Return Path rates e-mailers on SenderScore.org

E-mail services firm Return Path debuts SenderScore.org, a free Web site that publishes corporate e-mail reputations from the perspective of Internet service providers and e-mail recipients.

SenderScore.org includes data about delivery-hindering reputation factors such as complaints, infrastructure and bounces.

" Return Path knows that reputation is the key to most deliverability problems, and we wanted to make sure that every company sending e-mail had access to reputation data about their own program," said George Bilbrey, vice president and general manager for delivery assurance solutions at Return Path, New York.

A recent Return Path study showed that 83 percent of e-mail delivery failures are because of reputation, with only 17 percent attributed to content and other non-reputation factors.

E-mail senders can get their Sender Score on the site in order to determine reputation. Scores range from 0-100, with 100 being the best. Other information available includes data on spam complaints, e-mail volume tracking, bounce rates, blacklist and white list inclusions, spam trap hits and authentication status.

This data is a segment of the e-mail reputation data available through Return Path's Sender Score Reputation Monitor, which aggregates e-mail reputation data from dozens of Internet service providers and filtering companies. Return Path is tracking data on more than 25 million IP addresses through its network that covers more than 60 million inboxes from a variety of ISPs and filtering companies.

Will the future of e-mail require sender certification? Perhaps.

"ISPs are increasing standards for inbox deliverability and senders are going to have to have solid reputation to be assured inbox reach," Mr. Bilbrey said. "The best senders will be accredited, which will help their inbox success significantly."