Email Settings Configuration

Configure email delivery, templates, and notifications for optimal customer communication.

Accessing Email Settings

Navigate to email settings:

Shopify admin → Apps → Alva Digital Downloads
Click Settings → Email Settings
Configure email preferences

Settings sections:

• Email Provider
• From/Reply-To Configuration
• Email Templates
• Notification Rules
• Delivery Settings
• Testing and Debugging

Email Provider Configuration

Choosing Email Provider

Available providers:

Postmark (Recommended):

Type: API-based
Delivery rate: 99%+
Speed: < 5 seconds
Open tracking: Yes
Click tracking: Yes
Cost: $0.01/email

MailerToGo (SMTP):

Type: SMTP-based
Delivery rate: 98%+
Speed: 10-30 seconds
Open tracking: Yes
Click tracking: Yes
Cost: $0.005/email

Recommendation: Use Postmark as primary, MailerToGo as fallback

Postmark Configuration

Setup Postmark:

Step 1: Get API credentials:

1. Sign up at postmarkapp.com
2. Create server
3. Generate API token
4. Verify sender email/domain

Step 2: Configure in Alva:

Settings → Email Settings → Provider → Postmark

Server API Token: [Paste token]
From Email: noreply@yourshop.com
From Name: Your Shop Name

Verify sender: ☑ Email verified in Postmark

Step 3: Test connection:

[Send Test Email]
To: your@email.com
Result: ✓ Sent successfully via Postmark
Delivery time: 2.3 seconds

MailerToGo Configuration

Setup SMTP:

SMTP credentials:

Settings → Email Settings → Provider → MailerToGo

SMTP Host: smtp.mailertogo.net
SMTP Port: 587
Username: your_mailertogo_username
Password: ••••••••••••
Encryption: TLS (STARTTLS)

From Email: noreply@yourshop.com
From Name: Your Shop Name

Test connection:

[Test SMTP Connection]
Result: ✓ Connected successfully
Authentication: ✓ Valid
Can send: ✓ Yes

Fallback Configuration

Email delivery reliability:

Fallback strategy:

Settings → Email Settings → Fallback

Primary: Postmark
Fallback: MailerToGo
Auto-switch: ☑ If primary fails

Retry attempts: 3
Retry delay: 5 seconds
Fallback after: 3 failed attempts

Why use fallback:

• Ensures email delivery
• Prevents lost notifications
• Redundancy for critical emails
• Better deliverability

From and Reply-To Settings

Sender Configuration

From email address:

Email address:

Settings → Email Settings → From Email
Email: noreply@yourshop.com
or: support@yourshop.com
or: downloads@yourshop.com

Requirements:
✓ Must be verified in email provider
✓ SPF record configured
✓ DKIM record configured

From name:

From Name: Your Shop Name
or: Your Shop Team
or: Your Shop Digital Downloads

Display in inbox:
"Your Shop Name <noreply@yourshop.com>"

Reply-To Configuration

Customer replies:

Reply-to email:

Settings → Email Settings → Reply-To Email
Email: support@yourshop.com

Different from sender: ☑ Yes
Monitored inbox: ☑ Yes
Response time: < 24 hours

Why separate:

From: noreply@yourshop.com (delivery)
Reply-To: support@yourshop.com (customer service)

Benefits:
• Clear separation
• Monitored support inbox
• Better customer service
• Professional appearance

Email Templates

Available Templates

Template types:

Download notification:

Sent: When files ready
Purpose: Provide download link
Frequency: Once per order
Status: ☑ Enabled

Fraud pending:

Sent: When order flagged
Purpose: Inform about review
Frequency: Once per flagged order
Status: ☑ Enabled

Approval notification:

Sent: After manual approval
Purpose: Files now available
Frequency: Once per approval
Status: ☑ Enabled

Expiry warning:

Sent: 7 days before expiry
Purpose: Remind to download
Frequency: Once
Status: ☐ Enabled

Limit warning:

Sent: At 80% of download limit
Purpose: Alert near limit
Frequency: Once
Status: ☐ Enabled

