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“VerticalResponse helps Splendora.com's 50,000+ email subscribers stay hip to everything fabulous, every Friday. ”
OverviewVerticalResponse is proud to be a reseller of the Return Path® SenderScore Certified (formerly Bonded Sender) program , certified by TRUSTe. SenderScore Certified is the premier email accreditation service and helps legitimate marketers achieve higher levels of deliverability for the email campaigns they send. The SenderScore Certified program is currently endorsed by 34,000 ISPs and corporate domains and continues to extend its reach across the web.
Since you’ve successfully grown your opt-in list by following “best practices” it’s only fitting to have a service designed to protect your email campaign ROI. As a member of VerticalResponse’s SenderScore Certified program you’ll join an elite group of responsible mailers who successfully and consistently reach their recipient’s inboxes instead of the spam/bulk folders.
While a completed application and a signed Terms of Use Agreement is necessary for acceptance into VerticalResponse’s SenderScore Certified program, any iBuilder user interested in these services can “pre-screen” themselves by answering the questions below.
An answer of "Yes" or "True" for all questions is required to meet the guidelines of VerticalResponse’s SenderScore Certified program. If you cannot answer "Yes" or "True" to all of the questions, you do not qualify for the program.
Your email campaigns do NOT contain any of the following:
If you meet the basic program requirements, please click here to learn more about VerticalResponse’s SenderScore Certified Program
Qualified clients accepted into the SenderScore Certified™ program are responsible for three specific fees:
Application Fee
A nonrefundable application fee will be collected at the time your application and license agreement are submitted for review. This fee is not refundable, even if you are not accepted to the program.
Complaint Fees
Clients accepted into the program will be assessed a $20.00 fee for any spam complaints received from the campaigns they send. VerticalResponse posts the financial “bond” on behalf of our approved clients and will bill them quarterly for complaints received. In general, overall complaint totals should be fairly low since only responsible and legitimate mailers are accepted into the program.
| Email Sent (monthly) | Annual License Fee | Per Complaint Fee |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 10,000 | $19.99 | $20.00 |
| 10,001 - 50,000 | $39.99 | $20.00 |
| 50,001 - 100,000 | $69.99 | $20.00 |
| 100,001 - 250,000 | $89.99 | $20.00 |
| 250,001 - 500,000 | $229.99 | $20.00 |
Please follow the instructions below to submit an application for VerticalResponse’s SenderScore Certified program. We encourage all interested clients to complete the Self-Assessment before submitting a formal application. Please note, your $50.00 application fee is nonrefundable, even if you do not qualify for entry into the program.
Download Forms
Please download & print the Application and License Agreement forms. Please make sure to read through both carefully.
Complete Forms and Submit to VerticalResponse
Application and License forms can be submitted via fax or mail:
FAX
Fax: 415-905-6881
ATTN: SenderScore Certified Application Team
or
MAIL
VerticalResponse, Inc.
SenderScore Certified Application Team
501 2nd Street, Suite 700
San Francisco, CA 94107
Review Period
VerticalResponse will contact you within 7 - 10 business days after receiving the completed Application and License Agreement forms. Incomplete or missing information will result in a delay in the approval/decline process.
VerticalResponse’s SenderScore Certified™ Program Overview
What is the SenderScore Certified Program?
The SenderScore Certified Program, powered by Return Path, Inc. and certified by TRUSTe, is the leading third-party email accreditation program with over 34,00,000 ISPs and corporate domains using the service, including Hotmail, MSN, and Road Runner.Participation in the program marks permission-based email campaigns with superior status and can lead to increased deliverability of the messages you send. VerticalResponse® is a certified reseller of the SenderScore Certified program, and therefore existing VerticalResponse customers have the option to apply for entry in the program.
What is VerticalResponse's role in the SenderScore Certified Program?
VerticalResponse is a certified reseller of the SenderScore Certified Program and we are able to offer these services to small and mid-size businesses whose campaign volumes are less than 500,000 emails per month.How does the SenderScore Certified Program work for iBuilder users?
The SenderScore Certified Program "certifies" a list of approved mail servers (IP addresses) and VerticalResponse maintains specific IP addresses that within this list. The SenderScore Certified Program provides this list to ISPs and/or corporate domains so they can identify legitimate incoming email.The result is often a higher delivery rate for senders in the program since their email campaigns are not mistaken for spam. In order to participate mailers must post a “bond” (U.S. dollars) for the campaigns they send and the program debits the bond for each spam complaint received. Thus, only legitimate mailers can afford to participate in the program. VerticalResponse posts the bond on behalf of the clients approved into the program.
