Almost nothing is more upsetting for an e-commerce company than seeing how many customers add items to their shopping carts before leaving the website without making the purchase. You’re not alone if you’ve felt this aggravation; the Baymard Institute estimates that over 70% of shopping carts on e-commerce websites turn into abandoned carts.
With the influx of smartphones, it becomes easier to take care of this situation by simply firing off a good abandoned cart text message. While email has been the primary method for recovering abandoned carts, direct messages are also a viable option, as they have a higher chance of being read.
Here, we are trying to reinforce the importance of SMSes, push notifications, and such, and also discuss a few templates that you can follow while curating a foolproof abandoned cart recovery strategy.
Why do Abandoned Carts Happen?
You may optimize your cart abandonment rate by addressing any of the several causes of cart abandonment. A few of the crucial reasons are listed below:
- Some buyers will leave your website to look at comparable products at other websites because they prefer to compare pricing.
- Most people don’t want to pay delivery fees, thus they may leave their carts in search of a store with free shipping.
- When they see that there is no guest checkout option, some customers will abandon your checkout page because they don’t want to create an account or log into your website.
- When there are too many steps, forms to complete, or page switches throughout the checkout process, many clients lose patience.
- Consumers may be worried about the checkout process’s payment possibilities and payment security; if they can’t use the preferred payment methods, they won’t finish their purchases.
It’s critical to keep in mind that just because a consumer leaves their basket empty doesn’t imply you’ve lost them as a customer for good. Each time a consumer leaves anything in their shopping cart, there is a chance to find out more about their motivations and how best to persuade them to come back and finish the transaction.
Why Focus on Mobile Marketing?
For B2C interactions, email has long been the preferred method of communication. With an email address, you can confirm purchases, tell consumers about specials and new products, and of course, remind them of the items they left in their shopping cart.
You’ll need a different strategy, though, if you’re serious about lowering shopping cart abandonment, given that more and more people are shopping online directly from their phones (Statista reports that mobile eCommerce now accounts for more than two-thirds of all eCommerce traffic) and that many of these customers may not read their emails frequently.
In some ways, Text messages are the best medium for informing clients that their shopping basket has been abandoned. In other words, it’s dependable.
According to data, the average open rate for text messages is 98 percent, compared to just 20 percent for emails. Another research by Campaign Monitor shows that the majority of text messages are read within 90 seconds.
More than half of Gen Z and Millennial customers said they would be prepared to share their phone numbers with a business in order to get marketing messages, and 75% of consumers stated they would be happy to receive an offer by text.
What Makes Up an Abandoned Cart SMS?
There are many things to consider, just as there are with any other SMS messaging approach. You don’t get the chance to write as much as you’d want, unlike emails and other marketing mediums. Customers anticipate that SMS communications will be brief and simple.
Additionally, all SMS cart recovery messages contain your copy. Everything depends on the text because you cannot add any glitzy pictures or formatting.
Finally, never forget that recipients of SMS marketing messages must choose to receive them. Sending even harmless SMS messages about abandoned carts without permission is grounds for legal issues.
With the prerequisites out of the way, there are several rules and principles to composing an SMS cart recovery message. Such an SMS message often includes:
- Name of the brand: The customer should be able to clearly identify where the message is coming from. Making sure your consumer immediately recognizes your brand by including its name at the beginning (or end) of an SMS message is a smart idea.
- Name of the Customer: The simplest approach to customizing text is by including the recipient’s name. While it may not be applicable for every campaign, sending out personalized messages to loyal customers can help in getting better conversions.
- Coupon Code: Using a tiny discount coupon in a text message about an abandoned cart is a smart move. If you can offer your consumer a modest discount, you’ll undoubtedly gain greater attention.
- CTA links or buttons: Call-to-actions are essential. Make sure to add a phrase at the end that will urge the customer to make the purchase.
- URL: The cart page URL needs to be ideally placed within the text message. This will help customers not wander off the grid and eventually result in a sale.
- An option to Opt-Out: It is not required to include an opt-out option in each and every text. But it has to be there, at the very least in the greeting. It might also be prudent to include it in other SMS triggers, such as the abandoned cart text messages.
When creating your own unique abandoned cart SMS, it will be quite useful to keep the aforementioned points in mind. Following the recommendations is quite likely to produce a strong and successful SMS message; however, you may need to adjust and fine-tune some parts.
Now that we know the benefits of implementing mobile marketing in your eCommerce business, let us take a look at the best SMS templates for cart abandonment.
Abandoned Cart Templates for Mobile Phones
The abandoned cart email examples you saw online are quite similar to cart abandonment text message examples.
The promotional messages on both platforms have concise language, a prominent CTA, and a hint of persuasion.
