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The bounced and failed lists
What lands on each list, when to remove an address, and why a growing bounce list is worth acting on.
Last updated September 2, 2026
When mail cannot be delivered the address is put aside so future campaigns do not keep hitting it. Repeatedly mailing dead addresses is one of the fastest ways to damage delivery for everybody else on your list.
| List | Means |
|---|---|
| Bounced | The receiving mail system rejected it — usually because the mailbox no longer exists. |
| Failed | The send could not be completed. |
| Invalid | The address is not deliverable. |
Removing an address
An address can be removed from either list, which puts it back into future sends. Do that only when you know something has changed — the mailbox was full and has been cleared, or a server problem at their end has been fixed.
A bounce is a business signal
Most bounces on a business list are people who have changed jobs. That is worth knowing: your contact at an account has gone, and nobody has replaced them in your CRM. Work the bounce list once a quarter and you will find real gaps.
Stopping them at the source
Verify email addresses when you import. It costs a fraction of a penny per address and removes most bounces before they ever reach a campaign.