Automated List Cleaning
Explains how Recart automatically removes deactivated, unreachable, or high-risk numbers from your SMS list daily.
Recart automatically removes deactivated, unreachable, and high-risk phone numbers from your SMS subscriber list each day — improving deliverability, reducing wasted spend, and lowering compliance risk without requiring any manual action.
What Is Automated List Cleaning?
Automated List Cleaning is a background process that continuously protects your SMS list by identifying and unsubscribing phone numbers that can no longer receive messages or pose a legal or compliance risk.
The feature runs automatically for all merchants with SMS enabled and requires no setup, and it cannot be turned off.
What Gets Removed
Recart automatically identifies and unsubscribes subscribers in the following categories:
Deactivated numbers
Phone numbers reported by carriers as disconnected, ported, or no longer in service. Sending messages to these numbers is guaranteed to fail.
Known TCPA litigators
Phone numbers that appear in third-party TCPA litigator databases. These numbers are associated with individuals who have previously filed SMS-related lawsuits and represent a high legal risk.
Landlines
Numbers that cannot receive SMS messages, including landlines and numbers flagged with permanent delivery error codes.
Reassigned numbers (Maine only)
Numbers identified in the Reassigned Numbers Database (RND) as having a new owner. In Maine, consent is no longer valid once a number is reassigned, and checks are legally required every 45 days.
How It Works
Daily Background Process
Every day, Recart automatically:
Retrieves the latest deactivated number data
Cross-references your subscriber list against deactivation, litigator, and reassigned number databases
Unsubscribes any matching subscribers
Records the specific reason in the subscriber’s history
This process runs in the background with no action required from you.
What Happens to Cleaned Subscribers
When a subscriber is automatically cleaned:
They are unsubscribed from SMS
Their subscriber profile is fully preserved
A clear unsubscription reason is recorded:
Deactivated number
Litigator risk
Landline
Reassigned number
The removal appears in your List Cleaning analytics
Cleaned subscribers will not receive any further messages from Recart unless they re-opt in (where applicable). For litigator and deactivated numbers, manual re-subscribing is not recommended.
Litigator Checks on New Opt-Ins
All new SMS opt-ins are checked against TCPA litigator databases in real time.
If a number is flagged:
The subscriber is created and receives the welcome message (to maintain compliance)
The subscriber is then automatically unsubscribed with the reason Litigator risk
This means your list stays protected from known high-risk contacts even as new subscribers come in.
Where to See List Cleaning Activity
Subscribers Page
Navigate to Subscribers in the main dashboard. You’ll see:
Cleaned by Recart — Total number of subscribers automatically cleaned
Over last 30 days — Recent cleaning activity
Estimated SMS cost saved — Savings estimated based on last month's sending activity for all subscribers cleaned to date
List Cleaning Chart
Toggle between List Growth and List Cleaning
Daily breakdown by category:
Deactivated
Litigator
Landline
Reassigned
Default view: Last 30 days
Hover over any day to view category totals
Individual Subscriber Profile
Within a subscriber profile, the History section shows the automated unsubscription event along with the specific removal reason.
How Estimated SMS Cost Saved Is Calculated
The Estimated SMS cost saved metric shows how much spend you avoided last month by not sending messages to unreachable or high-risk numbers that Recart removed from your list.
The calculation:
Uses all subscribers Recart has ever cleaned from your list
Multiplies that by your actual messaging activity from the previous calendar month (messages sent per active subscriber)
Applies your blended cost per SMS segment from last month
The value updates once per month and reflects real, backward-looking savings based on what messaging those subscribers would have cost you last month.
Without a full prior month of data, the metric may show a dash (—) until enough sending history is available.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I turn off automated list cleaning?
No. Automated List Cleaning runs for all merchants to reduce wasted spend and compliance risk and cannot be disabled.
Will I be notified when subscribers are cleaned?
You can view all cleaning activity on the Subscribers page.
Does this delete subscriber data?
No. Only the SMS subscription status changes. All subscriber data and history remain intact.
Does this affect analytics or reporting?
Yes — positively. Removing unreachable numbers improves delivery rate accuracy and overall reporting.
How can a subscriber re-subscribe?
Subscribers are removed based on external carrier and compliance databases. If a number becomes valid again, the subscriber would need to re-opt in.
If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact the Recart Support team. We'd be happy to help!
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