Summary
While the original Return Path entity has been acquired, its certification program continues as Validity Sender Certification, maintaining relevance for email deliverability. This certification is particularly valuable for high-volume senders and those experiencing consistent challenges with Microsoft mailbox providers, often proving effective in improving inbox placement for Outlook.com and Hotmail. It functions as a significant trust signal, providing a pre-vetted status that can accelerate an email program's credibility with ISPs and offer an 'extra insurance' layer. However, it is not a complete whitelist or a substitute for fundamental email best practices like strong authentication, list hygiene, and engaging content. Its benefits are contingent upon ongoing payment, and senders should carefully assess its cost-effectiveness in relation to their specific deliverability needs.
Key findings
- Microsoft Deliverability: Validity Sender Certification (formerly Return Path) significantly aids deliverability with Microsoft, often improving inbox placement for Outlook.com and Hotmail users.
- Not a Whitelist: Certification does not provide a complete whitelist; certified IPs can still be blacklisted, suspended, or hard-blocked by mailbox providers if sending practices deteriorate or complaint rates rise.
- Strategic Importance: The program is a core component of Validity's Everest platform, indicating its continued strategic importance in validating legitimate senders and providing a verified status to ISPs.
- Diminished But Present: While its historical impact may have somewhat diminished compared to robust authentication and engagement, it still provides a noticeable, though not overwhelming, benefit for certain high-volume and enterprise senders.
- Trust Signal: Certification acts as a strong trust signal to mailbox providers, potentially accelerating warm-up periods for new senders and helping to bypass some initial spam filtering.
Key considerations
- Cost-Effectiveness: Senders should carefully assess the cost-effectiveness of Validity Sender Certification, especially if their email revenue isn't exceptionally high or if their primary deliverability challenges are not with Microsoft.
- Best Practices Essential: Certification is not a substitute for fundamental email best practices. Strong authentication, list hygiene, engaging content, and consistent sending volume remain paramount for long-term deliverability.
- Targeted Benefits: It is most beneficial for high-volume senders, large enterprises, those with specific and persistent Microsoft deliverability challenges, or new senders seeking to accelerate trust and warm-up periods with ISPs.
- Not a Guarantee: View certification as an additional layer of trust or 'extra insurance,' rather than a guaranteed solution to all deliverability problems. Underlying issues still require attention and resolution.
- Ongoing Commitment: The benefits of certification are tied to ongoing payment. If the subscription ceases, the certification status and its associated advantages are typically lost.
What email marketers say
16 marketer opinions
Return Path certification, now operating as Validity Sender Certification, maintains a specific utility within the email deliverability landscape, particularly for high-volume senders and large enterprises. Its most frequently cited benefit is the improvement of inbox placement with Microsoft services like Outlook.com and Hotmail, where it can act as a crucial trust signal and provide an "extra insurance" layer for businesses highly reliant on email revenue. While it can accelerate the establishment of trust with ISPs and help bypass initial filtering for new or scaling senders, it is not a comprehensive whitelist or a substitute for core email deliverability best practices such as robust authentication, diligent list hygiene, and consistent engagement. The certification comes with ongoing costs, and its benefits are contingent on continuous payment and adherence to good sending practices, as certifications can be revoked due to poor performance. Senders should carefully evaluate the financial viability and specific needs, as its value may be limited if fundamental issues are not addressed or if deliverability challenges are not primarily with Microsoft.
Key opinions
- Strong Microsoft Impact: The certification demonstrably improves inbox placement, especially for Microsoft's Outlook.com and Hotmail, acting as a key factor in resolving deliverability hurdles with these providers.
- Trust Enhancement: It functions as a valuable trust signal to mailbox providers, offering a pre-vetted status that can accelerate credibility and help legitimate senders bypass some initial spam filters.
- No Absolute Whitelist: Despite certification, IPs are not immune to blacklisting or hard blocks by ISPs if sender reputation declines due to high complaints or poor practices.
- Value for High-Volume Senders: For businesses with significant email revenue or high sending volumes, the certification can be a justifiable "extra insurance" measure, providing a competitive edge and additional trust.
- Evolving Relevance: While historically more impactful, its current value is seen as complementary to, rather than dominant over, strong authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), consistent volume, and high engagement rates.
Key considerations
- Ongoing Investment: The benefits of certification are contingent upon continuous subscription payments, meaning the associated advantages are lost if payments cease.
- Complementary, Not Foundational: Certification serves as an additional layer of credibility, but it is not a substitute for core deliverability practices like list hygiene, engaging content, and proper authentication.
- Cost-Benefit Analysis: Senders should perform a thorough cost-benefit analysis, especially considering the price and the potential for limited returns if primary deliverability issues are not Microsoft-centric.
- Contextual Utility: Its highest utility is typically for large enterprises, high-volume senders, or those consistently struggling with deliverability specifically to Microsoft mailbox providers.