Here are a few examples of abandoned cart text message campaigns that succeed, along with a quick explanation of why they succeed.
Friendly-Reminder Templates
The key to encouraging customer action is to be friendly.
The casual start of the message with a “hey” itself is how a conversation between friends starts. The message gradually phases into (why don’t you take a quick look) a soft reminder of visiting the website.
Let’s look into some other examples of a similar line:
Still thinking about making the purchase? Your cart is saved {short link}
Hey!! Your cart is open.. {short link}....Need my help checking it out??
Still thinking it over? Feel free to cart it when you like!
Action and Urgency-Based Templates
This template prompts customers to make that purchase soon.
The first phrase picks up where the client left off (“your shopping cart is waiting for you”), while the subsequent phrase (“checkout before they sell out”) creates urgency.
To persuade clients to finish the transaction, the message concludes with a cart expiry. This persuades the customer to feel a sense of urgency and keeps them on their toes. This kind of messaging template is easy and quick to use with guaranteed results.
Some of the other examples are:
You are losing out on your favorites! Bag them now!!
Make your move now to get the best of the lot! Low Stock Alert!!!
Final Reminder! Your saved items will vanish tonight!
Personalized Content-Based Templates
Personally addressing your customer brings more value than a random message. They feel seen as your loyal customer and thus make a purchase.
In order to maintain the interest of your list, this SMS text template also shows how the receiver can choose not to receive more marketing communications in the future. Remember that even though your receivers agreed to receive communications, they still do not want to get a lot of SMS’s.
Let’s look into some more:
Your Ironman T-shirt is still in stock! Want us to save it?
Thanks for being our loyal customer, John! Here's an exclsuive entry pass to look into our new styles.
Subscription Reminder Templates
Encourage visitors to your website to choose to receive text messages from you as part of your opt-in text marketing strategy. This offers several advantages for both you and your customers:
- You increase the number of subscribers on your list, which means you have access to a larger pool of possible clients.
- Customers provide you with their phone numbers in a voluntary and legal manner.
- You may create a more comprehensive image of your target consumer by gathering first-party data.
Reminding new subscribers that they can unsubscribe at any moment should be done each time you add them to your text message marketing list. You may build a trustworthy reputation for your company and create expectations for how you’ll interact with customers by being open and honest about how you gather and use subscribers’ information.
This kind of template, where the phrase “Don’t forget to subscribe for insider offers and news,” can help grow revenue and attract genuine customers.
Discounts and Coupon Templates
Using a discount coupon may be an effective approach to give your customers one more incentive to buy the items they were already considering.
Here, we are trying to emphasize how we take care of our customers and have a fairly good idea of their purchasing behavior. Such offers can help customers return to their cart and initiate the purchase.
Offering such discounts helps build trust and loyalty towards the brand.
Some of the other ways you can convey offers and discounts:
Need a push? Here's a 20% off for your next purchase!
Here's a special discount for you John! Save 10% {Coupon Code}
Enjoy 10% off your cart! Make your purchase now!
Customer-Inquiry Templates
It takes time and effort to search through several catalogs and categories, which leads to inactivity and cart abandonment.
Have you ever grown weary of browsing websites in quest of the ideal product? If you haven’t, it’s not something you’d look forward to. Customers adore having a customized purchasing experience.
They like online retailers who go above and above to demonstrate exceptional consideration, care, and gratitude while facilitating a simple, quick, and intuitive purchasing process.
If your shop sells specialized items, customers will likely have numerous unanswered queries.
To assist cart abandoners with high-value carts in getting back on track, we advise you to automate question-answering SMS texts. For example, you can start sending customers with a higher cart amount, messages such as “Do you like the sweaters? We have more choices just for you.”
Humorous Reminder Templates
Not everything has to be that serious? Does it? You can easily incorporate humorous copy into your abandoned cart text messages to catch the customer’s attention.
The use of material that exhibits humor is ideal. Humor has a way of conveying a lot of information in a way that may be fully understood without causing too much stress.
Your Cart just texted you! Are they coming home with you or not! Tap on the below link to make a decision {url}
Oh, it misses you!! What? Your Cart, John! Get back and make that purchase!
Fear of Missing Out Templates
Use this style of marketing copy to generate interest and FOMO for hot goods that are returning to stock or that a consumer has left hanging in their basket. Some companies may even inform consumers of how long they have before running out of stock.
Although fear-based marketing isn’t always successful, it may be if you provide unique things in small quantities.
Here are some other templates that can help you gain back that customer:
Psst..! The prices may change soon.. Get your hands your fav products now!
Want someone else to grab your style? Bag your cart now!
Quick...your products are almost gone! Grab them now!
