Black Friday emails that don't land in spam: authentication, unsubscribe and a gradual ramp-up

.comparison-cards { display: flex; flex-direction: column; gap: 1.5rem; } .comparison-card { background: #fff; border-radius: 16px; padding: 20px; border: 2px solid #efefef; } .comparison-header { display: flex; justify-content: space-between; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 12px; } .comparison-row { display: flex; justify-content: space-between; padding: 8px 0; border-top: 1px solid #efefef; font-size: 14px; color: #1f2937; } .comparison-label { font-size: 14px; width: 30%; } .comparison-value { width: 65%; text-align: right; } @media (max-width: 600px) { .comparison-row { flex-direction: column; align-items: flex-start; } .comparison-value { text-align: left; margin-top: 4px; } } Black Friday falls on 27 November this year and Cyber Monday on 30 November. In that week many stores send three or four times more emails than usual, often to addresses they haven't written to in months. That is exactly what Gmail, Yahoo and Outlook watch to decide what lands in the Inbox and what goes to Spam. Since November 2025 Gmail has stepped up enforcement and can reject non-compliant messages temporarily or permanently. Below you'll find the requirements checked in the official documentation, the checks to run and a plan for ramping up volume gradually, so you don't burn your domain in the week that matters most. 1. What Gmail, Yahoo and Outlook require The requirements are similar but not identical. In short: Requirement Who the strict rules apply to Gmail Close to 5,000 messages or more in 24 hours to personal Gmail accounts; the status is permanent Yahoo Bulk senders Outlook 5,000 messages or more to Microsoft consumer email services Requirement SPF and DKIM Gmail Both, at least one aligned with the From domain Yahoo Both, at least one aligned with the From domain Outlook Both must pass, aligned with the From domain Requirement DMARC Gmail At least p=none Yahoo At least p=none, rua reporting recommended Outlook Published, for example p=none Requirement Unsubscribe Gmail One…