Should e-commerce stores implement an email sunset policy for inactive customers?

Summary

The widespread consensus among email marketers, experts, and documentation from email platforms supports implementing an email sunset policy for inactive customers of e-commerce stores. The policy is primarily aimed at enhancing email deliverability, sender reputation, and overall list hygiene. Re-engagement campaigns are often recommended as a preliminary step before removing subscribers, utilizing incentives or preference updates. Defining the 'inactive' period should be based on the specific business model, customer purchase cycle, and potential seasonal factors. Consideration should also be given to GDPR compliance, data retention policies, and the potential need for differentiated treatment of re-entering subscribers.

Key findings

  • Improved Deliverability: Sunsetting inactive subscribers significantly improves email deliverability rates.
  • Enhanced Sender Reputation: A well-defined sunset policy helps maintain and enhance a positive sender reputation.
  • Cost Reduction: Sending emails only to engaged subscribers reduces sending costs and optimizes resource allocation.
  • List Hygiene: Regular list maintenance, including sunsetting, is critical for maintaining a clean and healthy email list.
  • GDPR Compliance: Removing customer data after a reasonable period of inactivity supports compliance with data protection regulations like GDPR.

Key considerations

  • Re-engagement Strategy: Implement a re-engagement strategy as a final attempt to revive inactive subscribers before sunsetting them.
  • Inactivity Definition: Clearly define the criteria for 'inactivity' based on the specific business model, customer behavior, and purchase patterns.
  • Re-entry Approach: Establish a plan for subscribers who become active again after being sunsetted, potentially requiring a different engagement path.
  • Seasonal Business Impact: Factor in seasonal variations and customer purchase cycles when determining inactivity periods.
  • Product Type Relevance: Consider the product type and its typical purchase cycle when assessing subscriber activity.
  • Data Retention Policies: Ensure that data retention policies align with GDPR and other relevant regulations.

What email marketers say
11Marketer opinions

The consensus is that e-commerce stores *should* implement an email sunset policy for inactive customers, as it demonstrably improves email deliverability, sender reputation, and overall list hygiene. Many experts also suggest attempting re-engagement campaigns before permanently removing subscribers from the list, using incentives or preference updates. Others say that the period a customer should be inactive before being removed should depend on the product sold by the e-commerce store and the general purchase cycle. The cost savings of not mailing to inactive subscribers is also an important factor.

Key opinions

  • Improved Deliverability: Sunsetting inactive subscribers enhances deliverability rates.
  • Enhanced Sender Reputation: A sunset policy helps maintain a positive sender reputation.
  • Cost Reduction: Sending emails to only engaged subscribers reduces sending costs.
  • GDPR Compliance: Removing customer data after a certain period aligns with GDPR.
  • Damage to Deliverability: Inactive subscribers can increase spam complaints and damage email deliverability rates.

Key considerations

  • Re-engagement Strategy: Attempt re-engagement campaigns before permanent removal.
  • Inactivity Definition: Define 'inactive' based on your specific business model and customer purchase cycle.
  • Re-entry Approach: Plan a strategy for users who become active again after being sunset.
  • Seasonal Business: Consider seasonality when evaluating customer activity.
  • Product Type: Recency depends on the product; some products have longer purchase cycles.
Marketer view

Email marketer from Quora advises against immediately deleting inactive subscribers. They suggest trying to re-engage them with targeted campaigns. If they remain unresponsive, then sunsetting is a good option for better email health and reduced costs.

July 2021 - Quora
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks suggests considering a reactivation strategy before sunsetting users and planning a reentry approach if sunsetted users show activity. They also state re-entered users may need fewer touches or customized content, as the current mailing strategy may not resonate with them. Reactivation campaigns can remind them of what they are missing and other benefits.

July 2023 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks agrees with implementing an email sunset policy for inactive users. They also state customer account data should be deleted at some point to adhere to GDPR, suggesting a 3-year limit as a common practice.

February 2022 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Litmus recommends implementing re-engagement campaigns as a last resort for inactive subscribers before sunsetting them. They suggest offering incentives or asking subscribers to update their preferences to improve engagement.

May 2023 - Litmus
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Uplers shares that an email sunset policy helps maintain a healthy email list, improves sender reputation, and reduces costs associated with sending to unengaged subscribers. They also suggest segmenting subscribers based on activity and targeting inactive ones with reactivation campaigns.

