Guide
How to build an email list without buying one
Direct answer: grow your list by asking people who already know you — at checkout, on your site, at events, and on receipts. Buying email lists is against SendFable’s acceptable use and usually backfires with bounces and complaints.
Updated 2026-08-24 · Reviewed by SendFable
Why bought lists fail
People who never asked for your mail mark it as spam. That hurts domain reputation for everyone who shares delivery infrastructure — including you. SendFable does not allow purchased or scraped lists. Import only addresses you have permission to use.
High-trust collection methods
1. Hosted signup form on your site (“Weekly specials / event alerts”). 2. Paper or QR signup at the register with a clear promise. 3. Ask on invoices and booking confirmations. 4. Event check-in: “Text/email for schedule changes.” 5. Loyalty cards that include an email opt-in checkbox — not a pre-checked box.
Set expectations at signup
Say how often you will write and what people get. “Weekly Friday specials” beats “marketing emails.” Make unsubscribe easy later so people do not complain instead.
Import what you already have
If you have a spreadsheet of customers who opted in historically, clean it (remove unsubscribes and obvious typos), then import via CSV. Tag the source so you can send gently at first.
FAQ
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