Does SendFox create duplicate contacts when I upload a list?

No. SendFox keeps one contact per email address, so duplicate rows in a CSV, or people you already have, are never added twice. It works the same on every plan.

How does SendFox detect duplicates?

De-duplication works the same on every plan (Free, Lifetime, Pro and Enterprise), and contacts you already have don’t count toward your contact limit when you import them again. When you import contacts — from a CSV, or from MailChimp, Kit or Google — SendFox matches them by email address:

• If the same email appears twice in your file, SendFox imports it once and registers a single contact. Email addresses aren’t case-sensitive, so Ann@example.com and ann@example.com are the same contact.
• If an email already exists in your account, SendFox keeps that contact and adds it to the list you’re importing into instead of creating a duplicate.

This applies whether the duplicates are within one upload or across multiple uploads over time. To start an import, see how to create a list and upload contacts.

What happens to a contact I already have?

• Its first and last name are updated when your file has first name and last name columns.
• Custom fields you map in a CSV import are updated.
• Its subscription status never changes — an unsubscribed contact stays unsubscribed.
• A contact you deleted is restored.

Troubleshooting

My import count is lower than my file’s row count

• That’s expected when your file contains repeated emails — each unique email becomes one contact, and rows that match existing contacts update them rather than adding new ones. Rows without a valid email address are skipped.

SendFox says “No contacts were imported”

• On a file under 1,000 rows, SendFox shows “No contacts were imported — we couldn’t find any new contacts with valid email addresses in your file.” when nobody in the file is new to that list. Contacts that were already there still get the name and field updates above.

I want to update existing contacts

• Re-import a CSV with the same email addresses plus the columns you want to change (first name, last name or mapped custom fields); SendFox updates those fields on the existing contacts. It doesn’t change anyone’s subscription status. To add more people to a list you already have, see how to upload a CSV file to an existing list.

Still stuck? Search the Help Center or email support@sendfox.com with the list name, the number of rows in your file and the message you saw after the import.

Frequently asked questions

Does SendFox merge duplicate contacts I already have?

There are none to merge: your account can hold each email address only once, so every import updates the existing contact instead of creating a second one.

Which field identifies a duplicate?

The email address. Two rows with the same email are treated as the same contact.

Will re-importing resubscribe unsubscribed contacts?

No. An import never changes a contact’s subscription status. To resubscribe someone who asked to receive your emails again, see How do unsubscribing and resubscribing work in SendFox?.