Why does Gmail List-Unsubscribe only work on the second attempt?

Email marketer from Litmus explains that email clients handle unsubscribe options differently. Gmail's behavior may be unique compared to other providers. Variations in implementation and processing can cause inconsistencies in when and how the unsubscribe option becomes available.

Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum suggests that Gmail might delay the display of the one-click unsubscribe feature if it detects low engagement rates. Gmail prioritizes user experience, and displaying the option prominently only for senders with good engagement metrics could be part of their algorithm.

Email marketer from Reddit shares a personal experience, stating that sometimes Gmail's unsubscribe button only appears or functions correctly after the user has opened or engaged with a few emails from the same sender. This could be due to Gmail's reputation assessment which takes time to establish.

Email marketer from StackOverflow suggests that the issue could be related to how the server handles the initial POST request from Gmail. If the server is not properly configured to handle POST requests, Gmail may fall back to a GET request or display an error message on the first attempt.

Email marketer from Mailjet Blog discusses various List-Unsubscribe implementation issues that can lead to delayed or non-functional unsubscribe processes. This includes server misconfiguration, incorrect header formatting, or issues with the unsubscribe landing page.

Email marketer from Quora explains that Gmail's algorithm may be assessing the sender's reputation based on various factors, including spam complaints and email authentication. The unsubscribe option might become fully functional only after the sender has established a certain level of trust with Gmail's system.

Email marketer from UserVoice suggests that this may be an issue with Gmail testing unsubscribe functionality and this user suggests that a user can upvote or submit this as an idea.

Marketer from Email Geeks shares that, in the past, the first unsubscribe attempt triggered mailto, while the second triggered the URL.

Email marketer from EmailOnAcid suggest that this can be due to rendering issues and recommends testing different email clients/platforms before sending.

Email marketer from SendGrid Blog highlights the impact of sender reputation on email deliverability and engagement. Gmail may prioritize emails from reputable senders and provide more reliable unsubscribe options. Poor sender reputation could lead to delayed or less visible unsubscribe features.

Expert from Word to the Wise, Laura Atkins, responds that Gmail might be implementing a two-click unsubscribe as a security measure to prevent accidental unsubscriptions, or as a way to gather more data about the reason for unsubscribing. She also points out that this is a common method to prevent abuse.

Expert from Spam Resource, John Levine, explains that inconsistent server responses or issues with the initial POST request handling can cause Gmail to delay the effectiveness of the List-Unsubscribe feature. He emphasizes the importance of adhering to RFC specifications for proper List-Unsubscribe implementation.

Expert from Email Geeks states that Google is likely not supporting mailto for list unsubscribe anymore.

Expert from Email Geeks explains that not allowing POST requests for unsubscribe is contrary to RFC 8058 and should be fixed.

Documentation from Google Support explains that Gmail offers multiple ways to unsubscribe, including the 'List-Unsubscribe' header and manual options. If the automated unsubscribe process fails on the first attempt, users can manually unsubscribe or mark the email as spam, triggering a different unsubscribe flow.

Documentation from Google details that Gmail's spam filters and feedback loops can affect how quickly unsubscribe requests are processed. If a sender's email is consistently marked as spam, Gmail may delay or deprioritize unsubscribe requests to protect users from malicious actors.

Documentation from MXToolbox details that if the List-Unsubscribe header includes both a mailto: and an HTTPS URL, Gmail might prioritize the URL on the first attempt for security reasons. If the server hosting the URL fails to respond quickly, Gmail may fall back to the mailto: option on subsequent attempts, causing a perceived delay.

Documentation from ietf.org specifies that if the initial POST request for List-Unsubscribe fails (e.g., due to a server error), the email client may fall back to a GET request or provide an alternative unsubscribe method. This could result in a perceived delay if the POST request is not properly handled by the sender's server.