Cart Abandonment Killing Sales? How Automated SMS Can Bring Customers Back

Cart abandonment is lost revenue mixed with blown inventory plans and retargeting that hits the wrong people. This recovery plan, built from real store owners' wins, is how to mitigate it.

Key Takeaways

1. Cart abandonment averages 70% globally, and over 80% in Asia-Pacific Countries (APAC). Timing and personalization are key to winning those sales back.
2. Emails alone often fail due to poor timing, lack of segmentation, or being buried in the inbox.
3. SMS clickthrough rates blow email out of the water—think 36% vs 4.5%. That immediacy can make or break recovery.
4. Combining email + SMS works best. Multi-channel campaigns drive more revenue and customer engagement than either channel alone.
5. Automating abandoned cart texts is easy with tools like Mobile Text Alerts, which sync with your store and trigger messages in real time.

I might be the reason your sales are down.

I abandon my carts—a lot. Just last week, I did it again.

But maybe I'm not the only culprit. It might be this:

Globally, cart abandonment sits at a staggering 70.19%. In APAC, it's even higher (over 80%).

APAC cart abandonment rates (source: Dynamic Yield)

Could a simple abandoned cart text bring people like me back? Or are top e-commerce pros using smarter strategies?

To find out, I spoke with eight e-com pros. You'll find their insights—and what actually works—in this piece.

A quick shoutout to the experts who shared their wisdom:

• Brinda Gulati, former thrift store owner and contributor to Shopify
• Dennis Sanders, founder and CEO of Burning Daily
• Emmanuel Ajaga, copy and email marketing strategist
• Greg Burgess, founder and owner of Lone Star Vaping
• Janelle Warner, co-director at Born Social
• Mac Steer, owner and director of Simify
• Mimi Nguyen, founder of Cafely
• Nathan McEvoy-Swann, owner of Alert Electrical

Why abandoned cart emails fail, according to ecom pros

💡 Want to know why customers abandon their carts in the first place? Check out this piece on lazy cart syndrome.

Even with follow-ups, most abandoned cart emails still fall flat. Based on insights from my interviews, there are three main reasons why:

1. Wrong timing

You could offer a 100% discount and still fail to recover abandoned carts.

Why? Because timing is everything. Discounts aren't the one-size-fits-all many marketers assume they are.

A race to the bottom (source: Mimi from Cafely)

In contrast to consensus, overusing discounts to recover carts can devalue your product. Brinda breaks it down:

“

Whenever I failed to recover sales, 90% of the time it was because I had immediately devalued the product's perceived exclusivity or value.

So what's going wrong? Marketers often don't optimize follow-ups for time. Here's why that happens:

I. Poor audience segmentation

Greg from Lone Star Vaping shares:

“

We sent follow-up emails at set intervals without segmentation. Some customers got too many emails too soon, leading to frustration and unsubscribes. While others received them too late and had already lost interest.

II. Missed decision-making window

This issue is common in trend-driven markets. Janelle from Born Social explains:

“

We tried every trick in the book for a fashion e-tailer—sequences, offers, cadence tweaks. But nothing worked. The products were trend-driven, and by the time our emails landed, customers had already moved on to the next hot item.

2. Lack of personalization

Adding someone's name to a subject line isn't real personalization. As Mac from Simify learned, even the "right" tactics can flop without true customer insight:

“

For a high-end electronics ecom, we used personalized subject lines. Open rates were decent, but conversions stayed low.

Real personalization means understanding who your customers are and making them feel like the message was made just for them. Unfortunately, most abandoned cart emails still miss that mark.

And if your follow-up doesn't speak to the customer, it won't convert them.

3. Emails (alone) just don't cut it anymore

Decline in interaction with emails (source: Litmus)

As seen in Litmus' 2022 Trends in Email Engagement report, there has been a decline in how people engage with emails since 2018. Maybe email just isn't the best channel for abandoned cart recovery anymore.

Nathan from Alert Electrical thinks so:

“

People aren't checking their emails like they used to. With the world shifting toward apps and notifications, fewer people are regularly checking their inboxes, unless they're expecting something. As a result, fewer people were returning to the site.

So, what's the fix? Ditch emails for abandoned cart texts?

Should you complement emails with SMS or ditch them and switch to texts altogether for abandoned cart recovery?

In Nathan's case, switching to SMS made a noticeable difference. He explained:

“

To fix abandoned carts, we started using texts to reach out to customers with accounts. We'd send a reminder that their basket was waiting—and sometimes offer discount codes to those who had left items in there for a certain amount of time. We found this approach more effective because text messages are more immediate and noticeable for people nowadays.

That brings us to the big question:

Why does SMS work so well?

