Boxbe Frequently Asked Questions

General

What is Boxbe?

Boxbe is an integrated email helper service that improves your email experience and productivity. Among other things, Boxbe prioritizes your email, reduces "email overload", and provides a VIP auto-answering service. Boxbe helps ensure messages from friends and collaborators are available to you quickly, and also helps you manage commercial email.

How does Boxbe work?

When you sign up with Boxbe and enroll your email address, Boxbe establishes a Guest List so Boxbe knows who's important to you. Boxbe automatically maintains your Guest List and lets you update it with simple approval actions, visible as you read your email.

What kind of email addresses does Boxbe support?

Email accounts at Yahoo! Mail, Gmail, Google Apps, and AOL Mail are directly supported.

How does Boxbe make my life easier?

Messages will be delivered to your Inbox under conditions you control and Boxbe enforces.
Mail goes in your Inbox if:

the sender or the domain is listed as a Guest or
the sender makes a simple extra request

Otherwise messages you receive are placed in to your Waiting List, a special folder or label (Gmail) Boxbe creates and maintains.

How does my Guest List stay up to date?

When you send email to a new person, Boxbe automatically adds them to your Guest List. You can also add guests in bulk or individually, and special convenience links will appear in email you receive.

What does Boxbe cost?

The service is free. Boxbe may charge for the service or for extended services in the future, and if so, advanced notice will be provided.

What happened to the Public Email address offering?

Boxbe used to offer a service used as a Public Forwarding Address which has now been discontinued. There are no plans to bring it back.

Account Information

How do I get help with Boxbe?

Boxbe provides several ways you can get help, find general information about the service, or learn about specific features:

For general questions or basic questions about day-to-day use and setup, read this Boxbe FAQ.
The Boxbe Blog has Boxbe news, describes upcoming features, and shares our view of developments in the world of email.
When you sign up, and on occasion thereafter, Boxbe may send you an email with tips and tricks or descriptions of upcoming features

I want to use Boxbe. What are the requirements?

You must be at least 13 years old, and you must have an existing email account. See our Terms of Service for the details.

How do I retrieve my password if I've forgotten it?

To retrieve your password, please use the Password Recovery page.

How can I close my Boxbe account?

If you would like to close your account for any reason, you can close your account from the Account Info page once you are logged in: https://www.boxbe.com/account-info

I need help with my account and cannot find the answers here. How can I get help?

We may be able to help you via email (and usually respond within 48 hours). Please send your question along with any relevant details to support@boxbe.com.

How can I suggest a feature?

We love suggestions! Send feature requests or suggestions to feedback@boxbe.com.

Does Boxbe support messages with non-English characters (Internationalization)?

Yes, but not for all products. Boxbe works with non-English character sets (i18n) with Boxbe for Yahoo! Mail.

Internationalization is sometimes referred to as localization, i18n, L10n, wide character support, and multi-byte character support. Boxbe for Gmail and AOL Mail do not yet support messages written in non-English characters, such those written in Russian, Chinese, Japanese, and Greek. We aim to fix this in future versions.

Guest List

What is a Boxbe Guest List?

Your Guest List contains all of the email addresses of your contacts which are given priority and permitted in your Inbox. You can update your Guest List as you read your email, or by using the Guest List view and update screens available in your account management screens.

Do my friends need to sign up as well?

It is not necessary for your friends to be members of Boxbe to reach you with priority and as they normally would via email. Boxbe automatically approves your contacts it finds during registration. You can add/approve new contacts in several ways, and people who email you can also request access themselves. They need only do this once.

What happens when my friends send an email to me?

If your friends are on your Guest List, their email will be delivered to your Inbox.

When a contact not on your Guest List emails you, their email is placed in your Wait List Folder, and he or she is sent an automatic reply with links which let them request addition to your Guest List.

How do I import contacts if I use a web email provider?

You can import your contact list into Boxbe using the Import Tool page.

How do I import contacts from a non-web email application, like Outlook?

We recommend exporting your contact list into a file and then importing it into Boxbe using the Desktop Email feature on the Import Tool page.

Click on the "Find out how to export your contacts" to get instructions specifically for your email application.

Waiting List

What is the Boxbe Waiting List?

The Boxbe Waiting List is where all emails from senders you have not approved arrive. You can view this list at any time. For Yahoo Mail, Gmail and AOL Mail users, the Boxbe Waiting list is a folder (or label) in your folder list. For other users, it's on the Boxbe website.

How long are messages held in the Waiting List?

30 days. If you do not take any action to forward, approve or delete a message in your Waiting List, and if the sender does not take the test, the message will be deleted from the Waiting List 30 days after it was received.

Why are some messages in my Waiting List from people that I have approved?

