Understanding SmartPush Email Contacts' Subscription Status

Managing your contacts’ subscription status is essential for running compliant and effective email marketing campaigns. SmartPush allows you to control how contacts subscribe, unsubscribe, or remain unregistered for marketing communications.

You can import contacts through CSV files, update subscription statuses in bulk, and understand how subscription data interacts with your store platform (SHOPLINE or Shopify).

This article explains how to import contacts correctly, understand subscription status definitions, update statuses in bulk, and interpret the synchronization rules between SmartPush and your store.

To learn more about Importing or Exporting contacts, check out Import & Export Contacts.

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How to Import Contacts via CSV

1. Prepare Your CSV File, and ensure your CSV includes:

• Email (mandatory)
• Optional Fields: First Name, Last Name, Phone Number, etc.
• Subscription Status: Subscribed, Unsubscribed, or leave blank for Never Subscribed

2: Import Contacts

• In SmartPush, go to Contacts > All > Import and download the Bulk Import Template.
• Upload your CSV file.
• Map CSV columns to corresponding fields.

• Confirm import settings and proceed.
   

  

Note:

1. Contacts marked as Unsubscribed cannot be reverted to Subscribed through import.
2. For bulk modification of subscription statuses during import, you can set or adjust your contacts’ subscription statuses directly in the CSV file before uploading.

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What Each Subscription Status Means

SmartPush categorizes contacts as:

• Subscribed: Consented to receive marketing emails.
• Unsubscribed: Opted out; cannot be re-subscribed via import.
• Not Subscribed: No prior subscription status; can be subscribed.

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Subscription Status Mapping During Import

When importing contacts, SmartPush maps the CSV subscription values to internal subscription statuses.

Importing New Contacts

CSV Value	Resulting Subscription Status
yes	Subscribed
no	Never Subscribed
unsubscribe	Unsubscribed

 

Updating Existing Contacts via Import

If the contact already exists in SmartPush, the final subscription status depends on both the existing status and the CSV value.

Existing Status	CSV Value	Result
Subscribed	yes	Subscribed
Subscribed	no	Subscribed
Subscribed	unsubscribe	Unsubscribed
Unsubscribed	yes	Unsubscribed
Unsubscribed	no	Unsubscribed
Unsubscribed	unsubscribe	Unsubscribed
Never Subscribed	yes	Subscribed
Never Subscribed	no	Never Subscribed
Never Subscribed	unsubscribe	Never Subscribed

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How to Bulk Update Subscription Status in Contact and Segment

To update subscription statuses in bulk:
 

Bulk Updating Contacts

1. In SmartPush, go to Contacts > All, and filter contacts based on subscription status and channels (Email or SMS).
    

   

2. Select desired contacts or apply a filter to define a contact group.

3. Click Quick subscribe , then Update Subscription Status.

   

You can choose:

• Never Subscribed → Subscribed
• Subscribed → Unsubscribed; or
• Use One-click Subscribe, One-click Unsubscribe, or One-click Remove for all filtered contacts.
• Confirm the action.

Bulk Updating Segments

In SmartPush, go to Contacts > Segments, and filter contacts based on subscription status and channels (Email or SMS).

1. Select desired contacts or apply a filter to define a contact group.

2. Click Bulk Actions > Update Subscription Status.

3. Choose One-click Subscribe, One-click Unsubscribe, or One-click Remove to update all filtered contacts.

4. Confirm your selection in the pop-up window.

Notes:

• Only contacts with prior consent can be subscribed. Unsubscribed contacts cannot be re-subscribed.
• The “One-click” options only appear when filter conditions are applied.

 

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How Subscription Data Syncs Between SmartPush and Your Store Platform

Understand how SmartPush syncs with your e-commerce platform:

• Manual Imports: Data remains within SmartPush; no sync.
• Form Submissions: New contacts and subscription statuses sync to the platform.
• Deletions: Removing contacts in SmartPush doesn't affect platform data.
• Updates:
  • Subscription Status:
    • From forms: Syncs to platform.
    • From imports: Remains in SmartPush.
  • Other Data: Name, country, etc., sync from forms; imports remain in SmartPush.