MailProof · WooCommerce

CAN-SPAM email marketing for WooCommerce sellers: do the rules apply to you?

The US CAN-SPAM Act requires honest headers, a clear unsubscribe, a physical postal address, and honoring opt-outs within 10 business days — up to $53,088 per email.

In force US rules WooCommerce

How CAN-SPAM email marketing works on WooCommerce

WooCommerce is self-hosted, so almost nothing is handled for you — you own the stack, the data, and therefore the compliance. That's more control and more responsibility than a hosted marketplace.

📦 On WooCommerce: Self-hosting means US privacy, marketing and auto-renewal rules apply to you directly, and the configuration (consent, disclosures, cancel flow) is entirely yours.

Does this apply to you?

This rule applies to WooCommerce sellers who send marketing or promotional emails. Send marketing emails? Check for a clear unsubscribe, your postal address, and honest headers. Not sure? The free checker tells you in about a minute — no signup.

The WooCommerce checklist

Whatever the platform handles, you still need to be able to answer "yes" to each of these — these are the points WooCommerce sellers most often get caught on:

What's at stake

⚠️ Exposure: up to $53,088 per email (FTC) · Status: In force. On WooCommerce, that's on top of any account suspension for breaking platform policy.

Compare the penalty for every rule →

Common questions

Do I have to handle cAN-SPAM email marketing myself on WooCommerce, or does WooCommerce cover it?

WooCommerce gives you the storefront, but cAN-SPAM email marketing compliance is the seller's responsibility — the platform doesn't do it for you. The free checker shows exactly where you stand in about a minute.

What must every marketing email include?

A truthful From/subject, a clear and free way to unsubscribe, and a valid physical postal address. You must honor opt-outs within 10 business days.

Does CAN-SPAM apply to one-off emails?

Yes — it applies to all commercial email, including the first one. There's no exemption for small senders.

What are the penalties?

Each separate email in violation can incur penalties up to $53,088, and multiple parties (e.g. the brand and its agency) can be liable.

The source

RuleGoose checks this against the US CAN-SPAM Act (15 U.S.C. 7701) + FTC Rule. Read it yourself: eCFR — 16 CFR Part 316 (CAN-SPAM Rule) →

Check your WooCommerce store against CAN-SPAM email marketing — free.
Answer a few questions, see exactly where you're exposed, and draft the fix. No signup, runs in your browser. Run the MailProof checker →

or get one RuleGoose Score across every rule your WooCommerce store has to meet.

The full WooCommerce picture

CAN-SPAM email marketing is one of several rules a WooCommerce store has to meet. See the full WooCommerce compliance checklist →, or read the platform-neutral CAN-SPAM email marketing guide.

Same rule, other platforms

CAN-SPAM email marketing on Shopify →

Informational only, not legal advice, and not affiliated with the FTC or WooCommerce. Last reviewed 2026-06-30.