June 2023 - Email Uplers
Marketer view

Email marketer from ActiveCampaign answers that the process for sunsetting subscribers is straightforward: Target customers who have been inactive for a designated time, send a re-engagement email and remove any address that doesn't respond.

May 2023 - ActiveCampaign
Marketer view

Email marketer from HubSpot explains that sunsetting inactive email subscribers is beneficial for improving email deliverability and engagement. They recommend defining 'inactive' based on your business and industry, and setting up a sunsetting process with re-engagement campaigns before removing subscribers.

April 2024 - HubSpot
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit says that it's generally a good idea to implement a sunset policy for e-commerce stores. It helps clean up your list, improve deliverability, and save money on email sending costs. The Redditor suggests defining 'inactive' based on your store's purchase cycle.

May 2022 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from SmartMail answers that inactive subscribers damage email deliverability because of a high spam rate. It's highly recommended that these email addresses get removed if no response has been initiated after a series of emails.

June 2024 - SmartMail
Marketer view

Email marketer from Sendinblue answers that implementing a sunset policy boosts engagement and reduces bounce rates. It's crucial for maintaining a clean and responsive email list. Also, they mention that the practice adheres to email marketing best practices.

January 2023 - Sendinblue
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks notes that recency depends on the product type (e.g., a year is not long for a car purchase). They suggest getting feedback on the product experience and using other channels like SMS or phone calls.

February 2025 - Email Geeks

What the experts say
3Expert opinions

Experts agree that list hygiene and removing unengaged subscribers is essential for email deliverability. Businesses with seasonal models should especially consider customer purchase data in relation to their last activity to determine who to sunset.

Key opinions

  • List Hygiene: Removing subscribers who don't want your mail is essential for list hygiene.
  • Deliverability Impact: Sending to unengaged users negatively impacts inbox placement and deliverability.
  • Purchase Data: Considering purchase data alongside activity helps determine subscriber engagement.

Key considerations

  • Seasonal Models: Businesses with seasonal models must carefully evaluate customer activity.
  • Removal Threshold: Determine the appropriate inactivity period before removing subscribers.
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks advises to consider customer purchase data vs. their last activity, especially for businesses with a seasonal model.

December 2022 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Spam Resource explains that list hygiene is an important topic. List hygiene consists of best practice, sending mail people want, and removing people who do not want your mail. People who ignore the mail stream for too long should be removed.

June 2023 - Spam Resource
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise explains that sending email to people that do not engage decreases your chance to land in the inbox. Actively pruning lists of people that do not engage helps with deliverability.

August 2024 - Word to the Wise

What the documentation says
3Technical articles

Email marketing platform documentation consistently emphasizes the importance of implementing a sunset policy as part of regular list maintenance. This process involves identifying and managing inactive subscribers to improve deliverability and maintain a healthy email list, protecting sender reputation and ensuring emails reach engaged recipients.

Key findings

  • Improved Deliverability: Sunsetting inactive subscribers leads to improved email deliverability.
  • Healthy List Maintenance: Regular list maintenance including sunsetting is crucial for a healthy email list.
  • Protect Sender Reputation: List hygiene through sunsetting policies protects sender reputation.

Key considerations

  • Identification & Handling: Properly identifying and handling unengaged subscribers is key.
  • Segmentation: Segment users based on engagement for targeted marketing.
  • Re-engagement Options: Consider re-engaging subscribers before permanent removal.
Technical article

Documentation from Klaviyo responds that sunsetting unengaged subscribers helps improve deliverability and ensures that you're only sending emails to people who are likely to open and engage with them. Klaviyo recommends segmenting users based on engagement and using those segments for targeting.

March 2024 - Klaviyo
Technical article

Documentation from Validity shares that maintaining a clean email list through sunsetting policies is a crucial part of email list hygiene. A proper email list hygiene strategy will improve deliverability and protects sender reputation which will ensure emails reach the intended recipients. They elaborate the benefits of identifying and handling unengaged subscribers.

January 2022 - Validity
Technical article

Documentation from Mailchimp explains that regular list maintenance, including sunsetting inactive subscribers, is important for maintaining a healthy email list and improving deliverability. It involves identifying and removing or re-engaging subscribers who haven't interacted with your emails in a while.

December 2022 - Mailchimp