Email Glossary

Transactional Email

Transactional emails are automated messages triggered by specific user actions or system events. Unlike marketing emails, they're expected, time-sensitive, and essential for user experience, password resets, order confirmations, shipping notifications, etc.

Transactional vs Marketing Email

Transactional Email:

  • ●Triggered by user action
  • ●One-to-one communication
  • ●Time-sensitive (sent immediately)
  • ●Expected by recipient
  • ●No unsubscribe required (but recommended)
  • ●Higher open rates (50-80%)

Marketing Email:

  • ●Sent in bulk campaigns
  • ●One-to-many communication
  • ●Can be scheduled
  • ●Promotional content
  • ●Requires unsubscribe option
  • ●Lower open rates (15-25%)

Many providers (Mailchimp, Mailgun) separate these with different pricing and infrastructure.

Types of Transactional Email

Account-related:

  • ●Welcome emails
  • ●Password reset links
  • ●Email verification
  • ●Two-factor auth codes
  • ●Account notifications

Commerce:

  • ●Order confirmations
  • ●Shipping updates
  • ●Delivery notifications
  • ●Receipt/invoices
  • ●Refund confirmations

Application:

  • ●Usage alerts
  • ●Billing notifications
  • ●System status updates
  • ●Scheduled report delivery
  • ●Team invitations

Best Practices

Deliverability:

  • ●Use separate subdomain from marketing (e.g., mail.yourdomain.com)
  • ●Prioritize speed over aesthetics
  • ●Keep authentication tight

Content:

  • ●Clear subject lines (action-based)
  • ●Essential information first
  • ●Mobile-friendly design
  • ●Plain text fallback
  • ●Include support contact

Technical:

  • ●Send immediately upon trigger
  • ●Include tracking for debugging
  • ●Handle failures gracefully
  • ●Log everything for support tickets

Why Transactional Email Needs Special Care

Transactional emails directly affect user experience and trust:

  • ●Password resets that don't arrive = locked out users
  • ●Order confirmations that hit spam = worried customers
  • ●Verification emails delayed = abandoned signups

Use a reliable provider, monitor delivery rates closely, and have fallback mechanisms (like SMS for 2FA codes).

Treat transactional email as critical infrastructure, not just another feature.

Related Terms

Email Deliverability

The ability of your emails to reach recipients' inboxes instead of spam.

Marketing Email

Promotional emails sent to subscribers for newsletters, campaigns, and announcements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do transactional emails need an unsubscribe link?
Legally, no (in most jurisdictions). But it's still good practice to offer one for account notifications. Password resets and order confirmations shouldn't have unsubscribe, users can't opt out of essential communications.
Should I use the same provider for transactional and marketing?
It depends. Using one provider is simpler, but high marketing volume can affect transactional deliverability. Many businesses use separate providers or at least separate IPs/domains to isolate reputation.
How fast should transactional emails arrive?
Ideally within seconds. Password resets and 2FA codes should arrive in under 30 seconds. Order confirmations within a minute or two. Any longer and users assume something's wrong.
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