This is possibly because someone has tried to assume the identity of someone you know. This is called "spoofing." Boxbe uses sophisticated scanning technology to scrutinize the message's headers and sender information using new authentication standards such as DKIM (Domain Keys Identified Mail) and SPF (Sender Policy Framework). Major ISPs, online services, and businesses are adopting these standards to ensure that spoofers can be detected. When an email that appears to be from someone you know based on their "Prettyname" (the name you see in your inbox) is in your Boxbe Waiting List, it is because it flunked one of the authentication tests. Check it carefully as odds are it is not actually from that person but masquerading as if it is.

Commercial Senders and Marketers

We are a bulk email sender and receive many courtesy notices from Boxbe. What can we do?

As a best practice, we recommend that all organizations remind their list members to add the appropriate sending email address (e.g. the originating email address, such as the one appearing in the From line) to any filtering or spam control software in use. In many messages from retailers, banks and other institutions, there is a reminder at the top of the message (in the message body) and in other non-email literature.

Members on your list who have not added your origin address (or domain) to their Guest List will still receive your messages in their Waiting List so long as you are following best practices for deliverability. They can find your email and easily add you to their Guest List when they review the contents of their Waiting List. Of course, if you prefer, you can follow the link within the Courtesy Notice to have your message promoted.

Will you give my company special delivery privileges?

In general, no. Boxbe's primary function is to empower consumers and let them choose when and how they are reached. If you are not on a member's Guest List, messages from your organization will be placed in that member's Waiting List as long as you follow best practices. Members can easily approve future delivery of your messages if they want to.

What about transactional email?

We are considering establishing a "reputable senders" list for "transactional" email as defined by federal law (CAN-SPAM). Criteria for inclusion is not yet established, but is likely to include manditory authentication (with DKIM, SPF, or both) of all email from the sending domain and a transactional-email-only email address. If you would like to be considered for this program, send your request to support.

What should I do when I receive a notice that says no more notices will be sent?

Boxbe limits the number of courtesy notices sent to a given sender within a 24 hour period. If you've received this notice, messages yet to be sent or those in flight will continue to be placed in our members' Waiting Lists. No action is necessary on your part, but we recommend reminding your customers/subscribers to add your email address to their Guest List.

Boxbe for Yahoo! Mail

Setup

How do I set up Boxbe for Yahoo! Mail?

If you already have a Boxbe account, activate Boxbe for Yahoo! Mail here. The process for setting up Boxbe for Yahoo! Mail takes about 2 minutes.

What happens after I sign up?

First, Boxbe will create a new folder in your Yahoo! Mail called "Boxbe Waiting List." Next, we'll screen the unread messages in your inbox to find all uninvited email and move it into your Waiting List folder.

Does Boxbe look through Yahoo! Mail's spam folder?

Yes. We understand that most spam filters aren't perfect. Messages from senders on your Guest list that mistakenly end up in your Yahoo! Mail spam folder are rescued and moved to your inbox.

Do you check all the email in my inbox?

We check all the unread messages in your inbox. If you have read the message already, we do not check the message against your Guest List.

How do I disable screening on my Yahoo account?

To disable screening on your Yahoo account, simply click "edit" next to your Yahoo address. Then, click "disable this email address." If you're dissatisfied with Boxbe for any reason, please write us to let us know why. We greatly appreciate any feedback you can provide that might help us improve the service.

Day to Day Usage

How do I approve new email addresses to my Guest List?

There are two ways to approve new people to your Guest List. First, if a message from someone you have not approved is in your Waiting List, merely click "Add guest email address to your Guest List" in the message itself.

Alternatively, you can go to your Guest List on the Boxbe site and add anyone you like.

Can I automatically approve people I email?

Yes. This option is pre-selected for you as we anticipate this is how most people would like to use our service.

If you don't want to automatically approve people that you email, you can deselect this option on the Boxbe website.

NOTE: If you do this, anyone you email that is not on your Guest List must take the robot-proof test to email you back.

What happens if the sender isn't pre-approved?

Boxbe holds these messages in your Waiting List folder in your Yahoo! Mail. The sender is notified that their message hasn't been delivered and they are given instructions as to how to complete delivery, except for really spammy-looking messages that originally arrived in the Yahoo! Mail spam folder. These senders are not sent invitations to join your guest list to avoid creating email waste.

Can I see messages that are not delivered to my inbox?

Yes. All messages from uninvited guests can be viewed in your Waiting List. You can read messages that are in your Waiting List and choose to allow the sender to continue sending messages by clicking "Add guest email address to my Guest List."

Do you ever delete messages from the Waiting List?

Yes. We remove messages from the Waiting List on a rolling 30 day basis.

How do I block a Sender or whole Domain?

To block a sender, login to Boxbe and navigate to your Blocked List (under the "Contacts" menu). Add the email address or domain you wish to block to the list by using the "Add" field and button. If you add a domain, such as "example.com" then messages coming from any email address within that domain will be blocked and placed into your Spam folder or labled Spam.

Should I use Boxbe for Yahoo! Mail with a POP email client?

No. Currently, if you use a POP client such as Thunderbird, Outlook Express, Apple Mail, Entourage, Eudora or some other email client, Boxbe for Yahoo! Mail will not work properly.

