Deliverability glossary · Updated 2026-10-27
Inbox placement
Also called: Deliverability rate
Inbox placement is the share of delivered messages that reach the primary inbox rather than spam or a promotions tab. It is distinct from delivery rate, which only counts acceptance by the server.
Delivery rate and inbox placement measure different things, and conflating them is the most common self-deception in outbound. A message accepted by the receiving server and filed straight into spam counts as delivered. Your dashboard shows 99% delivered; nobody read it.
Placement is measured with seed lists, addresses you control across Gmail, Outlook and other providers, by checking where each message landed. Published placement tests of the major cold email platforms disagree widely, and most are run by companies that sell inboxes, warmup or sending services.
Placement is driven by sender reputation, authentication, engagement and complaint rate. Content matters less than most people assume; a well-authenticated sender with genuine engagement can use words that would sink a cold domain.
Because placement varies by provider, a single number hides the picture. Strong Gmail placement with poor Outlook placement is a common and specific pattern that an aggregate figure will not reveal.
How Raechly handles it
The send log records acceptance and the verbatim error on failure, while bounce and complaint events arrive over a signature-verified SES webhook and land on the lead record. Raechly reports what it can prove rather than estimating placement.
Related terms
Sending reputation
Sending reputation is the trust score mailbox providers assign to your domain and IP based on complaint rate, bounce rate, engagement and authentication history.
Email warmup
Email warmup gradually increases sending from a new mailbox while generating positive engagement, so mailbox providers build a reputation for the address before it sends cold volume.
Spam complaint rate
Spam complaint rate is the share of delivered messages recipients mark as spam.
Back to the full deliverability glossary, or read how these pieces fit together in how Raechly protects deliverability.