Resolving Email Sending Issues: How to Configure MX Records in BigCommerce for External Email Providers

In the bustling world of e-commerce, seamless communication is paramount. For BigCommerce store owners, ensuring that their associated email addresses function correctly is crucial for customer service, order confirmations, and general business operations. A common hurdle arises when a store's domain is managed through BigCommerce, but an external provider like Titan Email handles the actual email service. This often leads to email sending issues due to misconfigured DNS records.

This community insight delves into a specific case from the BigCommerce forum where Clem Eccles, a store owner, encountered precisely this problem with their domain, flooringcoutureonline.com. Clem was unable to send emails from their associated addresses and needed to update their domain's DNS settings with specific MX records for Titan Email.

The Challenge: Connecting BigCommerce DNS to External Email Services

Clem's initial post highlighted the core issue: the necessary MX records for Titan Email were not correctly configured within their domain's DNS settings. The specific record details provided were:

• Type: MX
• Host: @
• TTL: 3600
• Priority: 20
• Exchange record: mx0102.titan.email

Without these records, the domain's DNS would not know where to direct incoming or outgoing email traffic, resulting in sending failures.

The Step-by-Step Solution: Configuring MX Records in BigCommerce Admin

Sajid Jameel from Codinative.com, a Certified BigCommerce Partner, provided a clear and actionable solution. The key takeaway is that when BigCommerce manages your domain's DNS, all necessary DNS records, including MX records for external email providers, must be added directly within your BigCommerce store's admin panel. Here’s the detailed process:

1. Log in to your BigCommerce store admin.
2. Navigate to Settings > Domains (or "Domains & SSL," depending on your BigCommerce version).
3. Locate your domain (e.g., flooringcoutureonline.com) and click on DNS Records / Advanced DNS.
4. Add a new MX record using the details provided by your email provider. For Clem's case, these were:
   • Type: MX
   • Host/Name: @
   • Priority: 20
   • Value/Points to: mx0102.titan.email
   • TTL: 3600 (or as specified by your provider)
5. Save the changes.

Beyond the Basics: Ensuring Comprehensive Email Deliverability

Sajid’s response went a crucial step further, offering invaluable advice that often prevents future issues. He noted that external email providers like Titan Email typically require more than just a single MX record for optimal performance and deliverability. This often includes:

• Multiple MX Records: Often, email providers specify two or three MX records with different priorities (e.g., mx0102.titan.email at priority 20 and mx0202.titan.email at priority 10) to ensure redundancy and reliability.
• SPF (Sender Policy Framework) TXT Records: These records help prevent email spoofing and ensure that your emails are authenticated, improving deliverability and reducing the likelihood of them being marked as spam.
• DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) TXT Records: Similar to SPF, DKIM adds another layer of authentication by allowing the recipient's email server to verify that an email was sent by the domain owner and was not altered in transit.

The recommendation was to add all records provided by Titan Email (or any other email service) together, rather than just the initial MX record, to establish robust email functionality from the outset.

Outcome and Key Takeaways

Clem Eccles confirmed that Sajid’s detailed instructions successfully resolved the email sending issue, expressing gratitude for the assistance. This thread serves as an excellent reminder for BigCommerce merchants:

• When BigCommerce manages your domain's DNS, all necessary DNS records for external services (like email) must be configured within your BigCommerce admin panel.
• Always consult your email provider's documentation for a complete list of required DNS records, including all MX, SPF, and DKIM TXT records, to ensure full email deliverability and prevent future issues.
• Proactively configuring all recommended records from the start saves time and prevents communication breakdowns.

Conclusion

Correctly configuring DNS settings for your external email provider within BigCommerce is a fundamental step towards reliable e-commerce operations. By following clear, step-by-step guides and understanding the importance of comprehensive record setup, merchants can avoid common email sending pitfalls. If you're navigating complex domain migrations or need expert assistance with your BigCommerce store's technical configurations, Big Migration is here to help ensure your online presence is seamless and fully functional.