- Performance Dependence: Even with certification, poor sending practices, such as high complaint rates or blacklisting, can lead to the suspension or loss of certified status.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Email Geeks explains Return Path certifications can be useful but are pricey, with primary benefits seen for Outlook.com, where they help in delivering emails to the inbox when other methods fail. However, they are not a blind whitelist and can be suspended if an IP gets blacklisted or generates too many complaints.
3 Jul 2021 - Email Geeks
Marketer view
Email marketer from Email Geeks confirms seeing Return Path certification significantly help clients with Microsoft deliverability.
30 Dec 2021 - Email Geeks
What the experts say
2 expert opinions
The original Return Path company has been acquired and no longer exists as an independent entity. However, its widely recognized email certification program, formerly known as Sender Score Certified, was acquired by Validity and continues to operate under the new name, Validity Sender Certification. Despite the corporate change, the certification remains valued by Internet Service Providers and email filtering companies as an important trust signal, demonstrating that the program itself has maintained its utility within the email deliverability landscape.
Key opinions
- Corporate Dissolution: The original Return Path corporate entity no longer exists independently, having been acquired and integrated into other companies, notably Validity.
- Program Continuity: Despite the acquisition of its parent company, the email certification program itself continues to operate and maintain relevance under Validity's ownership.
- New Identity, Same Value: The certification program, now known as Validity Sender Certification, is still recognized and valued by Internet Service Providers, email filtering companies, and the broader email ecosystem as a key indicator of a legitimate sender.
- Integrated Offering: The program is now a core component of Validity's comprehensive suite of email deliverability and intelligence products.
Key considerations
- Rebranding Acknowledged: When discussing 'Return Path certification,' it is crucial to acknowledge its rebranding and current operation under Validity as 'Validity Sender Certification.'
- Consult Validity: For the most accurate and up-to-date information regarding the certification's benefits, requirements, and impact, senders should refer directly to Validity's current offerings and documentation.
- Ongoing Relevance: The program's continued value stems from its acceptance by ISPs and filtering companies, which validate its role in signaling sender trustworthiness.
Expert view
Expert from Spam Resource explains that Return Path as an entity no longer exists, and its certification program (Sender Score Certified) was acquired by Validity. Therefore, the value of 'Return Path certification' specifically is effectively non-existent, as it has been rebranded and integrated into Validity's offerings.
21 May 2024 - Spam Resource
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise shares that Return Path as an independent company has been acquired by two separate entities, with Validity taking over its email certification, reputation, and data business. While the original Return Path entity no longer exists, the certification program itself continues and is still valued by ISPs and filtering companies, now operating under Validity's product line.
18 Feb 2025 - Word to the Wise
What the documentation says
3 technical articles
Building on its legacy as Return Path Certification, Validity Sender Certification continues to serve as a pivotal program for validating senders. It grants a pre-verified status to mailbox providers, which is instrumental in securing improved inbox placement and helping to reduce spam complaints. As an integral part of Validity's Everest platform, the certification not only signals trustworthiness to ISPs but also provides valuable data and insights, supporting senders in maintaining a robust and effective email sending reputation.
Key findings
- Sender Validation: Validity Sender Certification pre-validates senders with major mailbox providers, confirming legitimacy and enhancing credibility.
- Improved Inbox Placement: The program consistently contributes to higher inbox placement rates and helps emails bypass common spam filters, reaching intended recipients.
- Reduced Spam Complaints: By signaling trustworthiness to ISPs, the certification actively helps to reduce spam complaint rates for certified senders.
- Reputation Management Support: It provides valuable data and insights that empower senders to effectively manage and maintain a robust sending reputation over time.
- Core Platform Integration: As a fundamental component of Validity's Everest deliverability platform, the certification complements its analytics and monitoring tools for comprehensive performance oversight.
Key considerations
- Beyond Authentication: While strong authentication protocols are essential, Sender Certification offers an additional layer of validation and trust with mailbox providers.
- Requires Good Practices: The benefits of certification are best realized when combined with diligent list hygiene, engaging content, and adherence to general email sending best practices.
- Ongoing Value: The certification's value extends through its provision of continuous data and insights, aiding senders in proactively managing and improving their email reputation.
Technical article
Documentation from Validity.com explains that Sender Certification, formerly Return Path Certification, remains a key program for validating senders as legitimate to mailbox providers. It offers whitelisting benefits, improved inbox placement, and provides valuable data and insights to help senders maintain a strong sending reputation, integrating directly into their Everest platform.
10 Apr 2023 - Validity.com
Technical article
Documentation from Validity Community explains that Sender Certification helps email marketers achieve higher inbox placement rates by pre-validating senders with major mailbox providers. It aims to reduce spam complaints, bypass spam filters, and ensure emails reach the intended recipients, thereby enhancing overall email deliverability.
8 Feb 2022 - Validity Community
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