Author Topic: Looking for a basic info about CiviMail and the return channel (Read 773 times)

sam555 · March 16, 2010, 12:46:53 pm

Hi. I have a couple of nonprofit clients that would like to use CiviMail for their mass mail processing. I'm in the process of finding a hosting solution for them, probably a VPS.

I've read through the documentation, but I'm still not clear on the return channel issue.

Without a return channel it says you can't do bounce processing or track replies.

First of all, what does tracking replies refer to?

Second, if you're not tracking bounces and you keep sending emails to bad addresses, doesn't that greatly increase the likelihood of getting blacklisted?

Is there a manual alternative to tracking bounce automatically?

Is there anything else you give up by not having a return channel?

What's the simplest way to have a return channel set up without using a third party processor such as civiSMTP

Are there any hosting companies, VPS plans, that come pre-configured or at least know how to set it up?

thank You,
Sam

goran · March 17, 2010, 02:33:33 am

This is how I understand it...
(mostly from http://wiki.civicrm.org/confluence/display/CRMDOC/CiviMail+Installation#CiviMailInstallation-SettingUptheReturnChannel)

Return channel track replies refers to unsubscribes through mail replies (for automatic unsubscribe processing) and also for tracking normal reply messages (that you would need to follow up on)

Currently it can work with e-mail such as:
a) s.1.2.3.4.5.6.7@example.com
or
b) civimailbox+s.1.2.3.4.5.6.7@example.com
(you can set this up at civicrm/admin/mailSettings, but do read the wiki)

Note that these are not mailboxes, but still messages addressed to mails like this get delivered to appropriate mailbox... if you have the following:

For a) you need a mail provider that will let you setup 'catch all' mailbox (will get any mail for your domain for which there is no mailbox, alias or forward). So the weird addresses will get delivered here. Downside is that you will also get a lot of spam, some genuine e-mails (sent to misspelled addresses, closed mailboxes, etc...) for which you might have preferred to have your mail server bounce them back to the sender.
For b) you need a mail server that will deliver mail addressed to civimailbox+anything@example.com to civimailbox@example.com. This is, IMO, better, but not all mail servers support it.

And that's your return channel. Through it you can receive bounces and replies related to civimailings in the designated mailbox that will be automatically processed by CiviMail processor (http://wiki.civicrm.org/confluence/display/CRMDOC/CiviMail+Processor) for your nice stats and integrated view of results.

I actually need an option c), but will ask in a new thread... :)

lsmithgo · March 17, 2010, 02:36:50 am

Could we start a list of major hosting providers that support your option a) and b)

I use JustHost and I don't believe they support either

goran · March 17, 2010, 02:49:06 am

I believe most would give you an option a) if you own a domain, and if you ask the provider.
Also if you have root access on your server this is certainly something you could setup yourself (well, b too). If no root access the option might be on the management console for your mail server.

If you don't own a domain then gmail supports b) (but read wiki, there are some comments regarding gmail there).

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Author Topic: Looking for a basic info about CiviMail and the return channel (Read 773 times)

sam555

Looking for a basic info about CiviMail and the return channel

goran

Re: Looking for a basic info about CiviMail and the return channel

lsmithgo

Re: Looking for a basic info about CiviMail and the return channel

goran

Re: Looking for a basic info about CiviMail and the return channel