Is it normal for service companies to send emails on behalf of actual vendors?
Summary
What email marketers say12Marketer opinions
Email marketer from Neil Patel Digital explains that affiliate marketing often involves third-party vendors sending emails on behalf of the main company, especially for promotional offers. This is done to expand reach but should be transparent to maintain trust.
Email marketer from StackOverflow explains that to prevent emails from being flagged as spam when sending on behalf of another vendor, it is essential to use proper authentication methods like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, and also to ensure the email content is relevant and not misleading.
Email marketer from Reddit shares that it’s common for companies to outsource email marketing to agencies or vendors who send emails on their behalf. This allows companies to focus on core operations while leveraging specialized email marketing expertise.
Email marketer from Quora responds that white-labeling involves service companies sending emails on behalf of other vendors, often without disclosing their own involvement. While common, transparency is key to maintaining trust with recipients.
Email marketer from G2 shares that marketing automation platforms often allow service companies to send emails on behalf of their clients. Proper configurations with SPF and DKIM are crucial for maintainability and brand reputation.
Email marketer from Mailjet outlines the use of subaccounts, that enable to send emails for multiple clients under one main account. It is important to authenticate each domain to maintain a good sender reputation.
Email marketer from Email on Acid explains that email authentication protocols like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are vital when service companies send emails for vendors. Correct setup ensures emails are delivered and not flagged as spam or phishing.
Marketer from Email Geeks shares that this is a common practice, especially with B2C financial services where companies outsource components but want to maintain brand recognition. He also notes that some financial services avoid direct involvement with fulfillment to limit liability, even if it's made simple to delegate.
Email marketer from Litmus shares that strategic partnerships in email marketing often involve sending emails on behalf of each other. Transparency with recipients and adhering to best practices are crucial for success.
Email marketer from MarketingProfs shares that co-branded email campaigns, where two companies collaborate, often involve one company sending emails on behalf of the other. Proper disclosures and consent are vital to ensure compliance and transparency.
Marketer from Email Geeks shares that even with respectable partners, more authorized senders increase the risk of compromised accounts damaging the domain's sending reputation, advising against allowing uncontrolled third-party senders to authenticate with your domain.
Marketer from Email Geeks explains that this practice can be suspect, citing instances where they shut down senders claiming to represent a known brand when it was found to be false, especially concerning questionable affiliate senders.
What the experts say3Expert opinions
Expert from Word to the Wise responds that many companies engage in affiliate marketing, where third parties send emails to promote products or services. They warn that it’s vital to monitor affiliate practices closely, as poor sending habits can negatively affect your brand’s reputation and deliverability. Proper contracts and enforcement are critical.
Expert from Email Geeks explains that this practice sounds like what companies like PayPal and Intuit do. She also says it's a DMARC workaround because previously, they would have just used the main company in the from address, but DMARC made that non-viable, as companies don't want to give authentication access to their vendors.
Expert from Spam Resource explains that it's common for companies to outsource email sending to third-party services, especially for marketing or transactional emails. They emphasize the importance of carefully vetting these services and maintaining strict oversight to protect your sender reputation, as their practices directly impact your deliverability.
What the documentation says5Technical articles
Documentation from DMARC.org explains that DMARC policies need careful configuration when using third-party senders. Properly setting up DMARC ensures that emails sent on your behalf are authenticated and don't get flagged as phishing attempts.
Documentation from RFC 4408 explains that using SPF records is crucial when third-party vendors send emails on your behalf. SPF records authorize these vendors to send emails using your domain, preventing them from being marked as spam.
Documentation from Google Workspace Admin Help outlines how to securely delegate email sending permissions to third-party services. Proper configuration ensures compliance with email security standards and prevents unauthorized sending.
Documentation from Sendgrid outlines the processes for managing sender identities when sending emails on behalf of other companies. Proper configurations with DKIM and SPF are critical for deliverability and compliance.
Documentation from Microsoft Support outlines that in Office 365, organizations often authorize third-party services to send emails. Configuring these authorized senders correctly is essential for proper email delivery and security.