Almost nothing is more upsetting for an e-commerce company than watching how many customers add things to their virtual shopping baskets before exiting the site without checking out. 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.
However, you don’t have to tolerate shopping cart abandonment simply because it happens frequently. You should figure out your personal shopping cart abandonment rate and then take advantage of this statistic to improve conversion rates. This is due to the fact that businesses with successful abandoned shopping cart tactics may boost their conversion rate by more than 35%.
Increasing your shopping cart conversion rate might result in hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of dollars to be compiled in revenues all while eradicating cart abandonment.
Why do Consumers Abandon their Shopping Carts?
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 a number of 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: Even if you believe it may be evident whose organization is delivering the communication, you must always introduce yourself. 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: Although it’s not required, personalizing marketing messaging is probably going to provide greater results than blasting out generic advertising, as we’ve previously noted. The simplest approach to customize text is by including the recipient’s name.
- Coupon Code: If appropriate, using a tiny discount coupon in a text message about an abandoned cart is perhaps 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, as anybody who has worked in marketing for some time knows. SMS texts operate similarly. Always keep one in mind while sending a text message.
- URL: Simply said, it’s a good user experience to have a link to your eCommerce website. There simply isn’t a better approach than a URL to shorten the amount of time it takes to return to your website.
- 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 suitable instances of abandoned cart text message campaigns that succeed, along with a quick explanation of why they are successful.
Action and urgency based
Here’s an illustration of how to rapidly open an SMS for abandoned cart recovery.
The first phrase picks up where the client left off (“you left a few products behind”), while the subsequent phrase (“we’ve saved your cart”) builds trust.
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.
Personalize the content
In communications like the example SMS message above, addressing the subscriber by name and using phrases like “VIP customers” or “VIP access” are even better ways to catch their attention. Additionally, the letter clearly identifies who is sending it so that the receiver has no doubts about the sender or the validity of the offer.
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.
It’s also crucial to keep in mind that getting an excessive amount of promotional messages might come out as spam to the recipient. Instead, make an effort to send these SMS marketing messages in moderation as they might negatively affect the client experience.
Provide a subscription service
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 a template where the phrase “Don’t forget to subscribe for insider offers and news” can help grow revenue and attract genuine customers.
Offer discounts and coupons
Using a discount coupon may be an effective approach to give your customers one more incentive to buy the items they were already considering.
You would not want to reward your customers by giving discounts for all abandoned carts, though. In this situation, you may simply divide your process for cart abandonment based on the number of abandoned carts. A bigger quantity necessitates a discount coupon, whereas a lower amount necessitates the previously described action and urgency based approach.
Hello [Name], the [Product] you liked is still in your basket. Now is the time to shop and save up to 30%. (Insert Link to Cart) Respond “Stop” to “Opt Out.”
Keep in mind how the one-click checkout provides still another level of ease. Customers that seek a hassle-free online experience will definitely finish the deal.
Ask for and clarify customer inquiries
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 internet sites 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.”
A sense of humor
Whether you send cart abandonment notifications through SMS, email, push notification, or exit intent overlay, copywriting is crucial for increasing open rates. There is far too much important information available to us nowadays and not nearly enough time or attention to process it all.
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.
Going once, going twice, and SOLD! You get the joke, [Name]. Because you’re one of our favorites, we’ve reserved the products in your basket. Look right now. (Insert Link to Cart) Reply “Leave me alone” to opt out
A fear of missing out
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.
In this illustration, the phrases “flying off the shelves” and “Do not miss out” cause customers to halt their progress and press the checkout button.
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.
FAQs
- Why use SMS for abandoned cart recovery?
A: 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.
