Why might an email sender choose not to align their sending domain with their ESP's shared domain?

Email marketer from Email Geeks shares that DNS setup for SMB users is prone to errors and future breakage, and beyond DKIM & SPF validation, additional measures may not provide enough added value.

Email marketer from Email Geeks explains that ESPs will likely always include some of their shared domains to get FBLs and that many senders incorrectly set up or remove DNS records, requiring careful guidance and verification from the ESP.

Email Marketer from Mailjet shares that using a shared domain allows senders to benefit from the ESP's existing reputation and infrastructure, which is especially useful for senders with low email volumes or those just starting out.

Email marketer from SMTP2GO explains that some senders prefer to avoid the complexities of domain authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) and reputation management by using the ESP's shared domain.

Email Marketer from Reddit explains that for new email marketers, using a shared domain is simpler because the ESP handles all the technical configurations. This allows the sender to focus on content and strategy without worrying about deliverability complexities.

Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum explains that for very small businesses, the cost of a dedicated IP and the technical overhead can outweigh the benefits. A shared IP through an ESP may be more economical.

Email marketer from GMass explains that if senders only send out very few emails, or want to test new strategies, it can be better to use a shared domain than risk their own domain reputation.

Email marketer from Litmus responds that small organizations with limited technical expertise may find DMARC implementation too complex, making shared domains a more manageable option.

Email Marketer from MailerLite shares that If a sender has a new or lower reputation this may affect deliverability. Using shared ESP domain will give a better chance to reach the inbox while the reputation is built

Email Marketer from Email on Acid explains that new businesses or senders without an established sending history can benefit from the ESP's pre-warmed IP address and domain, giving them a better chance of reaching the inbox.

Email marketer from SendGrid explains that senders might choose shared IP pools, especially for low volume sending, as the reputation is managed collectively. This avoids the need to build and maintain a dedicated IP's reputation.

Expert from Email Geeks explains that if an ESP's shared reputation is better than the sender's, there is a good reason not to align sending to the sender's domain.

Expert from Email Geeks shares that if sending very tiny amounts of mail and the work to align things is more trouble than it’s worth, it is not worth aligning the sending to a domain.

Expert from Word to the Wise shares that if you are sending only a tiny amount of mail (e.g. a mailing list) and the work to align things is more trouble than it is worth, then it is OK to send from a mailchimp shared domain. If you are sending a larger volume it is not ok.

Documentation from AWS explains that Senders don't have to worry about IP warming when using the ESP's shared domains as these ESPs typically have warmed up domain/IPs, which takes the pressure off having to wait for a domain reputation to build before sending volume

Documentation from Microsoft explains that for senders who have had deliverability issues or a poor sending reputation, using a shared domain through a reputable ESP can provide a 'clean slate' and improve their chances of reaching Outlook.com inboxes.

Documentation from SparkPost shares that for senders without a strong domain reputation, using the ESP's shared domain can improve initial deliverability rates, as it leverages the ESP's established trust with ISPs.

Documentation from Google Workspace Admin shares that using a shared domain allows senders to bypass the technical requirements of setting up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records, which can be challenging for non-technical users.