Why is it outperforming email for abandoned cart recovery?

According to Klaviyo's 2025 Benchmark Report, SMS (at $0.11) drives more Revenue per Recipient (RRP) on average than email ($0.10). And in verticals like jewelry, SMS outperforms email across the board, including top-performing campaigns.

SMS has better RRP (source: Klaviyo)

So, what's behind this surge in SMS effectiveness?

1. Higher open rates

According to a 2022 study by Mobilesquared, SMS messages have a 100% view rate and a 55% read rate.

That same year, Klaviyo reported that SMS outperformed email in click-through rates: 36% for SMS versus 4.5% for email.

With such numbers, your offers are far more likely to be seen in a text than buried in the inbox. In other words, you have a better shot at recovering abandoned carts.

Further reading: Is Texting's Touted 98% Read Rate Still Valid?

2. Instant engagement

Promotional emails often end up with this fate:

Fate of promotional emails (source: someone's inbox)

I've opened just 1 of the last 50 promo emails in my inbox. And they've been sitting there for weeks.

That's rarely the case with SMS. Why?

As Emmanuel puts it:

“

SMS messages feel personal and are read within minutes, prompting customers to reconsider checking out the intended product.

The direct, personal nature of SMS boosts engagement and the chances of recovering a lost sale.

3. Retaining and growing customers

With higher open rates and instant engagement, customer retention becomes more achievable.

Once you've re-engaged your customers, you can confidently roll out loyalty programs, special promos, or reactivation campaigns—knowing they'll see your offers.

Luckily, the numbers back this up. According to Attentive's 2023 SMS Marketing Benchmark Report:

• SMS is a top-3 revenue-driving channel for 53% of marketers
• It drives incremental business revenue for 73% of marketers

SMS retains and grows customers (source: Attentive)

No wonder 52% of marketers plan to increase their SMS marketing budgets. Maybe it's time you did, too.

Should you ditch email entirely?

SMS might be winning on the benchmarks, but email's not out of the race yet. The real win? Combining both channels.

Combine SMS and email (source: Klaviyo)

Klaviyo's 2025 Benchmark Report recommends a multi-channel strategy for maintaining high performance across key metrics. Brinda echoed this when I asked whether she'd pick abandoned cart texts or email follow-ups:

"I'd say a multi-channel approach." — Brinda Gulati.

The data backs her up. According to Attentive's 2023 Benchmark Report, 79% of marketers now orchestrate their SMS programs alongside email—and they're seeing real, complementary value.

Pro tip: Don't limit your SMS integrations to just email. Sync them with your entire tech stack—from your CRM to your CDP.

Marketers integrate SMS with tech stacks (Source: Attentive)

💡 Tools like Mobile Text Alerts integrate with 5,000+ apps, helping you weave SMS marketing into every corner of your workflow.

But the key is knowing when and how to use each channel. Brinda recommends:

• Use SMS for short, at-a-glance messages like order confirmations and delivery updates
• Use email for richer content—product recommendations, detailed promos, and visual storytelling

Also read: Email Marketing vs SMS Marketing: Which is best for customer loyalty?

My take: Even in SMS, you can tease those longer-form promotions. Add a link to your landing page. Make it short, punchy, and irresistible.

With that said, let's talk extensively about how to make your abandoned cart texts pop.

How to write abandoned cart texts that convert

There's no single perfect abandoned cart text. But there are common mistakes to avoid, elements that work, and templates you can learn from.

❌ What to avoid

• Too long. It's a text—keep it under 160 characters.
• Shouting. ALL CAPS, excessive hype, or emojis can feel spammy.
• Generic copy. Skip vague lines like "Hey, don't forget your cart." Instead, speak to pain points, e.g., "Looks like your size might sell out, want us to hold it?"
• Weak CTAs. Don't say, "Click here." Be direct instead: "Use code CART10 for 10% off. It expires in 2 hrs!"
• No link. Always include a clickable, shortened URL for a smooth mobile experience.

💡 The bottom line: Be helpful. Be human. Get to the point—fast.

✅ What to Include

Now, don't treat this like a rigid checklist. As Dennis from Burning Daily puts it:

“

The whole follow-up orthodoxy is fundamentally misguided. Most of our conversions happen within the first two thoughtful communications, or not at all. Additional pestering just begins to seriously damage your brand's perception.

That said, here's a strong foundation to build from:

• Mention the abandoned product or cart
• Include urgency or incentives (when relevant)
• Keep it under 160 characters
• Include your brand name—customers may not remember who you are
• Offer an opt-out link (if required in your region)

3 examples of high-converting abandoned cart texts

💡 Treat these like templates—not copy/paste material. Add your voice to keep things authentic.

