backfills. She notes that this problem has been ongoing for about a month since late November, and that Comcast data is heavily weighted in SenderScore calculations, making its impact significant. She also mentions that they reached out to Return Path for review.
8 Mar 2024 - Email Geeks
Marketer view
Email marketer from Email Geeks responds that Sender Score should be working fine according to her current understanding at Return Path, but offers to investigate further into the reported issues.
13 Nov 2024 - Email Geeks
What the experts say
2 expert opinions
SenderScore may display inaccurate or low scores due to its inherent design, primarily its reliance on a specific dataset: Return Path's Sensor Network. This limited scope means it does not capture a complete picture of an IP's sending behavior, overlooking critical metrics such as direct IP reputation with major mailbox providers, complaint rates, and unknown user rates. A low volume of mail sent to the Sensor Network or insufficient interaction with it can result in an 'not enough data' status or highly fluctuating scores. Therefore, while SenderScore is a valuable diagnostic tool, it does not definitively define a sender's overall reputation, and a high score alone does not guarantee good deliverability across all email platforms.
Key opinions
- Partial Reputation View: SenderScore provides only a snapshot of reputation, reflecting email traffic specifically directed to Return Path's Sensor Network, not your total email volume.
- Excludes Key Metrics: It does not account for crucial deliverability indicators such as direct IP reputation with major mailbox providers, overall complaint rates, or unknown user rates.
- Volume Sensitivity: Low sending volumes or insufficient interaction with Return Path's Sensor Network can result in 'not enough data' or fluctuating, unrepresentative scores.
- Diagnostic, Not Definitive: While SenderScore serves as a useful diagnostic tool for identifying potential issues, it does not fully encompass a sender's comprehensive reputation across all Internet Service Providers.
- No Deliverability Guarantee: A high SenderScore does not guarantee optimal deliverability, as it only reflects a specific segment of your overall email traffic and reputation factors.
Key considerations
- Holistic Metric Evaluation: Do not rely solely on SenderScore; instead, integrate its insights with a broader set of deliverability metrics, such as bounce rates, complaint rates, and engagement data, for a more accurate assessment.
- Direct Mailbox Provider Feedback: Prioritize direct reputation metrics and feedback from major mailbox providers, as these often provide a more definitive understanding of your actual deliverability.
- Contextual Score Interpretation: Interpret SenderScore within its specific context, recognizing that a low score may indicate a problem, but a high score does not guarantee overall good deliverability across all recipients.
- Understand Data Source Limitations: Be aware that SenderScore's reliance on a proprietary network means it might not capture a complete or universal picture of your sending reputation, especially if your traffic doesn't heavily interact with their system.
Expert view
Expert from Spam Resource explains that Sender Score, while a useful diagnostic tool, does not fully define a sender's reputation. It represents only a fraction of email traffic, specifically emails to Return Path's Sensor Network, and misses key metrics like complaint rates, unknown user rates, and direct IP reputation with major mailbox providers. A low Sender Score might indicate a problem, but a high one doesn't guarantee good deliverability, as it only reflects a specific segment of traffic.
11 Aug 2024 - Spam Resource
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that Sender Score may not always be accurate or representative of overall deliverability. It relies on data from Return Path's Sensor Network and might not capture a complete picture of an IP's sending behavior, especially if the volume of mail to the Sensor Network is low. The score can be influenced by how much mail is sent to their traps or honeypots, and a score of 'not enough data' or a fluctuating low score could simply mean insufficient interaction with the Sensor Network. It's crucial to look at other metrics like bounce rates, complaint rates, and direct feedback from mailbox providers for a more comprehensive view of reputation.
5 Feb 2025 - Word to the Wise
What the documentation says
2 technical articles
SenderScore may present low or inaccurate data primarily due to issues with the volume and representativeness of the underlying data it collects. This metric, which is based on a rolling 30-day average of factors like spam complaints, spam traps, unknown users, and bounce rates, requires sufficient sending volume to establish a statistically significant and stable reputation. When sending volumes are too low, the score can become unstable or appear artificially low because there isn't enough data for a consistent assessment. Furthermore, if the data used to calculate the score originates from a segment of the internet that isn't directly relevant to your primary recipients, the resulting SenderScore may not accurately reflect your true sending reputation.
Key findings
- Low Volume Impact: Insufficient sending volume prevents SenderScore from gathering enough data for a statistically significant sample, leading to unstable or artificially low scores that do not accurately reflect performance.
- Data Relevance Discrepancy: SenderScore's data may stem from an internet segment not aligned with your primary audience, causing the score to misrepresent your actual sending reputation among your key recipients.
- 30-Day Rolling Average: The SenderScore is calculated as a rolling 30-day average of various metrics, including spam complaints, spam traps, unknown users, and bounce rates, requiring sustained good practices to maintain a high score.
Key considerations
- Monitor Volume Consistency: To ensure a stable and representative SenderScore, maintain consistent and sufficient sending volumes, as low or sporadic activity can lead to unreliable data.
- Contextualize Score Data: Recognize that SenderScore's data sources might not perfectly align with your specific target audience; combine its insights with other deliverability metrics relevant to your primary recipients.
- Address Core Metrics: Focus on improving the underlying metrics that feed SenderScore, such as reducing spam complaints, avoiding spam traps, and managing bounce rates, as these directly influence your score and overall deliverability.
Technical article
Documentation from Validity.com explains that SenderScore is based on a rolling 30-day average of various metrics like spam complaints, spam traps, unknown users, and bounce rates. It notes that low sending volume can lead to an unstable or inaccurate score because there isn't enough data to establish a consistent reputation, making it appear lower than actual performance.
2 Apr 2025 - Validity.com
Technical article
Documentation from Validity.com explains that SenderScore can appear low or inaccurate if there isn't enough sending volume for a statistically significant sample, or if the data used for the score is based on a segment of the internet not directly relevant to your primary recipients. This can lead to a score that doesn't fully reflect your true sending reputation.
7 Jan 2022 - Validity.com - SenderScore FAQs
What data sources contribute to Sender Score and how reliable is it for deliverability?
Why has my sender score dropped and what can I do about it?
Why has my Sender Score dropped despite no changes in other metrics?
Why is my email sender score low and what can I do about it?
Why is my Sender Score low despite having a high delivery rate?
Why is Sender Score reporting inaccurate data?
