What Business Email Address Does BigCommerce Accept?

In the world of e-commerce, having a professional business email address is crucial for building trust and credibility with customers. BigCommerce, a leading e-commerce platform, is no exception when it comes to emphasizing the importance of using a professional email address. In this article, we’ll explore what types of business email addresses BigCommerce accepts, why having a professional email address matters, and how to set up and manage your email for success on the BigCommerce platform.

The Importance of a Professional Business Email Address

Before diving into the specifics of what BigCommerce accepts, it’s important to understand why having a professional business email address is crucial. A professional email address:

Builds Trust and Credibility: Customers are more likely to trust businesses that use a domain-based email address (e.g., `info@yourstore.com`) rather than a free email service provider (e.g., `yourstore@gmail.com`). A professional email gives the impression that your business is established and reputable.

Enhances Brand Image: Using a business email helps reinforce your brand identity. It shows consistency across all customer touchpoints, from your website to your customer service communications.

Improves Deliverability: Emails sent from a domain-based address are less likely to be marked as spam, ensuring that your messages reach your customers' inboxes.

Enables Scalability: As your business grows, having a domain-based email allows you to create multiple email addresses for different departments (e.g., `support@yourstore.com`, `sales@yourstore.com`).

What Types of Email Addresses Does BigCommerce Accept?

BigCommerce accepts professional, domain-based email addresses associated with the domain name of your BigCommerce store. This means the email should match your store’s domain (e.g., if your store's domain is `www.yourstore.com`, a suitable email address would be `info@yourstore.com`).

Acceptable Email Formats

1. Standard Formats: BigCommerce accepts standard email formats such as:

`info@yourstore.com`

`support@yourstore.com`

`sales@yourstore.com`

2. Custom Formats: You can also use custom email formats that align with your business needs, such as:

`firstname.lastname@yourstore.com` (e.g., `john.doe@yourstore.com`)

`role@yourstore.com` (e.g., `manager@yourstore.com`)

3. Subdomains: BigCommerce also supports email addresses associated with subdomains of your primary domain (e.g., `info@shop.yourstore.com`).

Unacceptable Email Formats

1. Generic Email Providers: BigCommerce does not accept emails from free or generic providers like Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, or AOL (e.g., `yourstore@gmail.com` or `support@yahoo.com`).
2. Misspelled or Incorrect Domains: Email addresses that do not correctly match your store’s domain or are misspelled will not be accepted (e.g., `info@yourstore.co` if your actual domain is `yourstore.com`).

Setting Up a Professional Email Address for Your BigCommerce Store

To set up a professional email address that BigCommerce will accept, follow these steps:

Step 1: Choose a Domain Name

If you haven’t already, purchase a domain name for your BigCommerce store. Your domain name should ideally match your business name and be easy for customers to remember.

Step 2: Choose an Email Hosting Provider

BigCommerce does not provide email hosting services. You will need to select an email hosting provider to create and manage your business email addresses. Some popular email hosting providers include:

Google Workspace (formerly G Suite): Offers a robust email hosting service with added collaboration tools such as Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, and Calendar.

Microsoft 365: Provides a comprehensive suite of tools including Outlook for email, as well as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams for collaboration.

Zoho Mail: Offers an affordable email hosting solution tailored for small businesses with features such as a calendar, tasks, and notes.

Bluehost, GoDaddy, or HostGator: These web hosting companies often provide domain registration and email hosting as a bundled service.

Step 3: Create Your Business Email Addresses

Once you have chosen your email hosting provider, follow their instructions to create your business email addresses. Make sure to use formats that BigCommerce accepts (as mentioned earlier).

Step 4: Configure Your Email with BigCommerce

After setting up your email addresses, configure your email settings within the BigCommerce platform. This may involve:

Updating Your DNS Records: Add the necessary MX (Mail Exchange) records and other DNS settings provided by your email hosting provider to your domain’s DNS settings. This step is crucial to ensure your emails are properly routed.

Verifying Your Email Address: Some email hosting providers may require you to verify your email address by sending a confirmation email to the new address.

Managing Your Business Email Address

Having a professional business email address is not a one-time setup; it requires ongoing management to ensure effective communication with your customers.

Best Practices for Managing Your Business Email

Regularly Monitor Your Inbox: Make sure you or your team regularly checks the inbox to respond to customer inquiries promptly.

Implement Email Forwarding: Set up email forwarding to ensure no customer emails are missed, especially if you have multiple email addresses for different departments.

Use Email Filtering and Folders: Organize incoming emails into folders and use filters to sort them based on criteria such as sender, subject, or keywords. This helps streamline email management and ensures important messages are not overlooked.

Maintain a Professional Tone: Always use a professional tone in your email communications. Remember that every email you send represents your brand.

Regularly Update Your Email Signature: Ensure your email signature is up-to-date and includes relevant information such as your name, job title, contact details, and a link to your store.

Common Challenges and Solutions

While setting up and managing a professional email address is straightforward, some common challenges may arise:

Emails Going to Spam: Ensure your domain is properly authenticated using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC settings to improve email deliverability and reduce the likelihood of your emails being marked as spam.

Domain Name Typos: Double-check that all email addresses and domain settings are spelled correctly to prevent communication issues.

Managing Multiple Emails: Consider using email management tools or platforms that allow you to manage multiple email addresses from a single dashboard to streamline your operations.

Conclusion

A professional business email address is a vital component of your BigCommerce store's online presence. By ensuring that your email addresses are domain-based and correctly configured, you enhance your business's credibility, improve communication with customers, and ultimately contribute to the growth and success of your online store. Following the steps outlined in this article will help you set up and maintain an effective email system that meets BigCommerce’s requirements and supports your e-commerce goals.