How to: Gmail, SMTP and proper reply-to

Main issue using Gmail within CS-Cart is with the reply-to email address not populating when replying to any emails coming from the CS-Cart based website. After fiddling around with domain and email forwarding to my Gmail, I decided to try another method.



What You Need before Getting Started[list=1]

[]Two Gmail accounts - or another free email account that has the option for fowarding

[
]If you have not used Gmail as your primary email and have not configured the server, go here for CS-Cart’s KB page on Gmail.

[]Patience!

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What Does this Do?[list=1]

[
]Customer sends an email from your store

[]The email goes to the first dummy Gmail and forwards to your main Gmail account

[
]When you hit “reply”, you’ll reply to the customer’s email address automatically

[]Customer can reply to your main Gmail account; not the dummy account

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Step #1[list=1]

[
]In your CS-Cart admin page, go to “Settings” then “Emails”

[]Make sure the method of sending is “via SMTP server”

[
]SMTP Host: smtp.gmail.com:465

[]SMTP Username: Your Dummy Gmail Address with @gmail.com

[
]SMTP Password: Your Password

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Step #2[list=1]

[]Go to “Settings” then “Company”

[
]All emails associated in the bottom portion of the page should be your Primary Gmail address for which you’ll be replying to your customers

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Step #3[list=1]

[]Go to “Website”, “Content”, then “Contact Us”

[
]Click on the “Form Builder”

[]The Email-to filed should be your Dummy Gmail address

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Step #4[list=1]

[
]At this point if you haven’t created a secondary Gmail address, do so

[]If you have done it already, go to the secondary Gmail account & right top with the cog icon and select “Settings”

[
]Click on “Forwarding and POP/IMAP”

[]Click on “Add a forwarding address”

[
]Enter the Primary Gmail address

[]You will need to verify the forwarding through your Primary Gmail account

[
]Go BACK to the SECONDARY Gmail account and make sure the Forwarding is turned on as it’s turned off by default.

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Step #5[list=1]

[]Send an email through your site

[
]The email should now come to your primary Gmail account and when you hit reply, it should populate with the customer’s email address automatically

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Just a warning, Gmail may notify that it has blocked your attempt when sending email from your site. If this happens, click on the link of the email to resolve and verify that it is you. It’ll also tell you to perform the same action (send email from your website) within 10 minutes. Verification is very easy with only few steps.



I hope this helps!

Nice summary!