An SMS abandoned cart sequence is an event-triggered automation that sends one permission-based SMS 2 to 4 hours after a shopper abandons checkout, includes a recovery link, and stops when the shopper purchases.

For US recipients, use double opt-in for SMS consent. The setup described here sends one cart-abandonment SMS per recipient within 48 hours. These settings reflect the carrier and platform guidance cited below. Confirm the rules that apply to your business, audience and sending country before launch.

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SMS Abandoned Cart Sequence at a Glance

Element Recommended setup
Trigger Customer starts checkout or creates an identifiable cart
Audience Customers who explicitly opted in to marketing SMS
First delay 2 to 4 hours
Message count One SMS for US cart-abandonment programs
Main CTA Resume checkout with a recovery link
Exit condition Customer places an order
Suppression rules No consent, recent SMS, unavailable product or quiet hours
Incentive Use only when needed, preferably for selected customer segments

1. Connect Your Store to an SMS Platform

Your ecommerce platform and SMS tool need to pass these details into the automation:

  • Customer phone number
  • SMS consent status
  • Customer first name
  • Cart or checkout URL
  • Product name and URL
  • Product availability
  • Cart value
  • Order status
  • Checkout timestamp

For example, Shopify's AbandonedCheckout record includes incomplete checkout products, timestamps, pricing information and an abandonedCheckoutUrl for resuming the purchase.

Possible platforms include:

  • Klaviyo
  • Attentive
  • Postscript
  • Omnisend
  • Yotpo SMS & Email
  • HubSpot with an SMS integration
  • A custom workflow connected to Shopify, WooCommerce or BigCommerce

Use an abandoned-checkout trigger when possible. It usually identifies the customer, captures the phone number and provides a recovery URL. An added-to-cart trigger can work when the shopper is identifiable and the platform can create a valid cart link.

A phone number is not permission to send promotional SMS. Collect consent through a clearly labelled SMS opt-in field, checkbox or keyword flow.

Your consent process should:

  1. Identify your business.
  2. Explain that the customer will receive marketing text messages.
  3. State that message frequency may vary.
  4. Explain that consent is not required to purchase.
  5. Link to your terms and privacy policy.
  6. Explain how to opt out, such as replying STOP.
  7. Store the consent record, timestamp and source.

For US promotional messaging, CTIA guidance recommends express written consent and a clear way for recipients to revoke consent. FCC rules also cover text messages in relevant circumstances under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act.

Use double opt-in for abandoned-cart SMS. Klaviyo's US guidance lists double opt-in, one SMS per recipient and delivery within 48 hours for its cart-abandonment programs.

3. Create the Trigger and Delay

Use one of these triggers:

  • Checkout Started
  • Checkout Created
  • Abandoned Checkout
  • Added to Cart, when the customer and cart are identifiable

Do not send the message immediately. The shopper may still be comparing shipping costs, entering payment details or completing checkout in another browser tab.

A practical workflow looks like this:

Checkout started
        ↓
Wait 2 to 4 hours
        ↓
Has the customer placed an order?
        ↓
No
        ↓
Can the customer receive SMS marketing?
        ↓
Yes
        ↓
Send abandoned-cart SMS

Klaviyo recommends testing a first abandoned-cart message approximately 2 to 4 hours after checkout begins.

4. Add Filters Before Sending

Add filters that prevent irrelevant or duplicate messages:

  • The customer has valid SMS marketing consent.
  • The customer has not placed an order since entering the flow.
  • The customer has not received an abandoned-cart SMS recently.
  • The product is still available.
  • The customer is outside your SMS quiet hours.
  • The customer can receive messages in their country.
  • The checkout or cart link still works.

The purchase check matters most. Re-check order status immediately before sending. Otherwise, someone who completed payment after entering the flow could still receive an abandoned-cart message.

5. Set the SMS Timing

Use this starting schedule:

Timing Message Purpose
2 to 4 hours after abandonment SMS reminder Reach shoppers who intended to buy
20 to 48 hours after abandonment Email reminder Add product details, reviews and support
Later follow-up Segment-specific email or retargeting Avoid unnecessary SMS pressure

For US cart-abandonment SMS, do not create a two or three-text sequence by default. Klaviyo's guidance limits each recipient to one cart-abandonment SMS and requires delivery within 48 hours of the triggering event.

Email can follow the SMS. It gives you more room for reviews, shipping information, FAQs and multiple cart items.

6. Write the Abandoned Cart SMS

An abandoned-cart SMS needs four things:

  1. Brand identification
  2. A clear reminder
  3. One checkout link
  4. An opt-out instruction

Basic Reminder

[Brand]: You left [Product] in your cart. Complete your order here: [Recovery Link]. Reply STOP to opt out.

