E-commerce SMS.

SMS at every touchpoint of the customer journey

From the moment a customer creates an account to the post-purchase review request, SMS keeps them engaged at every stage of the buying journey. With a 98% open rate, most messages read within 90 seconds, and triggered SMS messages generating 26% of all SMS-driven orders, text messaging is the highest-performing channel for e-commerce communication.

98% open rate 26% triggered revenue 90 sec read time 71:1 ROI

The Customer Journey

SMS at every stage.

From account creation to post-purchase follow-up, SMS keeps your customers informed, engaged, and coming back.

01

Account creation

Verify new accounts with SMS 2FA codes to protect against fraud and build trust from the first interaction.

02

Browsing & alerts

Notify customers when out-of-stock items return or prices drop on products they've viewed.

03

Cart recovery

Recover lost sales with a timely nudge. SMS cart recovery messages achieve up to 19% click-through rates.

04

Order confirmation

Reassure customers instantly with automated order confirmations the moment they complete checkout.

05

Dispatch & tracking

Keep customers informed with real-time dispatch notifications and clickable tracking links.

06

Returns & refunds

Confirm returns received and refunds processed. Reduce support queries with proactive updates.

07

Post-purchase

Request product reviews, share loyalty rewards, and encourage repeat purchases with targeted follow-ups.

MYSTORE

Verification

09:02

Your verification code is 847291. Enter this code to complete your registration.

Sending Delivered

Stock alert

10:15

Great news! The Nike Air Max 90 you were looking at is back in stock. Shop now before it sells out.

Sending Delivered

Cart reminder

14:23

You left something behind! Complete your order and get free delivery. Your basket expires in 2 hours.

Sending Delivered

Order update

16:41

Order confirmed! #ORD-4829 will be dispatched within 24 hours. We'll text you a tracking link.

Sending Delivered

Shipping update

09:37

Your order has shipped! Track your delivery here: frtxt.co/tk4829. Estimated delivery: Tomorrow by 5pm.

Sending Delivered

Refund update

11:18

Your return has been received and inspected. Refund of £47.99 will appear in 3-5 working days.

Sending Delivered

Loyalty reward

12:05

Thanks for your order! Love your new trainers? Leave a review and get 10% off your next purchase.

Sending Delivered

Account Creation

Account creation.

The journey begins at sign-up. SMS two-factor authentication codes verify new accounts instantly, protecting both your business and your customers from fraud. A welcome message confirms registration and sets the tone for the relationship. With verification codes delivered in seconds and a 98% open rate, SMS is the most reliable channel for account security.

SMS use cases

2FA verification codes
Registration confirmations
Welcome messages
Password reset links
Login attempt alerts
Suspicious activity warnings

Browsing & Alerts

Browsing & alerts.

Keep customers engaged while they browse with timely, relevant notifications. Alert them when out-of-stock items are available again, notify them of price drops on products they have viewed, and send personalised recommendations based on browsing history. These triggered messages arrive while interest is still high, driving significantly more traffic back to your store than email alerts.

SMS use cases

Back-in-stock alerts
Price drop notifications
Wishlist reminders
Flash sale announcements
New product launches
Personalised recommendations

Cart Recovery

Cart abandonment.

Seven out of ten shopping carts are abandoned before checkout. A well-timed SMS recovery message, sent within 30 minutes of abandonment, can recapture a significant portion of these lost sales. SMS cart recovery messages achieve approximately 19% click-through rates compared to just 2% for email, making them the most effective recovery channel available. Personalised product reminders and incentive codes boost conversion further.

SMS use cases

30-minute recovery nudge
Personalised product reminders
Incentive codes for completion
Urgency-based expiry alerts
Low-stock notifications
Multi-step recovery sequences

Order Confirmation

Order confirmation.

The moment a customer completes checkout, they expect instant reassurance. Automated order confirmation messages delivered within seconds build confidence and reduce post-purchase anxiety. Include the order number, estimated delivery date, and a summary of items purchased. These transactional messages fall under legitimate interest under GDPR, so no additional marketing consent is required.

SMS use cases

Purchase receipt with order number
Estimated delivery date
Payment confirmation
Digital download links
Click-and-collect readiness
Gift order notifications

Dispatch & Tracking

Dispatch & tracking.

