Why Shopify emails end up in spam

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Topic summary

Main issue: Transactional Shopify emails (order confirmations, shipping updates, abandoned cart reminders) are going to spam or not arriving, causing customer confusion.

Root cause: Lack of proper domain email authentication.

Recommended fixes:

  • Set up SPF (Sender Policy Framework) to authorize sending servers for your domain.
  • Set up DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) to cryptographically sign messages so providers trust they’re from you.
  • Set up DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance) to enforce alignment and specify handling of failed checks.
  • Follow Shopify’s help guide for domain email setup: https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/intro-to-shopify/initial-setup/setup-your-email

Provider requirement highlight:

  • Gmail now expects a DMARC policy of at least p=quarantine; without it, messages are likely to be flagged as spam.

On SMTP:

  • SMTP is the protocol to send email; using an SMTP service alone won’t fix deliverability.
  • Proper DNS authentication (SPF/DKIM/DMARC) is the key factor; SMTP may help if paired with a reputable sender, but authentication is essential.

Status: Clear guidance given (authenticate domain, enforce DMARC). No confirmation from the original poster yet; resolution pending.

Summarized with AI on December 10. AI used: gpt-5.
1

Hi everyone, I’m having a recurring issue where my Shopify emails (like order confirmations, shipping updates, abandoned cart reminders) keep landing in customers’ spam folders or sometimes don’t show up at all. It’s causing confusion because customers think their order didn’t go through. I’ve heard that using SMTP can help improve deliverability, but I’m not fully sure how it works. Could someone explain, in simple terms, why Shopify emails end up in spam and whether SMTP is the right fix?

2

Easy. Your email has not been authenticated. Plain and simple. There are clear instructions in the Shopify Help manual https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/intro-to-shopify/initial-setup/setup-your-email

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3

You have probably gone through email authentication.

Set up DKIM, DMARC, and SPF for your domain. Gmail requires at least p=quarantine as a policy, otherwise they will continue to end up in spam.

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