Subscription Requirements

By default, the address used to send emails from Privy is offers@privymktg.com. However, this address can be updated to reflect your specific domain and brand instead. This document will walk you through setting up your DNS records with Shopify. If you use a different provider, please reference this resource instead.

Additionally, please ensure that you meet the following requirements:

You must own a domain name. It isn't possible to use this feature with free email addresses from providers like Gmail or Yahoo.
You must have the ability to update the DNS records of your domain.
You must be hosting a website at the root of the domain.

Add the domain

To add a new sending domain:

In your Privy account, select the Account dropdown menu from the navigation bar. Your business name appears here.
Select the Business Information option from the dropdown menu.
In the sidebar, select Sending Domain under the Email Settings section.
Click the + Add Sending Domain button in the upper right.
In the prompt, enter your domain name (e.g., example.com) and click the Save button. The provided domain must be a root domain, not a subdomain (e.g., mail.example.com).

Update your DNS information

After completing the previous steps, DNS records are generated for your domain. The records are automatically presented to you after saving the domain for the first time. However, if you navigated away from the page, the records can be easily accessed by returning to your Sending Domain settings, locating the domain, and clicking the DNS Records button.

Once you've accessed the records:

Head over to Shopify and select Online Store > Domains from the sidebar.
In the Domains section, click the domain's name or the domain's Manage button.
On the next page, click the DNS Settings button below the domain's name.

In the settings section, click the Add custom record dropdown menu and add each record displayed in Privy, making sure to match Type with Type, Host with Name, and Data with either TXT Value or Points to. Additional information on updating these settings is available from Shopify in this article.

Once all of the records are added, return to the records in Privy and click the Verify button next to the domain. This action will check if the DNS records were updated correctly. If they were, green checkmarks appear. If they weren't, the red X marks remain.

Note: It can take up to 48 hours for the DNS records to propagate and properly verify.

Send emails with the domain

After your sending domain is verified, you need to update the default "from" address for emails sent from your account. To update this setting:

In your Privy account, select the Account dropdown menu from the navigation bar. Your business name appears here.
Select the Business Information option from the dropdown menu.
In the sidebar, select Sender Options under the Email Settings section.
Input the desired address before the "@" symbol in the Default From Email field.
Select the custom domain from the dropdown menu that reads privymktg.com.

Completion of this process will update all emails that you create moving forward. Check out this example from our friends at Bitch New York who decided to use "info" in combination with their custom sending domain to create their default email From Name.

To update this setting for emails set up before the change:

Go into the email editor and click on the From option under the Sender Info section.
Enter the desired address information and select a verified domain from the dropdown menu.
Click Save.

Troubleshoot common issues

Pending verification

In most cases, the records should verify almost immediately when entered into the host correctly. However, some changes will require up to 48 hours to take effect. If your records have not verified after 48 hours, please do the following:

Review the "Why won't my DNS records verify?" guide.
Attempt the verification process again.
Contact your web host for assistance.
Explore the Privy Partner and Privy Support resources listed below.

Additional resources

Privy Partner Program

You can contact a vetted Privy partner and have them make these changes on your behalf.

Privy Support

Leave the Support Team a voicemail containing your DNS-related question at 619-431-4373. The team will return your call between 9 AM and 5 PM EST - excluding weekends and holidays.

Note: This phone number is only for DNS questions. All other inquiries should be directed to Privy's Support Team via email or via the chat widget at the bottom right of this screen.