What will happen when Cox.net subscribers move to Yahoo Mail?
Summary
What email marketers say11Marketer opinions
Marketer from Email Geeks believes the main driver behind the migration is a desire to change their backend mailstore.
Email marketer from EmailGeek forum says that ideally, the companies involved in this transfer have strict security measures put in place, however in real life it may be rushed.
Email marketer from Medium discusses the importance of transparency when migrating user data. End users should be informed and updated on the migration.
Marketer from Email Geeks shares an anecdote about his mother, a Bell South email user, being unaware that her account was actually a Yahoo account, suggesting many Cox customers may not notice the transition either.
Email marketer from EmailOnAcid explains the brand impact, stating that users might be confused or concerned about security if the transition isn't clearly communicated and branded. Consistent messaging is key.
Email marketer from Reddit explains that migrations can be complex and the experience depends on how well Yahoo handles the transition. Users may see changes in spam filtering, inbox organization, and potentially face issues if Yahoo's systems misinterpret old Cox data.
Email marketer from StackOverflow explains that Cox.net SPF records will need to be updated to include Yahoo's email servers, otherwise emails might be flagged as spam. This will likely be automated.
Email marketer from Mailjet explains that the IP reputation of Cox's email servers will eventually be merged with Yahoo's. If Cox had a good reputation, it could improve Yahoo's deliverability; otherwise, it might negatively impact it.
Marketer from Email Geeks wonders if Cloudmark will continue to filter Cox emails after the transition to Yahoo Mail.
Email marketer from Gmass explains that users may experience changes to the Yahoo Mail interface. This may impact how users manage emails and could lead to positive or negative feedback depending on the user’s preference.
Email marketer from Litmus explains that the reputation of Cox.net could influence Yahoo's overall reputation, and vice versa. It also depends on whether the migration is handled smoothly to avoid deliverability problems.
What the experts say4Expert opinions
Expert from Spam Resource explains that for senders, this means they need to ensure they're following Yahoo's sending guidelines and authentication requirements. Senders should monitor their deliverability metrics closely during and after the transition to identify and address any issues quickly.
Expert from Email Geeks explains that there is no mention of a timeframe in any released info so far and that he will add timeline info if/when he's able to find out.
Expert from Email Geeks believes Cloudmark will no longer be involved, unless Cox is locked into a contract. He suggests Cox would likely let Yahoo handle all the filtering to avoid additional costs.
Expert from Word to the Wise answers the question of user acceptance of the move, stating that if the move is technically smooth, most end users probably won't even notice the change. However, proactive communication can prevent confusion.
What the documentation says4Technical articles
Documentation from Yahoo Mail Help explains that users' email accounts will be automatically transitioned, including all emails, contacts, and settings. Users will be notified via email about the migration.
Documentation from DMARC explains that the DMARC policy setup of Cox.net domain will need to align with Yahoo’s DMARC configuration. If misalignment happens, this will lead to authentication failures and undelivered emails.
Documentation from RFC Editor explains that during the transition, MX records for Cox.net will be updated to point to Yahoo's mail servers. This change may cause temporary delivery delays as DNS propagates.
Documentation from DKIM explains that DKIM signatures will need to be updated to reflect Yahoo's servers, which could affect deliverability if not properly configured.