Editing Email Templates

Customize templates:

Template editor:

Settings → Email Settings → Templates → [Select template]

Editor: Rich text + HTML
Variables: Dynamic placeholders
Preview: Live preview with test data
Languages: 8 supported

Available variables:

Order variables:

{order_number} → #1045
{order_date} → January 15, 2024
{order_total} → $49.99

Customer variables:

{customer_name} → John Smith
{customer_first_name} → John
{customer_email} → john@example.com

Product variables:

{product_name} → Complete Course Bundle
{file_count} → 5 files
{file_list} → Bulleted list of files

Download variables:

{download_link} → Secure download URL
{expiry_date} → March 15, 2024
{days_until_expiry} → 45 days
{download_limit} → 5 downloads
{downloads_used} → 2

Shop variables:

{shop_name} → Your Shop
{shop_url} → https://yourshop.com
{support_email} → support@yourshop.com

Download Notification Template

Default template:

Subject: Your Files Are Ready - Order {order_number}

Hi {customer_first_name},

Thank you for your purchase! Your digital files are ready to download.

Product: {product_name}
Order number: {order_number}

{download_link_button}

Files included:
{file_list}

Important Information:
• Download link expires in {days_until_expiry} days ({expiry_date})
• You can download up to {download_limit} times
• Files will be available in your account at {shop_url}/account

Need help? Reply to this email or contact us at {support_email}.

{shop_name}
{shop_url}

Customization options:

Button styling:

Settings → Email Settings → Templates → Download Button

Button text: "Download Files"
Button color: #007AFF (primary brand color)
Button style: Filled / Outlined
Button size: Medium / Large

Layout:

Layout: Single column / Two column
Header: Show logo / Hide logo
Footer: Include social links / Simple footer

Fraud Pending Template

Template content:

Subject: Order {order_number} - Security Review in Progress

Hi {customer_first_name},

Thank you for your order of {product_name}.

For your security, we're reviewing your order. This is a standard
procedure to protect you and other customers.

Order number: {order_number}
Status: Under Review

What happens next:
1. Our team reviews your order (usually 1-2 hours)
2. You'll receive an email when approved
3. Download link will be available immediately

This helps us prevent fraud and ensure a safe shopping experience
for everyone.

Questions? Contact us at {support_email}.

{shop_name}

Customization:

Tone: Reassuring, professional
Estimated time: Adjustable (1-2 hours default)
Include: Order details, next steps

Expiry Warning Template

Reminder email:

Subject: Download Your Files Soon - Expiring in 7 Days

Hi {customer_first_name},

This is a friendly reminder that your download link for
{product_name} will expire in 7 days.

Order: {order_number}
Expires: {expiry_date}

{download_link_button}

Make sure to download your files before the link expires.
After that, you'll need to contact support for access.

Downloads remaining: {downloads_remaining} of {download_limit}

{shop_name}

Notification Rules

Email Triggers

When to send emails:

Download notification:

Settings → Email Settings → Rules → Download Notification

Trigger: Order approved and files ready
Conditions:
☑ Fraud check passed (if enabled)
☑ Payment confirmed
☑ Files available

Exceptions:
☐ Don't send if customer disabled emails
☐ Don't send for free orders

Fraud notification:

Trigger: Order flagged by fraud detection
Conditions:
☑ Fraud score above threshold
☑ Manual review required

Send to:
☑ Customer
☑ Shop owner
☐ Support team

Email Scheduling

Send timing:

Immediate vs. delayed:

Settings → Email Settings → Rules → Timing

Download notification:
○ Send immediately after approval
● Delay: 5 minutes (prevent duplicates)
○ Scheduled: Batch send

Fraud pending:
● Send immediately (customer expects it)

Expiry warning:
● Send 7 days before expiry
Time: 9:00 AM customer's timezone

Batching (optional):

☐ Enable email batching
Batch interval: 15 minutes
Max batch size: 100 emails

Benefits: Reduce server load, prevent spam flags
Trade-off: Slight delay

Frequency Limits

Prevent email spam:

