Sunset Policy: When to Remove Inactive Subscribers
A sunset policy is a written rule for retiring subscribers who no longer engage. How to set one and why it protects your reputation.
A sunset policy defines when you stop emailing someone who has gone quiet. It keeps the list healthy without arguments about every contact.
Why you need one
Inactive subscribers lower engagement, which lowers inbox placement for everyone. Some turn into spam traps over time.
How to set the rule
- Define engagement: a click, reply, purchase or login. Do not count opens.
- Choose a window that fits your sending frequency, for example 6 months for weekly senders and 12 months for monthly senders.
- Run a re-engagement series before the cut.
- Suppress, do not delete at once: keep the record so you do not email them again by mistake.
Special cases
- Recent buyers and customers can have a longer window.
- Transactional messages are separate and continue.
- Contacts in regulated markets may need records of the decision.
Make it routine
Run the sunset process monthly and verify what remains. A short, regular clean beats a big annual one. The bulk verifier finds the addresses that stopped working altogether.
Example policies
Pick the one closest to your sending frequency, then adjust after a quarter of data.
| Mailing rhythm | Suggested sunset trigger |
|---|---|
| Daily or several times a week | no click in 60 to 90 days |
| Weekly | no click in 120 to 180 days |
| Monthly | no click in 9 to 12 months |
| Seasonal (a few times a year) | no click across two full seasons |
Process in four steps
- Flag the contacts who hit the rule.
- Exclude purchasers and active account holders from the rule, since they act in the product and not in email.
- Run a last-chance message (see the re-engagement guide).
- Suppress those who do not respond, and keep the record for a set period (for example 12 months) so you do not re-import them by mistake.
Why it improves results
Dropping contacts lowers the size of your list but raises engagement rates, lowers complaints and protects your reputation. Many senders find that revenue per email goes up, because the people left are the ones paying attention.
Make removal safe
Keep a copy of removed contacts in a separate file, and let them re-subscribe through a form. Before importing anyone back, verify the address again with the email checker.
