Documentation - GigsRabbit

Email & SMTP Configuration

Configure email delivery for your marketplace notifications, order confirmations, and user communications.

Gmail SMTP Setup

Step 1: Enable 2-Step Verification

Go to Google Account Settings
Click on 2-Step Verification
Follow the setup process
Enable 2-Step Verification

Step 2: Generate App Password

Go to App Passwords
Select Mail from the app dropdown
Select Other from device dropdown
Enter "GigsRabbit" as the name
Click Generate
Copy the 16-character password (spaces don't matter)

Step 3: Configure in Admin Panel

Go to yourdomain.com/admin
Navigate to Settings > SMTP
Enter the following:
- Mail Driver: SMTP
- SMTP Host: smtp.gmail.com
- SMTP Port: 587
- SMTP Username: Your full Gmail address
- SMTP Password: The 16-character app password
- Encryption: TLS
- From Email: Your Gmail or custom email
- From Name: Your marketplace name
Click Save Changes

Step 4: Test Email

Click Send Test Email button
Enter your email address
Check inbox (and spam folder)
Verify email received

SendGrid SMTP Setup

Step 1: Create SendGrid Account

Go to SendGrid.com
Click Start for Free
Complete registration
Verify your email

Step 2: Verify Sender Identity

Login to SendGrid Dashboard
Go to Settings > Sender Authentication
Choose Single Sender Verification
Add and verify your sender email

Step 3: Create API Key

Go to Settings > API Keys
Click Create API Key
Name it "GigsRabbit"
Select Full Access
Click Create & View
Copy the API key (shown only once!)

Step 4: Configure in Admin Panel

Go to yourdomain.com/admin
Navigate to Settings > SMTP
Enter:
- Mail Driver: SMTP
- SMTP Host: smtp.sendgrid.net
- SMTP Port: 587
- SMTP Username: apikey (literally this word)
- SMTP Password: Your SendGrid API key
- Encryption: TLS
- From Email: Your verified sender email
- From Name: Your marketplace name
Click Save Changes

Mailgun SMTP Setup

Step 1: Create Mailgun Account

Go to Mailgun.com
Click Start Sending
Complete registration
Add payment method (required even for free tier)

Step 2: Add Domain

Go to Sending > Domains
Click Add New Domain
Enter your domain or use sandbox domain for testing
Follow DNS verification steps

Step 3: Get SMTP Credentials

Click on your domain
Select SMTP option
Note down:
- SMTP hostname: smtp.mailgun.org or smtp.eu.mailgun.org (EU)
- Port: 587
- Username: Default SMTP Login
- Password: Click eye icon to view

Step 4: Configure in Admin Panel

Go to yourdomain.com/admin
Navigate to Settings > SMTP
Enter:
- Mail Driver: SMTP
- SMTP Host: smtp.mailgun.org
- SMTP Port: 587
- SMTP Username: Your Default SMTP Login
- SMTP Password: Your password
- Encryption: TLS
- From Email: noreply@yourdomain.com
- From Name: Your marketplace name
Click Save Changes

Amazon SES Setup

Step 1: Setup AWS Account

Go to AWS Console
Sign in or create account
Navigate to Amazon SES

Step 2: Verify Domain/Email

Go to Verified Identities
Click Create Identity
Choose Domain or Email Address
Follow verification steps

Step 3: Get SMTP Credentials

Go to SMTP Settings
Click Create SMTP Credentials
Enter user name: "gigsrabbit-smtp"
Download credentials CSV

Step 4: Configure in Admin Panel

Go to yourdomain.com/admin
Navigate to Settings > SMTP
Enter:
- Mail Driver: SMTP
- SMTP Host:
  - US East: email-smtp.us-east-1.amazonaws.com
  - US West: email-smtp.us-west-2.amazonaws.com
  - EU: email-smtp.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com
- SMTP Port: 587
- SMTP Username: From credentials CSV
- SMTP Password: From credentials CSV
- Encryption: TLS
Click Save Changes

Email Template Management

Available Templates

Your marketplace has pre-configured email templates for:

Welcome Email - Sent when new user registers
Order Confirmation - Sent to buyer after purchase
Order Notification - Sent to seller for new orders
Order Delivered - Sent when order is completed
Withdrawal Request - Admin notification for withdrawals
Password Reset - Password recovery emails
Account Verification - Email verification links

Customizing Templates

Navigate to Settings > Email Templates
Select template to edit
Modify:
- Subject Line
- Email Body (supports HTML)
- Variables (dynamic content)
Preview changes
Save template

Available Variables

Use these variables in templates:

{site_name} - Your marketplace name
{user_name} - Recipient's name
{order_id} - Order reference number
{amount} - Transaction amount
{service_title} - Gig or project title
{delivery_date} - Expected delivery
{buyer_name} - Buyer's username
{seller_name} - Seller's username

Troubleshooting Email Issues

Emails Not Sending

Check SMTP credentials - Verify all settings are correct
Test connectivity - Use "Send Test Email" button
Check logs - Review Laravel logs for errors
Verify sender - Ensure "From Email" is verified
Check spam folder - Emails might be filtered

Gmail Specific Issues

"Authentication failed"

Regenerate app password
Ensure 2-Step Verification is enabled
Check if less secure apps is disabled

"Daily limit exceeded"

Gmail limits: 500 emails/day for personal
Consider upgrading to Google Workspace
Switch to SendGrid or Mailgun

SendGrid Issues

"Sender not verified"

Complete sender authentication
Verify domain or single sender
Check SendGrid dashboard for warnings

Common Solutions

SPF Records - Add sender to domain SPF
DKIM Signing - Enable DKIM for better delivery
Use dedicated IP - For high volume sending
Monitor reputation - Check sender score regularly
Warm up IP - Gradually increase sending volume

Best Practices

Always use SMTP over PHP mail()
Verify sender domain for better deliverability
Set up SPF, DKIM, DMARC records
Monitor bounce rates and handle them
Use transactional email service for production
Keep templates simple and mobile-friendly
Test across email clients (Gmail, Outlook, etc.)
Include unsubscribe links where required
Respect rate limits of email providers
Monitor email analytics for engagement