Why Email Sending May Be Paused or Limited

Use this article to understand why Patch may pause or limit email sending and what steps to take before sending again.

In this article

• Why sending safeguards exist
• Common reasons sending may be limited
• What to do first
• How to prepare a healthier send
• How to avoid future sending limits
• What Patch Support may ask for

Why sending safeguards exist

Patch may recommend or apply sending safeguards when email activity creates risk for your account, your recipients, or overall email deliverability. These safeguards are meant to prevent avoidable damage and help your team return to healthier sending.

Sending limits are not meant to block good marketing. They are used when the current sending pattern needs cleanup before more email is sent.

Common reasons sending may be limited

• High bounce rates
• High unsubscribe rates
• Spam complaint concerns
• Large sends to old or unvalidated contacts
• Purchased, rented, scraped, or unclear list sources
• Sudden volume spikes
• Repeated low engagement
• Misleading or risky email content

Patch may ask for list cleanup, validation, segmentation, or double opt-in before sending continues at the same volume.

What to do first

1. Pause any broad Blasts that have not been sent yet.
2. Review recent imports and list sources.
3. Exclude unsubscribed, invalid, bounced, and inactive contacts.
4. Create an engaged segment of recent customers, members, visitors, or clickers.
5. Review the email content for misleading claims or spammy formatting.
6. Contact Patch Support if you need help deciding the next step.

How to prepare a healthier send

Before sending again, build a smaller and safer audience.

• Use contacts with recent activity.
• Use contacts with clear consent.
• Use valid email addresses.
• Use one clear message.
• Use an honest subject line.
• Send at a reasonable volume.

After sending, review results before expanding to a larger audience.

How to avoid future sending limits

Use these habits going forward:

• Use double opt-in for new form signups, etc. when possible.
• Validate emails before large sends.
• Sunset unengaged contacts.
• Avoid broad sends to every contact.
• Keep import sources documented.
• Review performance after every major campaign.

The best way to avoid sending limits is to send relevant email to people who expect it.

What Patch Support may ask for

To help troubleshoot, Patch Support may ask for:

• The audience or segment used
• The source of the contacts
• The campaign or automation name
• The date and time of the send
• Recent import details
• Examples of recipients who did or did not receive the email
• Any bounce, unsubscribe, or complaint patterns

Providing these details helps the team recommend the correct fix faster.

Customer Support

If you need help or are not sure which step to take next, contact Patch Customer Support at success@patchretention.com or 888.605.4429.