If a test email doesn't arrive in your inbox, check your spam folder first — it's often filtered there rather than lost. Two things account for most cases we see: an unauthenticated or improperly configured sending domain, and sending to a large list that includes many unengaged subscribers right away.
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Tip: test emails are more prone to landing in spam than regular campaigns. Instead of using the Send Test feature, try creating a small list containing just the email address(es) you want to test with, then send your draft newsletter to that list like a real campaign. This more closely replicates real sending behavior and is less likely to be flagged as spam.

Since February 2024, Gmail and Yahoo require full email authentication (SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records) for any sender exceeding 5,000 emails a day — and SmartrMail recommends setting this up regardless of your sending volume, since it significantly reduces the chance of your emails being marked as spam.
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If your sending domain isn't set up or isn't configured correctly, this is the single most common reason test (and regular) emails end up in spam.
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Fix: follow our Custom Sending Domain setup guide to authenticate your domain.
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SmartrMail's automated Entri tool can configure most DNS providers for you; manual steps are available for Shopify-managed domains and other providers.

Note: if your store is still using a default .myshopify.com-style domain rather than your own branded domain, you'll need to connect your actual custom domain to your store before you can set up sending authentication.

Sending to your entire list right after setting up a new sending domain — especially if that list includes a lot of subscribers who haven't opened or clicked in a long time — can hurt your sender reputation and increase the chance of landing in spam.
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Fix: follow our Domain Warming guide. In short: start by sending to your most engaged subscribers (recent opens/clicks), and gradually expand to your full list over a few weeks as your engagement metrics stay healthy.

Test emails are more prone to landing in spam than regular campaigns sent to your list. Instead of using the Send Test feature, we recommend replicating real sending behavior: create a new list containing just the email address(es) you want to test with, draft your actual newsletter as normal, and send it to that small test list rather than using the isolated test-send feature. This more closely mirrors how a real campaign is sent, and is less likely to be flagged as spam.
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Yes — both the domain authentication and warm-up guidance apply to all sends, not just test emails. A test email landing in spam is often an early warning sign that would also affect your regular campaigns.
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Domain warm-up takes time — typically several weeks. If your emails are still landing in spam after completing the warm-up process, contact SmartrMail support so the team can dig deeper into your specific situation.
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Yes — SmartrMail recommends this for everyone, even below the 5,000-per-day threshold, since it improves deliverability and protects your brand from being spoofed.