How to add SMS to your abandoned cart flow

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Learn how to add an SMS to your abandoned cart flow as well as compliance requirements and best practices.

Before you begin

Note that using quiet hours is highly encouraged for SMS abandoned cart reminders. This is on by default in Klaviyo, and we do not recommend turning it off. 

The US has certain requirements for anyone sending SMS messages in abandoned cart flows. If you are sending to US recipients, the following are all required: 

  • Use double opt-in when collecting SMS consent
  • Only send 1 SMS per recipient 
  • Send within 48 hours of someone abandoning a cart

Create an SMS abandoned cart flow

Here, we walk you through how to add SMS to your existing abandoned cart flow. 

Please read the previous section before setting up your SMS abandoned cart flow. That section includes information on SMS compliance and best practices. 

Don’t already have an abandoned cart flow? Open this section.
  1. Navigate to Flows
  2. Click Browse Ideas in the upper right corner
  3. Search for “abandoned cart” and click the icon for email and SMS
    Searching for an abandoned cart template with both email and SMS
  4. Pick an abandoned cart flow template
    1. Here, we choose the template named “Standard (Email & SMS)”
  5. Name the flow (e.g., “Abandoned Cart Reminder”)
    Preview of an abandoned cart flow template where you can name the flow
  6. Click Create Flow
  7. Go into each message and edit the text 
    • Note: Before changing anything about the dynamic variables, copy the variable or block of variables
      1. Dynamic variables must be formatted exactly right or they won’t work
      2. Copying the block allows you to make changes without the risk of breaking them
  8. Save your changes
  9. Do not turn off quiet hours for the SMS message
  10. Click Update Action Statuses in the upper right
  11. Open the dropdown menu and select Live
  12. Click Update Statuses

Add SMS to an abandoned cart flow

  1. Navigate to Flows
  2. Find the abandoned cart flow where you want to include SMS
  3. In the flow, place a conditional split after the first time delay
    1. Note: the time delay must be within 48 hours of when the flow triggers
  4. Use the following condition
    Person is or is not consented to receive SMS > is not
     Placing a conditional split after the first time delay in an abandoned cart flow
  5. On the No path, add an SMS message
    Adding an SMS to the No path for a conditional split
  6. Click Configure Content in the left sidebar
  7. Add in your message
    “Hey {{ person|lookup:"first_name"|default:'there' }}, your cart is about to expire! Did you want to check it out? [LINK]” 
  8. Recommended: Include a discount to encourage people to buy
    “Hey {{ person|lookup:"first_name"|default:'there' }}, your cart is about to expire! Get 10% off now with code {% coupon_code 'YOUR_COUPON' %} [LINK]”
    Example of an abandoned cart flow message that includes a 10% coupon
  9. Rejoin the split after the SMS to after the first email
    Rejoining the split after the first email and SMS in an abandoned cart flow
  10. Set the SMS message to live
    Changing an SMS message from draft to live

Improve your SMS abandoned cart flow

Above we detail a basic SMS and email abandoned cart flow, but there are ways you can customize this flow further. 

While you cannot send more than 1 SMS per recipient as an abandoned cart reminder, you can have more than 1 SMS in this flow.

See examples below. 

Value

Using a trigger split to send different SMS message to those with carts below $100

Product collection

Using a trigger split to send different SMS message to those purchasing from a certain collection

New purchaser

Using a conditional split to send different SMS message to new purchasers versus returning customers

Frequent purchaser

Using a conditional split to send different SMS message to more frequent purchasers

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