Why am I seeing Yahoo bounce error TSS06 and is it a Yahoo issue?

Summary

The Yahoo TSS06 error is a temporary deferral indicating potential spam or unusual sending patterns. It can be triggered by volume spikes, poor sender reputation, sending to spam traps, low engagement rates, or issues with email authentication. Maintaining good list hygiene, providing clear unsubscribe options, implementing feedback loops, testing content, separating email streams, and monitoring sender reputation are essential for prevention. Some reports suggest the error could be related to Yahoo-side issues.

Key findings

  • TSS06 Definition: The TSS06 error indicates a temporary block due to potential spam or unusual sending patterns.
  • Volume Spikes: Sudden increases in sending volume, especially with a new IP, can trigger the error.
  • Sender Reputation: A negative sender reputation increases the likelihood of the error.
  • List Quality: Sending to a list with many invalid or inactive addresses causes TSS06 errors.
  • Engagement: Low engagement rates can result in the error.
  • Authentication: Improper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) contributes to delivery issues.
  • Yahoo-Side Issues: In some cases, the error may stem from Yahoo's infrastructure or policies.

Key considerations

  • List Hygiene: Regularly clean email lists using double opt-in to remove invalid or inactive addresses.
  • Gradual Volume: Gradually increase sending volume, particularly when starting with a new IP.
  • Sender Authentication: Ensure proper configuration of SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records.
  • Engagement Content: Focus on providing valuable content that encourages recipient engagement.
  • Unsubscribe: Provide clear unsubscribe options to avoid spam complaints.
  • Feedback Loops: Implement feedback loops with ISPs to monitor and address spam complaints.
  • Email Testing: Test email content with spam filter simulators before sending.
  • Stream Separation: Separate transactional and marketing email streams to protect deliverability.
  • Monitor Reputation: Use tools like Google Postmaster Tools and Microsoft SNDS to monitor sender reputation.
  • Headers: Include proper headers like List-Unsubscribe and Content-Type.

What email marketers say
9Marketer opinions

The Yahoo TSS06 bounce error is often triggered by factors such as sudden sending volume spikes, poor sender reputation, sending practices resembling spam, or technical issues such as incorrect email authentication. Maintaining good list hygiene, separating email streams, providing easy unsubscribe options, implementing feedback loops, and testing email content are all crucial for prevention. It may also indicate an issue on Yahoo's side.

Key opinions

  • Volume Spikes: Sudden increases in email sending volume can trigger the TSS06 error, particularly for senders with an unestablished reputation.
  • Sender Reputation: A poor sender reputation increases the likelihood of encountering the TSS06 error, potentially flagging senders as spammers.
  • Spam-like Practices: Sending practices that resemble spamming or exceeding sending limits can result in Yahoo throttling senders with the TSS06 error.
  • Authentication Issues: Incorrectly configured or missing email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) can lead to deliverability problems, including the TSS06 error.
  • Yahoo Issue: The error might stem from issues on Yahoo's side, indicated by consistent resolutions following contact with Yahoo Postmaster.

Key considerations

  • List Hygiene: Regularly clean email lists to remove inactive or invalid addresses, reducing bounce rates and spam flagging risks.
  • Unsubscribe Options: Provide clear and easy-to-use unsubscribe options to minimize spam complaints.
  • Feedback Loops: Implement feedback loops with ISPs like Yahoo to address and resolve spam complaints promptly.
  • Content Testing: Use spam filter simulation tools to test email content proactively and identify potential issues.
  • Stream Separation: Separate transactional and marketing email streams to prevent marketing campaigns from affecting deliverability of critical transactional messages.
  • Gradual Volume Increase: Gradually increase sending volume to avoid triggering spam filters, especially when starting with a new IP or domain.
Marketer view

Email marketer from Litmus emphasizes the importance of providing clear unsubscribe options in every email. Making it easy for recipients to unsubscribe reduces the likelihood of them marking your emails as spam.

June 2023 - Litmus
Marketer view

Email marketer from StackOverflow suggests that Yahoo may be using the TSS06 error to throttle senders that are exceeding sending limits or engaging in practices that resemble spamming. He recommends checking for compromised accounts that might be sending spam without your knowledge.

August 2024 - StackOverflow
Marketer view

Email marketer from Quora suggests that list hygiene is crucial. Regularly remove inactive or invalid email addresses to reduce bounce rates and prevent being flagged as a spammer.

May 2021 - Quora
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum advises checking the sender's authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) to ensure they are properly configured. Incorrect or missing authentication can lead to deliverability issues and temporary blocks.

January 2023 - Email Marketing Forum
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email on Acid suggests testing email content using tools that simulate different spam filters to identify and address potential issues before sending. This proactive approach can minimize the risk of triggering false positives like TSS06.

December 2021 - Email on Acid
Marketer view

Email marketer from Mailgun discusses implementing feedback loops with ISPs like Yahoo to receive notifications about spam complaints, allowing senders to quickly address and resolve issues that could be impacting deliverability.