Example 1: Friendly reminder (No discount)

“

Hey, Eve! You left [Good] in your cart at [Brand Name]. It's still waiting 👉 [shortened link].

Example 2: Urgency + Discount

“

Having checkout issues? Your cart at [Brand Name] expires in 2 hrs. Use CART10 for 10% off 👉 [shortened link].

Example 3: Personal touch

“

Hi Adam, you saved your cart at [Brand Name]. Want us to hold it a bit longer? Tap here 👉 [shortened link].

Writing a solid message is only half the cart recovery process—timing is everything.

To win back customers, you need automation flows that respond to how people interact with your messages. That's what Mobile Text Alerts' Workflow Builder helps you do. It makes abandoned cart recovery seamless and scalable.

Let me show you how it works.

How to automate your abandoned cart texts with Workflow Builder

Here's a detailed overview of how Workflow Builder works:

You only need four simple steps to automate your abandoned cart recovery flow. Let me walk you through them.

But first, create an account. I signed up for a 14-day trial using my Gmail. You should, too.

Create an account on Mobile Text Alerts for free (source: my inbox)

💡The Workflow Builder is available on the free trial.

Below is how to set it up:

Step 1: Create a workflow

On the left-hand panel, go to Workflows > Add Workflow

Create workflow

You'll see options to choose between a One-time and a Recurrent workflow. For abandoned cart recovery, go with Recurrent—you want this flow to trigger whenever a customer abandons their cart.

Step 2: Select a Trigger

Pick from one of the available trigger options:

Add trigger

Here's a quick breakdown of each:

• When a subscriber sends a text: Trigger the workflow when someone texts a specific keyword to your number.
• When a subscriber opts in: Trigger based on opt-in methods like sign-up pages or keyword responses.
• When a subscriber joins a group: Trigger the flow when someone joins a designated group.
• Important dates: Perfect for birthday offers or follow-ups; trigger based on subscriber-specific date data.
• Using a Zapier action: Integrate seamlessly with your store or CRM—trigger flows based on external actions via Zapier.

Step 3: Set your actions

Choose what happens after the trigger fires:

Add actions

Actions include:

• Send a message: A simple SMS—perfect for your cart reminder.
• Send conversational message: Create branches based on replies (or lack thereof).
• Add/Remove from group: Manage subscriber segmentation dynamically.
• Wait: Delay the next step by time (e.g., 30 minutes) or until the subscriber takes action (e.g., clicks a link).
• Branch: Create different paths based on attributes like location, group, or purchase behavior.
• A/B Test: Compare two workflow versions to see which one performs best.

Step 4: Save and launch your workflow

Once you've set everything up, hit Save (and then Start) to activate your workflow.

Save workflow

Need to tweak something?

Use the Options menu to clone, delete, or adjust settings anytime.

And that's it! You've just automated your abandoned cart recovery.

Want to see how real businesses use Mobile Text Alerts to recover sales? Check out the case studies below.

A peek into what you can achieve with Mobile Text Alerts

Live sale attendance dropped when Anna stopped texting

Anna runs a small jewelry business and used to text customers about her live online sales. When she stopped, fewer people showed up, and sales dropped.

After a few slow months, she resumed texting. Attendance bounced back. So did sales.

"If I had a friend who had a small business, I would recommend Mobile Text Alerts. I know it works!" – Anna

Kastle's Kreations brought their cupcake truck to more customers

This Alaskan food truck needed a better way to update customers on their rotating locations. Facebook posts weren't cutting it.

They started sending texts to over 1,000 subscribers letting them know where the truck will be each day. Customers said they loved it—and that it was dangerously effective.

"Customers say the texts are 'unhealthy' for their diets since now they always know where we are!" – Kastle

These businesses found simple, effective ways to boost sales and engagement by sending well-timed texts with Mobile Text Alerts. Want to see what it can do for you?

Try Mobile Text Alerts free for 14 days, and start recovering sales today!

FAQs

How soon should I send an abandoned cart text?

Within 30 minutes is ideal. That's when the purchase intent is still fresh. Delay too long, and your prospects may have already bought elsewhere or lost interest.

Should I always offer a discount on abandoned cart texts?

Not necessarily. Discounts can work, but overusing them can devalue your brand. Focus on urgency, convenience, or product scarcity instead.

What if my audience finds SMS intrusive?

Keep messages concise, helpful, and timely. Always include opt-out options and respect frequency. SMS works best when it feels personal, not pushy.

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Bio:

Oluwaseun Akinlembola is a B2B SaaS writer specializing in productivity and marketing. He's a top-rated seller on Legiit and collaborates with agencies like TripleDart (SaaS) and SERPReach (SEO). You can find him on X.