CART RECOVERY PLAYBOOK
People read WhatsApp messages fast, which makes it a strong cart recovery channel. It's also tightly controlled by Meta. This is how to set it up properly on Shopify: the rules, the timing, copy you can paste, and what it really costs.
12-minute read · Updated November 2026
BEFORE YOU START
01
Meta requires customers to agree to WhatsApp messages from you before you send one. In Canada, CASL also applies: get express consent, say who you are, and make it easy to stop. A pre-ticked box doesn't count.
02
Unless the customer messaged you in the last 24 hours, you can only send messages Meta has pre-approved. Cart reminders are marketing templates, the most expensive and most restricted category.
03
Since April 1, 2025, Meta has paused marketing templates to US phone numbers, with no end date announced as of November 2026. Canadian +1 numbers aren't affected. Exclude US numbers and keep email recovery running for them.
THE SETUP
01
Apps like AiSensy, Interakt, Zoko, WATI and Kanal connect to Shopify's abandoned checkouts and do the sending. Compare cart recovery flows, opt-in widgets, Shopify discount codes and whether the app fee includes Meta's message charges (it usually doesn't). Start on a trial before you commit.
02
Use a number that isn't already active on the regular WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business app, or migrate it in. You'll connect a Meta Business account. Verify your business so you can message more people and get your display name approved, and make sure that name matches your store.
03
You can only remind people who already said yes, so ask early: a WhatsApp checkbox by the phone field at checkout, a popup, or a cart drawer prompt. Keep the wording plain: "Send me order updates and offers on WhatsApp. Reply STOP anytime." Check that the app records consent on the customer.
04
Create two or three templates in the marketing category, with variables for name, product and cart link (copy below). Approval often takes minutes and can take up to a day. Rejections usually come from vague or misleading copy or the wrong category.
05
Message 1 goes 30 to 60 minutes after the cart is abandoned: a plain reminder with the cart link. Message 2 goes about 24 hours later and answers the likely objection (shipping, returns, reviews). Message 3 is optional, at 48 to 72 hours, with a small incentive. Stop the flow the moment they buy.
06
Skip anyone who has already ordered, anyone without opt-in, US numbers, people you've messaged in the last few days, and carts under a minimum value. Every message costs money, so low-value carts may not be worth it.
07
Run a test checkout with your own phone and click every link. Then track recovered revenue against message and app costs, plus reply rate, opt-outs and blocks. Check your number's quality rating in WhatsApp Manager: too many blocks lowers it and limits how much you can send.
COPY YOU CAN PASTE
{{1}}, {{2}} and {{3}} are the variables your app fills in (name, product, cart link). Swap the bracketed parts for your real numbers, and only promise a deadline you'll honour.
MESSAGE 1 · 30 TO 60 MIN
Hi {{1}}, you left {{2}} in your cart at [Store]. We've saved it for you: {{3}}
Questions about sizing or shipping? Just reply here.
Reply STOP to opt out.
MESSAGE 2 · ABOUT 24 HOURS
Hi {{1}}, still thinking about {{2}}? Quick facts: free shipping over $[X], [30]-day returns and [1,200]+ five-star reviews.
Your cart is here: {{3}}
Reply STOP to opt out.
MESSAGE 3 · 48 TO 72 HOURS (OPTIONAL)
Last call, {{1}}: here's [10]% off to finish your order. Use code {{2}} before midnight: {{3}}
Reply STOP to opt out.
WHAT IT COSTS
Meta charges for each delivered template, priced by the customer's country code. For Canada and the US, marketing messages run roughly 2 to 3 US cents each. Check Meta's current rate card, as rates change. Your app's monthly fee comes on top.
Quick math: 1,000 abandoned carts × 3 messages ≈ 3,000 messages ≈ $75 USD in Meta fees. If your average order is $60 and the flow wins back just 2% of those carts, that's 20 orders and about $1,200.
Meta also limits how many marketing messages one person can receive from all businesses, so a few won't deliver. That's normal.
MISTAKES TO AVOID
✕ Messaging people who never opted in
✕ Leading with a discount in message 1, which teaches customers to abandon
✕ Sending more than three reminders
✕ Generic copy with no product name or cart link
✕ Forgetting to exclude US numbers
✕ Not stopping the flow after a purchase
✕ Turning off email: run WhatsApp alongside it, not instead of it
FREE TOOLS
Run the free Ecommerce Club audit to see what's costing you checkouts before you spend a cent on recovery messages.
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