Avenue180

Prevent marketing campaigns from going to spam, restore sender reputation, and improve open/click rates.

(Client)
Avenue180
(Year)
2025
(Services)
Email Strategy

Email

Setup

Avenue180, an emerging e-commerce platform for sustainable car mech fashion, sought a full-service email deliverability solution.

Background

Avenue180 was facing a critical deliverability issue — every campaign sent through Klaviyo was landing in the spam folder. As a result, open rates had dropped to 5%, engagement was nearly non-existent, and revenue from email marketing had severely declined.

The brand relied heavily on email marketing to drive Shopify sales, so fixing deliverability was urgent.

Challenges Identified

  • Poor sender reputation due to past sending practices.
  • Missing DMARC record and incorrect SPF settings.
  • Low domain reputation and blacklisting in multiple spam databases.
  • Sending to unengaged and outdated lists without segmentation.
  • Campaign content triggering spam filters.

Step-by-Step Process

1. Initial Deliverability Audit

  • Reviewed domain setup, Klaviyo configuration, and historical performance.
  • Checked sending domain, email addresses, spam reports, bounce rates, and engagement metrics.
  • Identified that most recent campaigns had poor deliverability due to authentication failures and poor list hygiene.

2. DNS Authentication Fix

  • Verified SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records.
  • Fixed SPF to align with Klaviyo's sending guidelines.
  • Implemented a DMARC policy to improve authentication trust with inbox providers.

3. Domain Reputation Check

  • Used Google Postmaster Tools, MXToolbox, and Sender Score.
  • Found domain flagged in spam databases with a low sender reputation.
  • Identified past sending behavior as the cause of blacklisting.

4. Sending Practices Analysis

  • Found the client was sending to large, cold lists without warming up.
  • No segmentation — all subscribers received every campaign.
  • High bounce and complaint rates triggered spam filtering.

5. List Cleaning & Segmentation

  • Removed:
    • Inactive subscribers (90+ days with no engagement).
    • Invalid/bouncing emails.
    • Suspected spam traps.
  • Created activity-based segments:
    • Engaged (last 30, 60, 90 days openers/clickers).
    • New subscribers.
    • High-value repeat customers.

6. Domain Warm-Up

  • Started sending only to most engaged subscribers.
  • Gradually increased volume over 3 weeks.
  • Focused on high-value, personalized content to build trust with inbox providers.

7. Email Content Optimization

  • Rewrote subject lines to avoid spam triggers.
  • Standardized “From” name for brand consistency.
  • Improved HTML formatting & added plain text versions.
  • Tested all campaigns with Mail-Tester and GlockApps before sending.

8. Continuous Monitoring & Adjustment

  • Tracked inbox placement, open/click rates, unsubscribes, and spam complaints weekly.
  • Made ongoing improvements to send times, subject lines, and segmentation logic.

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