Among the email service providers that have implemented the Expiration Date feature, six solutions have taken the step. We aim to interview the product managers of these solutions to understand how the implementation went.
This interview aims to reassure product teams of email service providers who haven’t yet integrated the “Expiration Date” feature into their solution. The goal is to encourage them to take action!
Interview de Elisa Schimpf, Production Manager at Brevo
How long did the development take?
The development of the feature was completed within a single sprint cycle. The implementation was pretty straightforward thanks to a clear scope and requirements, partly provided by the Email Expiration Date initiative.
How many people were involved in this development?
Two teams were involved in total. The main work was done by the sending team, with two developers implementing the expiry header changes. On the frontend, a minor update was made to display the setting, completed by one developer. The entire feature was delivered in two weeks (in software development terms, “one sprintˮ) with three developers, one product manager, one designer, and one QA.
How did you prioritize this project in your already packed product roadmap?
At Brevo, we follow a mixed-method prioritization framework that enables us to work on long-term strategic initiatives while continuously delivering incremental product improvements. After our effort estimation, the “Email Expiration Dateˮ feature was classified as a medium-effort, high-impact improvement. This allowed us to include it in our sprint planning on an ad-hoc basis without diverting many resources from larger projects.
What questions came up during development? Which ones?
Two important questions shaped our development process.
The first question was around how to effectively communicate the featureʼs purpose in the UI, especially since its functional impact depends on adoption by inbox providers. To set expectations, we framed the feature as a sustainability- focused enhancement, emphasizing its potential positive impact, while noting that its effectiveness depends on support from inbox providers.
The second consideration was more strategic. As a global CRM platform, we needed to ensure that the feature resonated with our diverse user base. While sustainability is a core value at Brevo, we recognize that not all users may share the same enthusiasm. This led us to design the feature as fully optional, available to those who value it, but without imposing any assumptions or ideological stance.
How did you approach the UX design of the feature? Were there internal debates about making it more prominent in the interface?
Given the nuanced positioning mentioned above, the primary UX challenge was determining the featureʼs visibility within the product. We ultimately decided to include it within the “sending settingsˮ section. This placement ensures discoverability without impacting the main user flow or introducing friction for users not seeking advanced configurations. As the email ecosystem evolves and if expiration headers become more widely supported, we have the flexibility to adjust its positioning accordingly.
Can you share usage statistics?
Currently, between 3,000 and 4,000 users engage with this feature each month across various campaigns. While this represents a relatively small portion of our overall user base, the consistent engagement shows that 3,000 to 4,000 users each month are actively choosing to support a shift toward greater sustainability in the email industry.
How are your clients responding to this new feature? What are they saying about it?
Feedback from our customer-facing teams has been very positive. Clients respond well during demos – not just to the feature itself, but also to the way it reinforces our positioning as a sustainable and responsible service provider in the industry.
Are there any planned improvements for the feature?
Currently, the feature is considered complete, and no immediate enhancements are planned. However, we are closely monitoring industry developments. As more providers support expiration metadata, we may revisit the feature to improve its visibility.
What advice would you give to a product team looking to implement this feature?
While the technical implementation is relatively straightforward, the real challenge lies in positioning. My advice to product teams would be to carefully consider how the feature is framed. Itʼs important to strike a balance between showcasing environmental responsibility and maintaining neutrality for a diverse user base. Present the feature as an optional enhancement rather than a directive.
Feature Overview in Brevo
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