Per-customer limits:

Settings → Email Settings → Rules → Frequency

Max emails per day: 10
Max duplicate emails: 1 (prevent resend spam)
Cooldown period: 1 hour between similar emails

Example:
Customer requests 3 download emails in 5 minutes
→ Send first
→ Block next 2 (within cooldown)
→ Show message: "Email sent recently"

Delivery Settings

SPF and DKIM

Email authentication:

SPF record:

Settings → Email Settings → Delivery → Authentication

What: Sender Policy Framework
Purpose: Prevent spoofing
Status: ☑ Configured

DNS record:
v=spf1 include:spf.mailertogo.net include:spf.postmarkapp.com ~all

Verify: [Check SPF Record]
Result: ✓ Valid, ✓ Includes providers

DKIM record:

What: DomainKeys Identified Mail
Purpose: Email integrity
Status: ☑ Configured

Provider generates: Public/private key pair
Add to DNS: TXT record
Verify: [Check DKIM Record]
Result: ✓ Valid signature

Setup guide:

1. Get DKIM record from provider
2. Add to DNS (TXT record)
3. Wait for propagation (24-48 hours)
4. Verify in settings

Tracking Settings

Email tracking:

Open tracking:

Settings → Email Settings → Delivery → Tracking

Open tracking: ☑ Enabled
Method: 1x1 pixel
Privacy: Respects "Do Not Track"
Accuracy: ~70% (image blocking affects)

Click tracking:

Click tracking: ☑ Enabled
Method: Redirect through tracking server
Privacy: Anonymized after 90 days
Links tracked: Download button, support links

Unsubscribe tracking:

☑ Track unsubscribe requests
List-Unsubscribe header: ☑ Include
One-click unsubscribe: ☑ Enabled (required)

Deliverability Settings

Optimize delivery:

Content scanning:

Settings → Email Settings → Delivery → Optimization

☑ Scan for spam triggers
☑ Check content/text ratio
☑ Validate HTML
☑ Check broken links

Auto-fix: ☑ Enable (where possible)
Warning: ☑ Show issues before sending

Best practices:

✓ Balance text and images (60/40)
✓ Avoid spam words ("FREE!", "LIMITED TIME!")
✓ Include physical address
✓ Clear unsubscribe link
✓ Authenticate emails (SPF/DKIM)

Testing and Debugging

Send Test Emails

Test email delivery:

Send test:

Settings → Email Settings → Testing → Send Test Email

Template: [Select template]
Test data: Use sample order
Send to: your@email.com

[Send Test Email]

Result:
✓ Sent successfully
Provider: Postmark
Delivery time: 1.8 seconds
Opens: Track after sending

Email Logs

Monitor email delivery:

View logs:

Settings → Email Settings → Logs

Columns:
• Date/Time
• Recipient
• Subject
• Status (Delivered/Bounced/Failed)
• Opens
• Clicks
• Provider

Filter:
☐ Delivered only
☐ Failed only
☐ Last 24 hours

Log details:

Click log entry → View details:
• Full headers
• SMTP logs
• Error messages (if failed)
• Delivery timeline
• Open/click events

Debugging

Troubleshoot email issues:

Debug mode:

Settings → Email Settings → Testing → Debug Mode
☐ Enable debug mode

When enabled:
• Logs all email attempts
• Shows detailed errors
• Doesn't actually send (safe testing)
• Saves email HTML to logs

Common issues:

Issue: Emails not sending
Debug: Check provider credentials, API limits

Issue: Emails going to spam
Debug: Check SPF/DKIM, content scan results

Issue: Slow delivery
Debug: Check provider status, retry logs

Language and Localization

Multi-Language Templates

Translate email templates:

Available languages:

Settings → Email Settings → Templates → Languages

Supported:
• English (en) ✓ Complete
• French (fr) ✓ Complete
• German (de) ✓ Complete
• Spanish (es) ✓ Complete
• Italian (it) ✓ Complete
• Japanese (ja) ✓ Complete
• Dutch (nl) ✓ Complete
• Portuguese (pt-BR) ✓ Complete