Product Reminder

[Brand]: Still considering [Product]? Your cart is saved here: [Recovery Link]. Reply STOP to opt out.

Discount Reminder

[Brand]: Finish your order for [Product] and save 10% with code SAVE10: [Recovery Link]. Reply STOP to opt out.

Do not lead with a discount unless it fits your margins and customer strategy. A coupon in every abandoned-cart message can encourage shoppers to delay checkout. Klaviyo recommends reserving incentives for a later message, selected segments or customers who have not purchased before.

Use one primary product, usually the first item in the cart. Multiple products can make the message long or cause broken formatting. Klaviyo recommends featuring one item in an abandoned-cart SMS for this reason.

Avoid:

  • Fake low-stock claims
  • False countdown timers
  • Multiple unrelated links
  • Long product descriptions
  • Unclear sender identification
  • Discounts that fail at checkout
  • Links that send customers to the homepage instead of their cart

The link should take the shopper to one of these destinations:

  • Their saved checkout
  • Their cart with the selected products restored
  • The product page, if no checkout recovery link exists

If your SMS platform supports tracking parameters, use them:

text

Use a branded short link where possible. Test the link on mobile, while logged out and in a different browser. Check that it preserves:

  • Product variants
  • Quantities
  • Discounts
  • Shipping region
  • Customer information where permitted
  • Cart contents

8. Configure Quiet Hours and Opt-Outs

Keep quiet hours enabled unless you have a documented, compliant reason to change them. Klaviyo recommends leaving quiet hours enabled for SMS abandoned-cart messages.

Your provider should process standard opt-out keywords such as:

  • STOP
  • UNSUBSCRIBE
  • CANCEL
  • END
  • QUIT

After a recipient opts out, do not send a marketing message asking them to stay subscribed. FCC guidance distinguishes a neutral opt-out confirmation from a promotional message. The confirmation should not contain marketing content.

9. Build the Sequence in Klaviyo

If you use Klaviyo:

  1. Open Flows.
  2. Create or open an abandoned-cart flow.
  3. Add a delay of approximately 2 to 4 hours.
  4. Add a conditional split based on SMS eligibility.
  5. Add the SMS action to the eligible branch.
  6. Insert the recovery URL and product information.
  7. Add a purchase filter.
  8. Keep quiet hours enabled.
  9. Set the SMS to live.
  10. Test the flow with an internal opted-in number.

Klaviyo's instructions place the SMS after a delay, check whether the person can receive SMS marketing and then return the person to the broader abandoned-cart flow.

10. Test the Automation

Test Expected result
Customer without SMS consent No SMS is sent
Customer with confirmed SMS consent SMS is eligible
Customer completes an order The SMS is cancelled
Product becomes unavailable The SMS is skipped or revised
Customer replies STOP Future marketing SMS is suppressed
Message enters quiet hours The SMS is delayed
Recovery link is opened The correct cart or checkout loads
Discount is included The discount works on mobile checkout
Multiple cart items exist The message remains readable and accurate
Customer receives an email flow Email and SMS are not unnecessarily duplicated

Send test messages to both iPhone and Android devices. Check link previews, line breaks, personalisation, discount codes and opt-out instructions.

11. Measure the SMS Sequence

Track these metrics separately from your email abandoned-cart flow:

  • Delivery rate: The percentage of sent texts delivered successfully.
  • Click-through rate: The percentage of delivered texts that generate a link click.
  • Checkout recovery rate: The percentage of recipients who complete an order.
  • Revenue per recipient: Attributed revenue divided by SMS recipients.
  • Unsubscribe rate: The percentage of recipients who opt out.
  • Complaint or spam rate: Negative engagement that may affect deliverability.
  • Margin after discount: Revenue minus product, shipping, discount and messaging costs.

Use a holdout group if your platform supports one. Compare customers who receive the SMS with similar customers who receive email only. This shows whether SMS creates additional revenue or takes credit for orders that would have happened anyway.

For most ecommerce stores, start with this configuration:

Trigger: Checkout started
Delay: 3 hours
Filter: Confirmed SMS consent
Filter: No order placed since trigger
Filter: Product still available
Action: Send one SMS
Content: Brand + product reminder + recovery link + STOP instruction
Follow-up: Email 20 to 48 hours later
Incentive: None initially

Start with a reminder rather than a discount. Add an incentive only after reviewing recovery rate, profit margin and unsubscribe rate. The result is a simpler SMS abandoned-cart sequence that is easier to test and less likely to train customers to wait for coupons.