July 2021 - Mailgun
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit shares that TSS06 errors are often triggered by sudden spikes in sending volume, especially if the sender's reputation isn't fully established with Yahoo. They recommend gradually increasing volume to avoid triggering the filter.

August 2022 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from Postmark states that separating transactional and marketing email streams can improve deliverability by ensuring important transactional emails are not affected by potential spam issues in marketing campaigns.

October 2021 - Postmark
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Geeks shares experiencing a specific Yahoo bounce error (TSS06) and wonders if it's a Yahoo-side issue, especially since resolutions are consistent after contacting Yahoo Postmaster. Mentions some volume spikes with affected senders and notes the error code isn't listed on Yahoo's Sender Hub SMTP Error Codes page.

July 2022 - Email Geeks

What the experts say
2Expert opinions

The Yahoo TSS06 error can be caused by sending to lists with poor quality (high numbers of invalid/inactive addresses) and/or by low engagement rates. Regular list cleaning, using double opt-in, and focusing on providing valuable, engaging content are recommended.

Key opinions

  • List Quality: Sending to lists with many invalid or inactive email addresses is a frequent cause of the TSS06 error.
  • Engagement Rates: Low engagement rates can also trigger the Yahoo TSS06 error.

Key considerations

  • Regular List Cleaning: Clean your email lists regularly to remove invalid or inactive addresses.
  • Double Opt-in: Use double opt-in to ensure the quality of your email list.
  • Valuable Content: Focus on providing valuable content that recipients want to engage with.
  • Improve Engagement: Work to improve engagement metrics to reduce the likelihood of triggering the error.
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise advises that Yahoo's TSS06 error can stem from low engagement rates. They suggest focusing on providing valuable content that recipients want to interact with, thus boosting engagement metrics and reducing the likelihood of triggering the error.

September 2023 - Word to the Wise
Expert view

Expert from Spam Resource emphasizes that a frequent cause of the TSS06 error is sending to a list with a high number of invalid or inactive email addresses. They recommend cleaning lists regularly and using double opt-in to ensure list quality.

March 2023 - Spam Resource

What the documentation says
6Technical articles

The Yahoo TSS06 error is a temporary deferral indicating potential spam or unusual sending patterns from a specific IP. Blocks are triggered by sending to spam traps, recipient complaints, or a negative sender reputation. Maintaining a positive sender reputation is crucial, and can be monitored through tools like Google Postmaster Tools and Microsoft SNDS. Proper email headers, such as List-Unsubscribe and Content-Type, are essential for signaling legitimacy.

Key findings

  • TSS06 Definition: TSS06 is a temporary deferral error from Yahoo, indicating a possible spam issue or unusual sending patterns from a specific IP address.
  • Spam Traps and Complaints: Sending to spam traps or receiving spam complaints can trigger IP blocks and negatively impact sender reputation.
  • Sender Reputation: A positive sender reputation is critical for avoiding filtering and bounces.
  • Policy-Based Deferral: 5.7.x errors, including TSS06, often indicate policy-based deferrals on the recipient's side (Yahoo).

Key considerations

  • Monitor Reputation: Use tools like Google Postmaster Tools and Microsoft SNDS to monitor the health and reputation of your sending IPs.
  • Proper Headers: Include proper email headers, such as `List-Unsubscribe` and `Content-Type`, to signal legitimacy to ISPs.
  • Avoid Spam Traps: Implement practices to avoid sending to spam traps, such as using double opt-in and regularly cleaning your email lists.
  • Reduce Complaints: Ensure your emails are relevant and provide value to reduce the likelihood of recipients marking them as spam.
Technical article

Documentation from RFC 5321 details that 5.7.x errors generally indicate permanent delivery failure due to policy reasons on the recipient's side, aligning with Yahoo's use of TSS06 for policy-based deferrals.

December 2022 - RFC Editor
Technical article

Documentation from AWS SES states that including proper headers, such as `List-Unsubscribe` and `Content-Type`, in every email is crucial for signaling legitimacy and helping ISPs filter messages correctly.

October 2024 - Amazon Web Services
Technical article

Documentation from Microsoft SNDS explains that the Sender Network Data Services (SNDS) allows senders to monitor the health and reputation of their sending IPs on the Microsoft network, providing insights into potential issues affecting deliverability.

March 2023 - Microsoft
Technical article

Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools highlights the importance of maintaining a positive sender reputation, as poor reputation can lead to email filtering and bounce backs. Suggests monitoring reputation using their tools.

August 2023 - Google
Technical article

Documentation from Spamhaus explains that blocks can be triggered if an IP is sending to spam traps or if there are complaints from recipients marking emails as spam. This contributes to a negative sender reputation, resulting in delivery issues.

October 2022 - Spamhaus
Technical article

Documentation from Yahoo Sender Hub explains that TSS06 is a temporary deferral error indicating that messages from a specific IP address are being temporarily blocked. It often suggests a possible spam-related issue or unusual sending patterns from that IP.

June 2021 - Yahoo Sender Hub