AOL's announcement (via MediaBuyerPlanner)that it will begin implementing Goodmail's CertifiedEmail program - and phasing out its own enhanced whitelist - is nothing more than an attempt to get money out of non-spamming marketers, believes Matt Blumberg, chief executive of email marketing firm Return Path. Reputable companies have worked hard to get the permission of their consumers to send them email, Blumberg is quoted as saying in Direct Magazine. "Now they're being told, 'if you don't pay, that mail might or might not get there; it might or might not work when it does, and it's not going to have a little mark next to it that says it's AOL certified.'"

AOL blocks graphics and links on most bulk emails unless the sender is on AOL's whitelist. But now AOL has said it will allow senders who have gone through an accreditation process with Goodmail to display those blocked elements for "a fraction of a cent per message."

But because email already costs marketers only a "fraction" of a cent," says Blumberg, AOL's move will drastically raise delivery costs to AOL addresses.