Editing translations:

1. Select template (e.g., Download Notification)
2. Choose language (e.g., French)
3. Edit translation
4. Save

Auto-detect: ☑ Send in customer's language
Fallback: English (if language unavailable)

Example:

English:
Subject: Your Files Are Ready - Order {order_number}

French:
Subject: Vos Fichiers Sont Prêts - Commande {order_number}

German:
Subject: Ihre Dateien Sind Bereit - Bestellung {order_number}

Advanced Settings

Custom Headers

Email headers:

Custom headers:

Settings → Email Settings → Advanced → Custom Headers

Add custom email headers:
X-Shop-Order: {order_number}
X-Product-ID: {product_id}
X-Customer-ID: {customer_id}

Use for:
• Email filtering
• Integrations
• Tracking

Webhooks

Email event webhooks:

Configure webhooks:

Settings → Email Settings → Advanced → Webhooks

Endpoint: https://yourapp.com/webhooks/email
Events:
☑ Email sent
☑ Email delivered
☑ Email opened
☑ Email clicked
☑ Email bounced
☑ Spam complaint

Payload: JSON
Authentication: HMAC signature

Example payload:

{
  "event": "email.delivered",
  "email": "customer@example.com",
  "subject": "Your Files Are Ready - Order #1045",
  "template": "download_notification",
  "timestamp": "2024-01-15T15:30:00Z",
  "provider": "postmark",
  "message_id": "abc123-def456"
}

API Integration

Email API:

Send via API:

POST /api/emails/send
Authorization: Bearer {api_key}
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "template": "download_notification",
  "recipient": "customer@example.com",
  "order_number": "1045",
  "variables": {
    "customer_name": "John Smith",
    "product_name": "Course Bundle"
  }
}

Best Practices

1. Use Professional From Address

Recommended:

✅ noreply@yourshop.com
✅ support@yourshop.com
✅ hello@yourshop.com

❌ no-reply@shopify.com
❌ shopify@gmail.com
❌ your.shop.12345@mailserver.com

Why: Trust, deliverability, branding

2. Authenticate Emails

Essential:

✓ SPF record
✓ DKIM signing
✓ DMARC policy (optional but recommended)

Impact:

Without: 30-50% spam rate
With: <5% spam rate

3. Test Before Launching

Testing checklist:

☐ Send test to yourself
☐ Check all variables render
☐ Test on mobile
☐ Verify links work
☐ Check spam score
☐ Test in multiple email clients

Tool: Mail Tester for spam scoring

4. Monitor Deliverability

Track metrics:

• Delivery rate (target: >98%)
• Open rate (target: 60%+ for transactional)
• Click rate (target: 90%+ for download emails)
• Bounce rate (target: <2%)
• Spam complaint rate (target: <0.1%)

Review: Weekly

5. Respect Unsubscribes

Compliance:

✓ Honor unsubscribe immediately
✓ Provide easy unsubscribe link
✓ Don't require login to unsubscribe
✓ Confirm unsubscribe

Exception: Transactional emails (download links)

Troubleshooting

Emails Not Sending

Check:

1. Provider credentials correct
2. From email verified
3. API limits not exceeded
4. Provider service status
5. Email enabled in shop settings

Test:

Settings → Email Settings → Send Test Email
If test fails → Provider issue
If test succeeds → Rule/trigger issue

Emails Going to Spam

Fix:

1. Verify SPF/DKIM configured
2. Use authenticated domain
3. Avoid spam trigger words
4. Balance text/image ratio
5. Include physical address
6. Test with mail-tester.com

Low Open Rates

Improve:

1. Better subject lines (clear, personal)
2. Optimize send time (9-11 AM, 2-4 PM)
3. Check sender reputation
4. Ensure mobile-friendly
5. A/B test different approaches

Next Steps

General Settings Overview - Overall settings
Shop Settings and Preferences - Shop configuration
Advanced Settings and API - Developer options