Known issues

Why do some of the messages that are in my Waiting List sometimes have duplicate information?

There is a known bug in the new non-beta version of Yahoo! Mail. We expect that Yahoo! will fix this bug in the not too distant future.

Boxbe for Gmail and Google Apps

Setup

How do I set up Boxbe for Gmail and Google Apps?

If you already have a Boxbe account, activate Boxbe for Gmail and Google Apps here. The terms Gmail and Google Apps are interchangeable in the information below. The process for setting up Boxbe for Gmail or Google Apps takes about 2 minutes.

What happens after I sign up?

First, Boxbe will create a new folder in your Gmail called "Boxbe Waiting List." Next, we'll screen the unread messages in your inbox to find all uninvited email and move it into your Waiting List folder.

Does Boxbe look through Gmail's spam folder?

Yes. We understand that most spam filters aren't perfect. Messages from senders on your guest list that mistakenly end up in your Gmail spam folder are rescued and moved to your inbox.

Do you check all the email in my inbox?

We check all the unread messages in your inbox. If you have read the message already, we do not check the message against your Guest List.

How do I disable screening on my Gmail account?

To disable screening on your Gmail account, simply click "edit" next to your Gmail or Google Apps address. Then, click "disable this email address." If you're dissatisfied with Boxbe for any reason, please write us to let us know why. We greatly appreciate any feedback you can provide that might help us improve the service.

Day to Day Usage

How do I approve senders (add email addresses to my Guest List)?

There are two ways to approve people (add their email to your Guest List). The first way, if a message has been placed in your Waiting List, is to merely click the "Approve Sender" link displayed at the top of the message.

Alternatively, you can go to your Guest List page (within Boxbe's website) and add addresses and domains from there.

Can I automatically approve people I email?

Yes. This option is pre-selected for you as we anticipate this is how most people would like to use our service.

If you don't want to automatically approve people that you email, you can deselect this option on the Boxbe website.

NOTE: If you do this, anyone you email that is not on your Guest List must take the robot-proof test to email you back.

What happens if the sender isn't pre-approved?

Boxbe holds these messages in your Waiting List folder in your Gmail. The sender is notified that their message hasn't been delivered and they are given instructions as to how to complete delivery, except for really spammy-looking messages that originally arrived in the Gmail spam folder. These senders are not sent invitations to join your guest list to avoid creating email waste.

Can I see messages that are not delivered to my inbox?

Do you ever delete messages from the Waiting List?

Yes. We remove messages from the Waiting List on a rolling 30 day basis.

Boxbe for AOL Mail

Setup

How do I set up Boxbe for AOL Mail?

If you already have a Boxbe account, activate Boxbe for AOL Mail here. The process for setting up Boxbe for AOL Mail takes about 2 minutes.

What happens after I sign up?

First, Boxbe will create a new folder in your AOL Mail called "Boxbe Waiting List." Next, we'll screen the unread messages in your inbox to find all uninvited email and move it into your Waiting List folder.

Does Boxbe look through AOL Mail's spam folder?

Yes. We understand that most spam filters aren't perfect. Messages from senders on your guest list that mistakenly end up in your AOL Mail spam folder are rescued and moved to your inbox.

Do you check all the email in my inbox?

We check all the unread messages in your inbox. If you have read the message already, we do not check the message against your Guest List.

How do I disable screening on my AOL Mail account?

To disable screening on your AOL Mail account, simply click "edit" next to your AOL address. Then, click "disable this email address." If you're dissatisfied with Boxbe for any reason, please write us to let us know why. We greatly appreciate any feedback you can provide that might help us improve the service.

Day to Day Usage

How do I approve new email addresses to my Guest List?

Alternatively, you can go to your Guest List on the Boxbe site and add anyone you like.

Can I automatically approve people I email?

Yes. This option is pre-selected for you as we anticipate this is how most people would like to use our service.

If you don't want to automatically approve people that you email, you can deselect this option on the Boxbe website.

NOTE: If you do this, anyone you email that is not on your Guest List must take the robot-proof test to email you back.

What happens if the sender isn't pre-approved?

Boxbe holds these messages in your Waiting List folder in your AOL Mail. The sender is notified that their message hasn't been delivered and they are given instructions as to how to complete delivery, except for really spammy-looking messages that originally arrived in the AOL Mail spam folder. These senders are not sent invitations to join your guest list to avoid creating email waste.

Can I see messages that are not delivered to my inbox?

Do you ever delete messages from the Waiting List?

Yes. We remove messages from the Waiting List on a rolling 30 day basis.

For Non-Members

I am not a Boxbe member. Why do I receive emails from Boxbe?

In addition to Inbox prioritization and screening, Boxbe is an automatic email answering service. If you email a Boxbe member, you may receive an automated reply. Whether or not you receive an automated reply depends upon your prior history of emailing that person and their personalized policy towards your email address or the company you email from. Boxbe members have direct control over their personal guest lists and policy regarding Boxbe's auto-replies.