Why did Shopify send DMARC setup emails to users who already have DMARC records?
Matthew Whittaker
Co-founder & CTO, Suped
Published 16 Apr 2025
Updated 17 Aug 2025
6 min read
Recently, many Shopify store owners received emails advising them to set up a DMARC record. The surprising part for some was receiving this email even if they already had a DMARC record properly configured and validated for their domain. This situation caused understandable confusion and, in some cases, unnecessary panic among business owners. It's a classic example of how mass communication from large platforms can inadvertently create FUD (fear, uncertainty, and doubt) among their user base, even when their intentions are good.
The emails were a response to the new email sender requirements from major mailbox providers like Google and Yahoo, which took effect in February 2024. These requirements mandate stronger email authentication, including DMARC, for bulk senders. As a platform that facilitates email sending for millions of stores, Shopify had a critical role in ensuring its users met these new standards to maintain high deliverability.
While the intention was to inform and guide users toward compliance, the blanket approach sometimes overlooked those who were already compliant. This scenario highlights the complexities of managing email deliverability for a massive user base and communicating effectively about technical requirements.
One of the primary reasons Shopify might have sent DMARC setup emails to all users, regardless of their existing configuration, is simply the practicality of mass communication and technical validation at scale. Verifying DMARC records for millions of domains, especially when considering various DNS providers and potential configuration nuances, is a complex undertaking.
It's often significantly easier for large platforms to issue a broad advisory to their entire user base than to develop and maintain intricate systems that can precisely identify and target only non-compliant accounts. Such a system would need to account for a multitude of variables, including varying DNS propagation times and potential false positives or negatives in DMARC checks. Therefore, a blanket email ensures that the message reaches everyone who needs it, even if it also reaches those who don't.
Targeted communication
Complexity: Requires sophisticated infrastructure to accurately detect DMARC status for each domain.
Effort: High development and maintenance costs for validation systems.
User experience: Ideal, as only non-compliant users are notified, reducing confusion.
Blanket communication
Complexity: Simple process of sending to all registered users.
Effort: Lower operational cost and faster deployment of notices.
User experience: May cause confusion for already compliant users, potentially leading to support inquiries.
Essentially, the trade-off is between the potential for some user confusion and the significant technical overhead of a perfectly targeted communication campaign.
The pressing need for DMARC
The urgency behind Shopify's DMARC emails stems from the recent announcements by Google and Yahoo regarding new email authentication requirements for bulk senders. These changes are designed to combat spam, phishing, and email spoofing, ultimately improving the security and trustworthiness of email for everyone. Without DMARC, emails from your domain are much more likely to be sent to spam folders or even rejected outright.
DMARC builds upon existing authentication protocols like SPF (Sender Policy Framework) and DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail). It allows domain owners to specify how recipient email servers should handle emails that fail SPF or DKIM checks, and to receive reports on email authentication failures. This level of control and visibility is critical for maintaining a strong sender reputation and ensuring that your legitimate messages reach the inbox.
For Shopify merchants, ensuring proper DMARC implementation is not just a matter of compliance, but directly impacts their ability to communicate with customers. Transactional emails, marketing campaigns, and customer service messages all rely on strong email deliverability. Failing to meet these new requirements could lead to significant reductions in email reach, potentially impacting sales and customer engagement.
What to do if you received the DMARC email
If you received a DMARC setup email from Shopify but are confident your record is already in place, here's what I recommend. First, don't panic. The email was likely part of a broad outreach campaign.
Your immediate step should be to verify your DMARC record to ensure it is correctly configured and that it aligns with your email sending practices. You can use an online DMARC record checker to confirm its existence and validity. Pay close attention to your DMARC policy (p=none, p=quarantine, or p=reject) and the alignment of your SPF and DKIM records, especially if you use multiple email senders for your domain.
Ensuring DMARC compliance
Verify your DMARC record: Use a DMARC validation tool to confirm its presence and correct syntax. Pay attention to all the DMARC tags.
Check SPF and DKIM alignment: Ensure your email sending services are properly authenticating emails on behalf of your domain.
Monitor DMARC reports: Regularly review DMARC aggregate reports for insights into your email traffic and any authentication failures.
If your DMARC record is indeed valid and functioning, you can generally disregard the email from Shopify. However, if you discover any issues, take immediate action to rectify them. Resources on the Shopify community forum, such as this discussion about DMARC policies, can provide further guidance specific to the Shopify environment. Remember, proactive monitoring of your email deliverability is key.
Views from the trenches
Best practices
Always implement SPF, DKIM, and DMARC for your sending domains to enhance email security and deliverability.
Regularly monitor your DMARC reports for insights into your email traffic and authentication results.
Start with a DMARC policy of p=none to gather data before moving to more restrictive policies like quarantine or reject.
Ensure all legitimate email senders for your domain are properly authorized via SPF and DKIM.
Communicate clearly with your clients about email authentication changes to prevent panic and build trust.
Common pitfalls
Ignoring DMARC setup emails, assuming they don't apply, can lead to deliverability issues.
Failing to properly align SPF and DKIM with your DMARC policy, causing legitimate emails to fail.
Moving directly to a p=reject policy without sufficient monitoring, potentially blocking valid emails.
Not accounting for all third-party senders when configuring SPF and DKIM records.
Underestimating the complexity of email authentication, leading to misconfigurations.
Expert tips
Use an email deliverability monitoring platform to track your DMARC compliance and inbox placement rates.
Leverage DMARC reports to identify unauthorized sending and potential spoofing attempts on your domain.
Educate your team and clients about the importance of email authentication and new sender requirements.
Periodically review your DNS records to ensure they are up-to-date and correctly configured.
Consider engaging with email deliverability specialists for complex DMARC deployments.
Marketer view
Some users have reported receiving DMARC setup emails from Shopify, even when their DMARC record is already in place and validated.
Jan 10, 2024 - Email Geeks
Marketer view
Shopify likely sent the DMARC setup emails to all users, regardless of their existing DMARC deployment status.
Jan 10, 2024 - Email Geeks
Navigating DMARC requirements
While Shopify's blanket DMARC emails may have caused initial confusion for some users who were already compliant, the underlying motivation is critical for all merchants: ensuring robust email deliverability in an evolving landscape. The new requirements from major mailbox providers underscore the ongoing importance of email authentication standards like DMARC, SPF, and DKIM.
The key takeaway for any business owner is to consistently monitor their email authentication status and domain reputation. This vigilance helps ensure your emails reach their intended recipients, avoiding spam folders and protecting your brand from phishing attempts. Platforms like Shopify are doing their part to push for industry-wide compliance, which ultimately benefits everyone by creating a safer and more reliable email ecosystem.
By understanding the reasons behind these communications and taking proactive steps to verify and maintain your DMARC records, you can confidently navigate the complexities of email deliverability and focus on growing your business without unnecessary interruptions to your customer communications.
Google and 
Yahoo regarding new email authentication requirements for bulk senders. These changes are designed to combat spam, phishing, and email spoofing, ultimately improving the security and trustworthiness of email for everyone. Without DMARC, emails from your domain are much more likely to be sent to spam folders or even rejected outright.
