handle bounced email - ActionMailer

Question

Hi,

I have a rails app and I am using ActionMailer to send email but now I need to know if the email is delivered or what?

Do anyone has an idea of how to handle sent emails status(e.g bounced, delivered) ?

thanks.

Answer 1

Email service providers use a technique called variable envelope return path. The idea is to encode a unique key for each message into the (envelope) return address so that when a destination smtp server returns email as a bounce you can tie it to the originating message.

If it sounds complex, it is. It gets harder if you want to track response rates, which links were clicked, opens, use Domain Keys, etc. Note that it requires you to set up or configure an SMTP server for handling returned mail.

There are a number of services that provide this all to you on a Software As Service basis. We use socketlabs and are very happy with them. Industrial strength and all. I've also heard of people using Postmark in the Ruby community.