How to add SMS to your browse abandonment flow

You will learn

Learn how to add SMS to your browse abandonment flow to diversify the type of communication sent to your customers.

Before you begin

Before you start adding SMS to your browse abandonment flow:

• Turn on SMS in your account settings.
• Learn how to create a browse abandonment flow if you don’t yet have one in your account.

Browse abandonment compliance

Always use quiet hours for browse abandonment SMS messages. This feature, which is on by default, prevents SMS from sending too early or late in the day. Most countries forbid sending SMS during certain hours, and quiet hours can help you avoid fines.

Add an SMS action to a browse abandonment flow

1. Navigate to the Flows tab.
2. Click the name of the browse abandonment flow where you want to include SMS.
3. In the flow builder, drag Split after the first time delay. If your sidebar shows Conditional split instead, use that action.
   • We recommend sending the browse abandonment SMS within 48 hours of when the flow triggers.
4. For Split, click Path #1 on the canvas. For Conditional split, click the split. Choose If someone can or cannot receive marketing > Person cannot receive > text message marketing. Click Save, or Apply followed by Save if those buttons appear.
   This configuration allows you to add the split to an existing browse abandonment flow without having to rearrange your email path.

5. Drag a Text message action onto the Everyone else path for Split, or the NO path for Conditional split.
6. Click the SMS message, then click Edit next to Content in the sidebar.
7. Add in your message. For example:
   “Hey {{ first_name|title|default:'there' }}, did you see something you liked? Time to check it out! {{ event.URL }}”
   Note: Dynamic content depends on your integration, so the tags in the example may not work for you. Learn more about dynamic content.
8. Click Preview to check your message. Close the preview, then click Next to save and return to the flow.
9. Drag the rejoin icon below the SMS message onto the email path after the first email. This allows you to continue sending customers emails after sending them an SMS message.
   

10. Do not turn off either quiet hours or Smart Sending for this message.
    Quiet hours is an SMS compliance requirement, while Smart Sending is a general best practice.
11. Click the SMS message, select Status > Live, then click Save.

Enhance your SMS browse abandonment flow

See the example flows below for ways to customize your flow:

Item category split

To split based on item categories, the Viewed Product event that triggers your flow must include category data. Use the property name and values supplied by your integration; the example below uses Categories.

1. Add a Split where you want to separate messages by category. If your sidebar shows Trigger split instead, use that action.
2. For Split, click Path #1 on the canvas and choose Properties of Viewed Product > Categories > contains, then enter the category name. For Trigger split, click the split and use Categories > contains, then enter the category name.
3. Click Save, or Apply followed by Save if those buttons appear. Put category-specific messages on Path #1 for Split, or YES for Trigger split, and other messages on Everyone else or NO. You can add multiple splits for different categories.

New vs. returning customers

If you want to split based on whether the person browsing has purchased from you before:

1. Add a Split. If your sidebar shows Conditional split instead, use that action.
2. For Split, click Path #1 on the canvas. For Conditional split, click the split. Choose What someone has done (or not done) > Placed Order > zero times > over all time. Click Save, or Apply followed by Save if those buttons appear.
3. Put your message for new customers on Path #1 for Split, or the YES path for Conditional split.
4. Place your message for returning customers on Everyone else for Split, or the NO path for Conditional split.

Ask customers to continue the conversation

We recommend sending only 1 browse abandonment SMS per browsing session. You can ask the customer to continue chatting. If you ask a question and the subscriber responds, you can use flows or 1-on-1 SMS conversations to keep talking.

Use a sending number that supports replies. Branded sender IDs cannot receive replies.

For instance, you can say something like "No longer interested in X? Tell us why! 1 for too pricey, 2 for not my style, 3 for I’ll revisit later."

If the subscriber replies, you can respond via a conversation or set up a flow triggered by Sent SMS, customizing the response based on what the subscriber says. For another way to handle replies, learn about SMS automations.

Additional resources