"Tell A Friend" script - will mail servers see the email as coming.

...from my IP or the user's PC's IP?

[dirtyc]

First off, forgive me if this is not the right category. I'm one of a two man operation and I'm NOT the techie guy.

I want to incorporate one of those "Tell a Friend" forms on my website. I've considered scripts that I host on my server and external hosted services. My concern is mail deliverability.

Suppose "Jim" comes to my site. He wants to send the URL of my site to his buddy "John". Is there any way to make "John's" email service server (probably Yahoo/Gmail/Hotmail) see the sender IP as being Jim's PC's IP or an IP from his free webmail service?

I've spoke with a number of services, and most guarantee deliverability in the ninety-something percent but they can't guarantee that it will end up in the INBOX instead of the JUNK MAIL folder.

What I'm looking for here is what everyone's using right now and/or in past and what's worked well for them.

Thanks a bunch.

[alfaguru]

This isn't the right category, but never mind. Will your emails go into the junk folder? Yes, some of the time. There are so many ways that people filter their mail that no-one can guarantee delivery.

Whether you use a hosted script or an external one, there is no practical way you can ensure that the domain it's identified as being sent from won't end up in somebody's blacklist. The best you can do is use the most reputable services, and hope.

All that said, I'm not sure why you are so concerned about it. Referrals of this kind are unlikely to make an enterprise. If people want to spread the word about your site, they'll do so regardless of you making it easier for them. Ask yourself which of the major successful sites you've come across have such a form. If you impress your visitors they'll let others know - and if you don't, they won't. Genuine personal emails and blog entries will have much more impact than mails sent by a form. Forget the form and concentrate on content, that's my two-pennyworth.

[eelixduppy]

I have one yahoo hosting plan just to mess around with and it's email works like a charm :)

I've tested it for various other email providers and it hasn't gone into the junk-mail box. Again, this still cannot be 100% sure, as stated above, but it's sure good enough for me!

Good luck!

[mcavic]

I think SPF filtering would filter out messages sent from any form like this. SPF is a pretty good system, in my opinion, to prevent address forging. And when your Web server sends an email with your visitor's address in the From line, that's technically forging.

I agree with alfaguru. If you have a good site, people will spread the word on their own. Tell-a-friend forms seem kind of gimmicky.

[libertate]

I suggest you send e-mail from your own domain, and own address, but use the reply to field as the "invitor" e-mail. Furthermore include the invitor's e-mail address within the invitation's body.

This would be both RFC correct and not get caught up in SPF.

It might look spammy...

[lewby]

I do not think so. However you could include a field in the form to so that the user inputs their e-mail and the mail is sent from this address...