Cart Recovery SMS

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when you need to:

• Write SMS messages that recover abandoned shopping carts
• Design a timed SMS sequence triggered by cart abandonment
• Include personalization tokens and dynamic product references
• Ensure compliance with SMS marketing regulations (TCPA, GDPR)

DO NOT use this skill for email cart recovery, general SMS marketing campaigns, or transactional order updates. This is specifically for SMS-based cart abandonment recovery.

Core Principle

SMS IS PERSONAL TERRITORY — EVERY MESSAGE MUST FEEL LIKE A HELPFUL NUDGE FROM A BRAND THEY TRUST, NOT AN INTRUSION INTO THEIR PHONE.

Phase 1: Brief

Required Inputs

GATE: Confirm the brief before writing messages.

Phase 2: Message Sequence Design

Timing Framework

## Cart Recovery SMS Sequence

Message 1 — 30 minutes after abandonment
Purpose: Gentle reminder, no incentive
Tone: Helpful

Message 2 — 4 hours after abandonment
Purpose: Address common objection or add social proof
Tone: Conversational

Message 3 — 24 hours after abandonment
Purpose: Offer incentive (discount or bonus)
Tone: Generous

Message 4 (optional) — 48 hours after abandonment
Purpose: Last chance, urgency on expiring incentive
Tone: Direct

Exit Conditions

• Customer completes purchase → stop all messages immediately
• Customer replies STOP → remove from sequence and all SMS marketing
• No response after Message 3/4 → end sequence, do not add to future cart recovery

GATE: Approve the sequence timing before writing messages.

Phase 3: Write Messages

SMS Writing Rules

• 160 characters or less per message (avoid multi-part messages)
• Include brand name in the first message so they know who it's from
• One link per message — shortened URL to their cart
• Personalization tokens: {first_name}, {product_name}, {cart_url}
• Opt-out instructions in the first message: "Reply STOP to opt out"

Message Templates

Message 1 (30 min):

Hey {first_name}! You left something in your cart at [Brand]. Still interested? Complete your order here: {cart_url} Reply STOP to opt out

Message 2 (4 hours):

{first_name}, your {product_name} is still waiting. Hundreds of happy customers love theirs. Grab it before it's gone: {cart_url}

Message 3 (24 hours):

Still thinking it over? Here's 10% off your cart at [Brand]. Use code SAVE10 at checkout: {cart_url} Expires in 24hrs.

Message 4 (48 hours):

Last chance, {first_name}. Your 10% off code expires tonight. Complete your order: {cart_url}

Phase 4: Polish

1. Compliance Checklist

• Customers opted in to SMS marketing explicitly (not pre-checked boxes)
• First message includes brand name identification
• STOP opt-out instructions included in first message
• All messages sent during compliant hours (8am-9pm recipient's timezone)
• Discount codes have real expiration dates
• Privacy policy covers SMS marketing

2. Platform Setup Notes

• Link shortener configuration for tracking
• Personalization token mapping from cart data
• Purchase event trigger to stop sequence
• Quiet hours configuration by timezone

3. Performance Benchmarks

• SMS cart recovery rate: 10-15% (vs. 3-5% for email alone)
• Click-through rate: 20-30%
• Opt-out rate per message: under 2% (above this, reduce frequency)
• Revenue per message sent

Anti-Patterns

• Sending SMS without explicit consent — this violates TCPA and can result in $500-$1,500 per message in fines.
• Messages over 160 characters — multi-part messages feel spammy and cost more.
• No opt-out option — legally required and must be honored immediately.
• Sending at 2am — respect quiet hours. Most platforms enforce 8am-9pm local time.
• Four messages with no incentive — if you are not willing to offer a discount, limit to 2 messages.
• Generic messages — "You forgot something!" without the product name or brand feels like spam.

Recovery

• No incentive available: Remove Messages 3-4. Use only the reminder and social proof messages. Two messages max.
• User unsure about compliance: Provide a compliance overview but recommend consulting a legal professional for their specific market (US/TCPA, EU/GDPR, CA/CASL).
• High opt-out rate: Reduce to 2 messages, extend timing (1 hour and 24 hours), and soften the tone.
• Low cart value (under $20): Single SMS message at 1 hour is sufficient. The cost of multiple messages may not justify the recovery value.