StoreSecured has added additional sending security for all merchants using the StoreSecured mail server which will enhance the deliverability of your emails. This additional security is added in the form of SPF records and domain keys for all currently hosted domains.
What is SPF?
SPF allows e-mail administrators the ability to specify which Internet hosts are allowed to send e-mail claiming to originate from that domain. In other words we can tell other mail servers who should be allowed to send email for your domain. Normal email without SPF allows any computer to send an e-mail claiming to be from anyone including your own domain name. While no one can stop that, we can tell other computers that we are the real sender and this increases the chances of your email being accepted and not classified as spam.
You can read more about SPF at wikipedia by clicking here
What are Domain Keys?
Domain Keys work similarly to SPF and allow the mail server to sign the email as it goes out to verify that it came from the correct source.
You can read more about Domain Keys at Wikipedia by clicking here
What do I need to do?
If you use the StoreSecured email system and we host your dns records then you do not have to do anything, we have already done the setup for you.
If you host your email outside of StoreSecured please speak to your email provider about adding the storesecured.com domain name to your spf record as a valid sender of your email. This will ensure that automatic notices sent by the store on your behalf are also classified as legitimate emails.
If you host your own dns record we recommend adding an spf record if you have not already done so.
If you do not know if you host your own dns then you probably do NOT do so. This is a very advanced option that not many merchants use.
Who will this not help?
Some merchants use an email address from yahoo.com, gmail.com, aol.com etc versus their own domain name. In this case since we do not host your email we do not have control over it. In addition since we are not an authorized sender of yahoo, gmail, aol etc the email is more likely to be characterized by spam when it is sent through our servers. We highly recommend that all merchants send mail from their stores domain name, ie sales@mystore.com instead of something like mystore@yahoo.com, not only does it look more professional but the email has a better chance of being accepted by other email servers for delivery.