How do I qualify for VerticalResponse’s SenderScore Certified Program?
In order to be accepted into the program you must be an existing VerticalResponse customer for at least 3 months and you also must have sent at least 6 email campaigns containing 100 or more email addresses. If you are not currently a VerticalResponse customer, you can sign up FREE today!I’ve taken the Self-Assessment Test and passed – does this guarantee that I will be accepted into the VerticalResponse’s SenderScore Certified Program?
While a passing the Self-Assessment Test is a good indicator of acceptance into the program, it is by no means a guarantee. The Self-Assessment is designed to help applicants pre-screen themselves and get familiar with the program-specific criteria that will be reviewed by VerticalResponse’s Policies Team. To summarize, the Self-Assessment is not a guarantee of acceptance into the program.
Does VerticalResponse charge an application fee for the SenderScore Certified Program?
Yes, a $50.00, nonrefundable application fee is required for any candidate wishing to be considered for entry into the program. This fee cannot be refunded, regardless of the application process outcome (i.e. accept vs. decline). We recommend all interested applicants first complete the Self-Assessment as a way to pre-screen before submitting the application and fees.Does VerticalResponse charge an annual license fee?
Yes, a specific annual license fee will be assessed based on the volume of email you send on a per month basis. To view the monthly volume tiers, please click here. This fee is recurring and one full calendar year after your initial acceptance into the program you will be responsible for payment to cover the new year of service.What are Complaint Fees?
In order to provide a higher level of email delivery, the SenderScore Certified Program charges a complaint fee for each spam complaint received from the email campaigns you send. This practice pleases the ISPs and/or corporate domains, as they know that only legitimate email senders can be accepted into the SenderScore Certified Program. This also ensures that “best practices” are being followed since a monetary value is now assigned to the complaints that are registered.How are Complaint Fees charged?
The complaint fees will be billed to the credit card that VerticalResponse holds on file. This credit card information will be submitted to VerticalResponse upon acceptance into the SenderScore Certified Program. A $20.00 fee will be charged to your credit card for each complaint received.What happens if I get too many complaints?
As mentioned above, you will be charged $20.00 for every SenderScore Certified complaint received and if a large amounts of complaints are reported from your iBuilder account you may be removed from the program. Please note, if program removal occurs your application fee and license fee are nonrefundable.I’ve been removed from the SenderScore Certified program – what happens now?
This will depend on the severity of situation and the complaint totals received. For any serious spam-related issues, VerticalResponse’s Policies Team will conduct a formal investigation and schedule a consultation with your company. Based on the findings it will be determined if your account can continue to send emails through the standard iBuilder system.If I lose my SenderScore Certified status, will my annual license fee be refunded?
The annual license fee, along with the initial application fee, is nonrefundable.What are the payment options for VerticalResponse’s SenderScore Certified Program?
A valid credit card that VerticalResponse keeps on file is the only payment option available at this time.
How will the SenderScore Certified Program help my email delivery and subscriber response rates?
As you know, VerticalResponse’s standard email delivery rate is extremely high due to our proactive ISP relations and dedicated Delivery Management Teams. However, the SenderScore Certified program may improve your delivery rates as it shows ISPs and corporate domains that your company follows “best practices” by setting high standards for the campaigns you launch.For an example of the program benefits, please see the following SenderScore Certified case study.
Is 100% delivery realistic with the SenderScore Certified Program?
There are no guarantees of higher delivery with SenderScore Certified and 100% delivery is not realistic for any commercial email campaign. It’s important to note that as the SenderScore Certified program continues to extend it’s reach, with ISPs both large and small, increased delivery rates should be possible.Since every company is different and subscriber data varies dramatically, there is not a way for VerticalResponse or SenderScore Certified to guarantee a minimum delivery rate or percentage.
What is the advantage of using VerticalResponse’s SenderScore Certified Program instead of working directly with Return Path?
As a certified reseller of the SenderScore Certified Program, VerticalResponse is able to offer dramatically reduced “up front” costs as it relates to application fees, license fees and the posted bond. VerticalResponse posts the bond on behalf of its clients and simply bills program participants based on the complaints received.
In addition, a relationship with Return Path usually requires a minimum of 500,000 emails per month, which is not realistic for a small and mid-size business. One other factor to consider is that Return Path requires its applicants to have their own dedicated IP address whereas VerticalResponse assigns a select range of IP addresses solely for SenderScore Certified clients.
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