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What are soft bounces?

A soft bounce means that an email address is still valid, but the email can't be delivered at that moment. Often the email will still be delivered later. Common causes:

  • Full inbox: the recipient's mailbox is full and can't receive new messages temporarily. Once space frees up, the email can still come through.
  • Server temporarily offline: the recipient's mail server isn't reachable at that moment, for example due to maintenance or an outage. Once the server is back online, the email can be retried.
  • Email too large: some servers reject messages that are too large, for example due to heavy images or attachments. The email can only be delivered once you reduce the file size.

How does Xendy handle soft bounces?

Xendy automatically recognizes soft bounces and blocks the address immediately upon the first soft bounce. The contact receives the status Bounced and will no longer receive emails; Xendy makes no new delivery attempts. This protects your sending reputation.

Why does this matter?

Too many soft bounces can negatively affect your reputation with providers like Gmail and Outlook. By immediately blocking addresses that soft bounce, Xendy keeps your email list healthy and ensures your emails are delivered more effectively.

Frequently asked questions

A soft bounce means that an email address is still valid, but the email can't be delivered at that moment. Often the email will still be delivered later.

  • Soft bounce: temporary issue, like a full inbox or a server that's briefly offline.
  • Hard bounce: permanent issue, like an invalid address or a non-existent domain.

Xendy automatically recognizes soft bounces and blocks the address immediately upon the first soft bounce. The contact receives the status Bounced and will no longer receive emails; Xendy makes no new delivery attempts. This way, your sending reputation is protected.

Too many soft bounces can negatively affect your reputation with providers like Gmail and Outlook. By immediately blocking addresses that soft bounce, Xendy keeps your email list healthy and ensures your emails are delivered more effectively.

Joeri Ras

Written by

Joeri Ras

Founder & co-owner @ Xendy

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