how to set up read receipts?

go

settings > messages > turn "send read receipts" to ON

Mail can send a read receipt request:

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1183650

However, note that read receipts are extremely unpopular, because of privacy issues as well as abuse by spammers (verifying addresses by using read receipts). Most savvy users have this feature turned off, if their e-mail client even supports it, which many don't. So not receiving a read receipt tells you absolutely nothing. That makes the entire read receipt system pretty much useless.

Mail will not, ever, respond to a read receipt request.

settings > messages > turn "send read receipts" to ON

That's for the Messages app on an iOS device, like an iPad or iPhone. This is a Mac OS X forum, not an iOS forum, so that advice does not apply here.

Mail doesn't support read receipts unfortunately. Are you a Gmail user? If so you can use 3rd party email tracking services. They're much better than a read receipt. The recipient of your email doesn't need to acknowledge the read receipt. The tracking just happens in the background.

You can check out ContactMonkey and Boomerang. ContactMonkey is stealthy email tracking for Gmail whereas Boomerang offers a traditional read receipt. They both have free options.

Hope that helps!

ContactMonkey is stealthy email tracking for Gmail

😮

For those who are disturbed by this suggestion, note that turning loading of remote images off is all it takes to foil this kind of tracking.