Timing of Abandoned Cart Text Messages
Having good copy-based messages is just the initial requirement. To make sure that these abandoned cart text messages serve the purpose, they should be fired off at the right time.
- The first reminder should go off within 15-20 minutes after the customer abandoned the cart.
- The second reminder can go off within the next 3-4 hours
- The final reminder should be sent in 24 hours.
Challenges of Abandoned Cart SMS Campaigns
- Opt-In Requirements: One challenge of SMS marketing is ensuring compliance with regulations such as the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). E-commerce businesses must obtain explicit consent from customers before sending marketing messages via SMS, which can limit the size of their SMS subscriber list.
- Message Delivery and Timing: Unlike email, SMS messages have stricter character limits and may be subject to delays or restrictions by mobile carriers. Ensuring timely delivery of SMS reminders and optimizing message content within character limits can be challenging for marketers.
- Customer Experience: While SMS can be effective for reaching customers on their mobile devices, overuse or poorly timed messages may lead to customer annoyance or opt-outs. Maintaining a balance between engaging customers and respecting their privacy and preferences is essential for a positive customer experience.
- Cost Considerations: Sending SMS messages for cart recovery may incur additional costs for e-commerce businesses, particularly if they have a large subscriber base or send frequent messages. Managing SMS marketing budgets and measuring ROI effectively are important considerations for optimizing campaign performance.
- Integration with CRM Systems: Integrating SMS marketing platforms with e-commerce platforms and customer relationship management (CRM) systems can be complex, requiring technical expertise and ongoing maintenance. Ensuring seamless data flow between systems is essential for personalized messaging and accurate campaign tracking.
Measuring the Effectiveness of Abandoned Cart SMS Campaigns
- Tracking Conversion Rates: E-commerce businesses can track the conversion rates of their abandoned cart SMS campaigns by analyzing the number of customers who returned to complete their purchases after receiving the SMS reminders. This metric provides a direct measure of the campaign’s success in recovering lost sales.
- Monitoring Click-Through Rates (CTR): By tracking the CTR of the links included in the SMS messages, businesses can gauge the level of customer engagement with the campaign. A higher CTR indicates that customers are actively interested in returning to their abandoned carts.
- Analyzing Revenue Generated: Businesses can measure the revenue generated from recovered sales attributed to the SMS campaign. Comparing the revenue generated from abandoned cart recoveries to the total revenue can help assess the campaign’s impact on overall sales performance.
- Assessing Customer Feedback: Gathering feedback from customers who received the SMS reminders can provide valuable insights into their satisfaction with the messaging, the effectiveness of the incentives offered, and any areas for improvement. This qualitative data can inform future campaign optimizations.
- Testing and Optimization: E-commerce businesses can conduct A/B testing on different variations of SMS templates, incentive offers, and sending times to identify the most effective combinations. Continuous testing and optimization based on performance data can lead to improved campaign outcomes over time.
- Integration with Analytics Tools: Integrating the SMS marketing platform with analytics tools allows businesses to track key metrics such as conversion rates, revenue attribution, and customer engagement in real time. This integration streamlines data analysis and facilitates data-driven decision-making.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are virtually no restrictions on what you may test as part of your abandoned cart approach. The most crucial thing is to avoid sending a single, generic reminder to everyone. To win back those abandoned carts, leverage more channels and consumer data to customize your communications.
SMS is a potent supplement to your digital marketing plan that may help you develop a more comprehensive and complex plan. If your consumers have chosen to participate in the SMS campaign, it most likely means they prefer SMS marketing over email. While we have shed light particularly on SMS, these text strategies can easily be part of WhatsApp Messages, Push Notifications, and even Popups.
FAQs
- Why use SMS for abandoned cart recovery?
SMS boasts high open rates (around 98%) compared to email (around 20%) and offers a more immediate way to reach customers. It’s convenient and allows customers to complete their purchases quickly from their phones. - Why are abandoned cart message templates important for mobile marketing?
Abandoned cart message templates are crucial for mobile marketing because they allow businesses to reach customers directly on their mobile devices, where they spend a significant amount of time. - What should be included in an effective abandoned cart message template for mobile phones?
An effective abandoned cart message template for mobile phones should include the customer’s name for personalization, a clear reminder of the items left in the cart, a sense of urgency to prompt immediate action, a link to easily return to the cart, and an option to opt out of receiving further messages. - Can businesses customize abandoned cart message templates for different customer segments?
Yes, businesses can customize abandoned cart message templates for different customer segments based on factors such as purchase history, browsing behavior, and demographic information. By segmenting their audience and tailoring the messaging to specific customer groups, businesses can increase the relevance and effectiveness of their abandoned cart SMS campaigns.
Further Reading
