Verify newsletter unsubscribe lifecycle in Gmail and Outlook

Priority: High

Problem

The newsletter unsubscribe experience has not been verified end to end. It must be easy to unsubscribe, actually stop future sends, and behave correctly across Gmail and Outlook. Newsletter emails should also have no known preventable configuration that causes them to land in Junk.

Goal

Test the complete subscribe → receive → unsubscribe → post-unsubscribe lifecycle using both Gmail and Outlook accounts.

Scope

• Subscribe fresh Gmail and Outlook test addresses.
• Verify confirmation and newsletter delivery behavior in each provider.
• Locate and exercise the unsubscribe link from an actual email.
• Confirm the subscriber state changes correctly in Buttondown.
• Verify an unsubscribed address is not sent later newsletter mail.
• Verify any resubscribe behavior is understandable and consent-safe.
• Record inbox/Junk placement during the lifecycle and cross-reference any deliverability defect with the dedicated Outlook Junk investigation.

Acceptance criteria

• Gmail subscribe/unsubscribe lifecycle passes end to end.
• Outlook subscribe/unsubscribe lifecycle passes end to end.
• Unsubscribe requires no account login or unnecessary friction.
• Buttondown reflects the correct subscriber state after unsubscribe.
• Unsubscribed addresses do not receive subsequent newsletter sends.
• Inbox/Junk results are recorded and there is no known preventable deliverability misconfiguration.

Start with fresh Gmail and Outlook test addresses, then exercise the complete subscribe, delivery, unsubscribe, and resubscribe lifecycle using the actual newsletter. Record inbox/Junk placement and confirm each subscriber state in Buttondown; done means both provider checklists pass and unsubscribed addresses receive no later sends.