Cart Recovery SMS

Overview

SMS cart abandonment recovery consistently achieves 20–35% recovery rates — typically 3–5× higher than email — because text messages are read within 3 minutes of delivery for 90% of recipients. The key is a properly timed sequence (not spam), deep personalization using cart contents, and bulletproof TCPA/GDPR compliance. Most merchants should use a dedicated SMS app rather than building custom infrastructure.

Note: For multi-channel cart recovery (email + SMS + push), see @cart-abandonment-recovery. This skill focuses on SMS-only recovery.

When to Use This Skill

• When email-only cart recovery sequences plateau below a 10% recovery rate
• When launching SMS as a new marketing channel and cart recovery is the highest-ROI starting point
• When re-platforming to a new SMS provider and need to rebuild flows
• When A/B testing recovery channels to find the optimal message mix

Core Instructions

Step 1: Choose the right SMS platform

Platform	Recommended Tool	Why
Shopify	Postscript or Attentive	Deep Shopify integration, automatic cart event capture, built-in TCPA compliance, Shopify checkout opt-in widget
WooCommerce	SMSBump (by Yotpo) or Klaviyo SMS	WooCommerce plugin available, hooks into WooCommerce cart events automatically
BigCommerce	Attentive or Klaviyo SMS	Native BigCommerce integrations, automatic event tracking
Custom / Headless	Klaviyo SMS (via API) or Twilio + custom logic	Klaviyo handles compliance and sequencing via API; Twilio for full custom control

Step 2: Set up SMS opt-in (compliance first)

TCPA (US) requires express written consent before sending marketing SMS. Build this before any send logic.

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Shopify

Using Postscript:

1. Install Postscript from the Shopify App Store
2. Go to Postscript → Opt-in Tools → Checkout Opt-in
3. Postscript automatically adds a compliant SMS opt-in checkbox to your Shopify checkout with the required TCPA disclosure text
4. Enable Keyword Opt-in under Opt-in Tools → Keywords — customers can text your keyword to subscribe
5. Postscript handles STOP/HELP responses, quiet hours, and consent storage automatically

Using Attentive:

1. Install Attentive from the Shopify App Store
2. Attentive's two-tap mobile opt-in (sign-up units) achieves higher opt-in rates than checkbox-only
3. Go to Attentive → Subscribers → Sign-up Units to configure placement and offer
4. Checkout integration is automatic after app install

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WooCommerce

Using SMSBump:

1. Install SMSBump plugin from WordPress plugin directory
2. Go to SMSBump → Opt-in → Checkout Opt-in and enable the checkout checkbox with TCPA language
3. Configure quiet hours under SMSBump → Settings → Compliance — enforce 8am–9pm in recipient timezone
4. Go to SMSBump → Automations → Cart Abandonment and enable the abandonment flow

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BigCommerce

1. Install Attentive from the BigCommerce App Marketplace
2. Configure the two-tap opt-in unit and checkout SMS opt-in through the Attentive dashboard
3. BigCommerce cart events sync automatically after installation

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Step 3: Build the cart recovery sequence

Use your SMS platform's automation builder. The optimal 3-message sequence:

Message 1 — Reminder (20–30 minutes after abandonment)

• No discount — most recoveries happen here without one
• Include the product name and a direct checkout link
• Example: "Hi [First Name], you left [Product Name] in your cart. Complete your order: [link] Reply STOP to opt out."

Message 2 — Social proof or urgency (60 minutes)

• Reference low stock or popularity
• Example: "[Product Name] is almost gone — only 3 left. Your cart is saved: [link] Reply STOP to opt out."

Message 3 — Discount (24 hours)

• Only for carts above your minimum threshold (recommend $50+)
• Use a unique single-use code
• Example: "Last chance, [First Name]! Use [CODE] for 10% off before your cart expires. Checkout: [link] Reply STOP to opt out."

Configuration in Postscript:

1. Go to Postscript → Automations → New Automation → Checkout Abandoned
2. Add three messages with the timing above
3. Add a filter on each step: "Has NOT placed an order since starting" — this auto-cancels on conversion
4. For the discount message: use Postscript's built-in unique coupon generation (connects to Shopify's discount system)
5. Set a cart value filter: only send the discount step for carts over $50

Configuration in SMSBump (WooCommerce):

1. Go to SMSBump → Automations → Cart Abandonment
2. Enable the three-step sequence with the same timing
3. Add "Order Not Placed" condition to each step
4. Connect WooCommerce coupon generation for the discount step

Step 4: Configure cart value thresholds and discount strategy

1. Set a minimum cart value ($30–$50) for SMS recovery — low-value carts have negative ROI after SMS cost
2. Reserve discounts for the last message only — offering discounts too early trains customers to abandon on purpose
3. Use single-use codes — prevents sharing and controls attribution
4. Segment by customer value: new customers get 10% off; repeat customers get free shipping only; VIP customers (5+ orders) get no discount

Step 5: Measure performance

Metric	Target	How to Find
Recovery rate	15–25% of abandoned carts	SMS app → Automation analytics
Click-through rate	25–40% of delivered messages	SMS app → Message analytics
Opt-out rate per step	< 3%	SMS app → Subscriber analytics
Deliverability rate	> 95%	SMS app → Deliverability report

Best Practices

• Capture phone number before payment — on Shopify, Postscript captures the phone number at checkout step 1 so you can recover even if the customer never completes payment
• Enforce quiet hours — Postscript, Attentive, and SMSBump all enforce this automatically; verify it is enabled in settings (8am–9pm recipient local time)
• Keep messages under 160 characters — longer messages split into multiple SMS and increase cost
• Always include STOP opt-out — required by TCPA; all major SMS apps include this automatically
• Set a 7-day suppression after a completed sequence — if a customer abandons again right after a recovery sequence, give them space

Common Pitfalls

Problem	Solution
SMS sent after order placed	Ensure each message step has "Order Not Placed" condition enabled in your automation
Anonymous cart abandonment not captured	Postscript and Attentive capture phone at checkout step 1; enable this in your checkout settings
Customers learn to abandon for discounts	Never discount on messages 1 or 2; skip discounts for repeat customers
Carrier filtering (messages not delivered)	Avoid all-caps, free link shorteners, and excessive punctuation; use your platform's verified sending number
High opt-out rate after first message	Message is too aggressive or cart value threshold is too low; raise the threshold and soften copy
TCPA lawsuit exposure	Use your SMS platform's built-in compliance tools; never import phone numbers without proof of explicit consent

Related Skills

• @cart-abandonment-recovery
• @sms-marketing
• @email-marketing-automation
• @lifecycle-marketing-automation
• @win-back-reactivation