What to do about high bounce rates from iCloud 'user over quota' errors?
Summary
What email marketers say12Marketer opinions
Email marketer from HubSpot shares that implementing a double opt-in process helps to verify email addresses at the point of subscription. This reduces the likelihood of subscribers adding addresses that are full, typo'd, or abandoned.
Marketer from Email Geeks shares that for bounces related to '552 5.2.2 user is over quota', especially for iCloud, the approach is to retry later and suppress the email address if the bounce persists over a few weeks and email sends. LoriBeth Blair explains it's usually because the recipient's mailbox is over its storage quota, and if the message is consistent across multiple sends over a month, it likely indicates an abandoned mailbox.
Email marketer from Gmass suggests regular email list cleaning and validation strategies. They advise using an email verification tool to remove bad email addresses from your list, and segment and target the email list accordingly.
Email marketer from ActiveCampaign shares that proper segmentation based on engagement can help prevent sending to addresses that are likely full and unused. Segmenting and sending to ActiveCampaign contacts is an effective way to minimize bounce rates.
Email marketer from Reddit suggests filtering out iCloud addresses acquired through low-quality lead generation tactics. They propose implementing stricter opt-in processes and sunsetting addresses after a small number of bounces.
Marketer from Email Geeks suggests that iCloud offers disposable temporary addresses as part of their privacy efforts. Eoin Finn advises to examine the sources of the addresses, particularly if they originate from discount offers in exchange for subscriptions, and consider sunsetting those addresses after the first 1-3 bounces.
Email marketer from Sendinblue Blog shares that regularly cleaning your email list by removing addresses that consistently bounce due to quota issues is crucial. They suggest implementing a double opt-in process to ensure valid email addresses from the start.
Email marketer from StackOverflow advises implementing a bounce management system that automatically detects and suppresses email addresses with 'user over quota' errors. They recommend setting up a threshold for the number of bounces before suppression.
Marketer from Email Geeks suggests that the issue might stem from a lead generation problem, specifically people using email addresses they don't regularly check solely to opt-in for offers. Michael Wilding recommends examining the audience and how the leads are generated.
Email marketer from Litmus suggests segmenting email lists to identify and target engaged subscribers. They advise focusing on sending emails to active users, which reduces the likelihood of hitting inactive or full mailboxes.
Email marketer from Email on Acid shares that a proactive approach to list hygiene helps minimize bounces due to full inboxes. They recommend regularly pruning inactive subscribers and implementing a re-engagement campaign before removing them.
Email marketer from Mailjet Blog explains that hard bounces, like 'user over quota,' should immediately be suppressed from future sends. They advise maintaining a clean suppression list to avoid damaging your sender reputation.
What the experts say3Expert opinions
Expert from Word to the Wise discusses that full mailbox bounces should be treated as a strong signal, especially if persistent. She recommends treating them as a hard bounce after multiple attempts, as the user is unlikely to clear their mailbox.
Expert from Email Geeks explains the only true fix for "user over quota" bounces is for the recipient to clear their mailbox. Laura Atkins suggests if alternate contact methods exist, you could notify the user, but generally, such bounces indicate the address is inactive and the mailbox is full because the user is no longer engaged.
Expert from Word to the Wise emphasizes the importance of prompt bounce processing and list hygiene. Laura Atkins explains that removing hard bounces, including 'user over quota' errors, immediately prevents sending to invalid addresses and protects sender reputation.
What the documentation says4Technical articles
Documentation from RFC Editor explains that 'user over quota' errors are typically classified as permanent failures. It advises using the detailed bounce codes to accurately identify and process these types of bounces within your email system.
Documentation from SparkPost explains that understanding specific bounce reasons, such as 'user over quota,' is critical for maintaining deliverability. They recommend using their bounce classification system to categorize and respond to different types of bounces effectively.
Documentation from Mailchimp explains that monitoring and managing bounced emails, including those due to quota issues, helps maintain a healthy email list. They advise reviewing bounce reports and removing consistently bouncing addresses to improve deliverability.
Documentation from Amazon Web Services explains that bounces, including quota issues, should be categorized and handled accordingly. They emphasize monitoring bounce feedback loops to understand the reasons behind bounces and adjust sending practices.