Keep customers informed with real-time dispatch notifications and clickable tracking links. From the moment an order leaves your warehouse to the final delivery confirmation, SMS updates reduce "where is my order?" support queries significantly. Out-for-delivery alerts and safe-place instructions ensure a smooth handover, while failed delivery re-scheduling keeps the customer in control.

SMS use cases

Shipped notification with carrier
Clickable tracking link
Estimated delivery window
Out-for-delivery alerts
Delivery confirmation
Failed delivery re-schedule

Returns & Refunds

Returns & refunds.

A smooth returns process builds long-term loyalty. SMS keeps customers updated at every stage: return label instructions, item received confirmations, refund processing alerts, and exchange dispatch updates. Proactive communication during returns reduces support ticket volume and turns a potentially negative experience into a reason for the customer to shop with you again.

SMS use cases

Return label instructions
Item received confirmation
Refund processed alert
Exchange dispatched update
Support ticket updates
Complaint resolution status

Post-Purchase

Post-purchase.

The sale does not end at delivery. SMS follow-ups request product reviews, share loyalty rewards, and encourage repeat purchases with targeted re-engagement campaigns. Personalised messages based on purchase history drive significantly higher conversion than generic campaigns. Birthday rewards, replenishment reminders, and referral invitations turn one-time buyers into lifetime customers.

SMS use cases

Review & feedback requests
Loyalty point reminders
Birthday & anniversary rewards
Replenishment reminders
Referral programme invitations
Win-back campaigns

SMS vs Email

Channel comparison

Metric SMS Email
Open rate 98% ~20%
Click rate ~19% ~2%
Avg. read time 90 sec ~6 hrs
Response rate 45% ~6%
Cart recovery CTR 19% ~2%

Recover lost revenue.

On average, 70% of online shopping carts are abandoned before checkout. That's revenue sitting on the table. While email recovery campaigns achieve around 2% click-through rates, SMS recovery messages reach 19%, nearly 10x more effective. The speed of SMS means your recovery message arrives while the customer is still thinking about their purchase, not hours later when they've moved on.

Performance

0%

triggered-message orders

of all SMS-driven revenue

0%

open rate

vs 20-30% for email

0%

cart abandonment rate

recoverable with SMS

0:1

return on investment

average SMS marketing ROI

Coming Soon

SMS Command Centre.

Your store's messaging hub

See every order confirmation, dispatch alert, and promotional campaign in one place. Track delivery rates by message type, monitor credit usage during peak trading periods, and download invoices for your finance team, all from a single dashboard.

Free for every Faretext customer. No setup fees, no monthly charges. Just log in with your existing credentials and take full control.

register your interest
Real-time stats | Instant top-ups | Order tracking reports
Dashboard.
Today Y'day Week Month
0 messages sent.
0 credits used
98.2% delivered
0
delivered
12.4% vs prev
0
sent / pending
3.1% vs prev
0
failed
0.8% vs prev
Performance.
DeliveredSentFailed

FAQS

E-commerce SMS FAQs.

SMS improves conversion rates by reaching customers at the right moment with near-instant delivery. With a 98% open rate and most messages read within 90 seconds, SMS ensures your promotions, cart recovery nudges, and order updates are actually seen. Triggered SMS messages (those sent automatically based on customer actions) generate 26% of all SMS-driven orders, significantly outperforming email for time-sensitive communications.
Yes, and it's one of the most effective uses of e-commerce SMS. Around 70% of online shopping carts are abandoned. SMS cart recovery messages achieve approximately 19% click-through rates compared to just 2% for email. The key is timing: sending a recovery message within 30 minutes of abandonment, while the customer is still in a buying mindset, maximises conversion. You can include personalised product details and incentive codes to further boost recovery rates.
Integration depends on your platform. Our SMS API works with any e-commerce system: Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, BigCommerce, and custom platforms. You configure triggers in your store (order placed, item shipped, cart abandoned) that send API requests to our system, which delivers the SMS. For simpler setups, our email-to-SMS service lets you trigger texts from automated email workflows.
SMS is ideal for order and delivery communications. Customers expect instant confirmation when they place an order, and SMS delivers that within seconds. Dispatch notifications with clickable tracking links keep customers informed and significantly reduce "where is my order?" support queries. These transactional messages don't require marketing consent under GDPR, as they fall under legitimate interest as part of the service the customer has purchased.
SMS marketing delivers an average ROI of 71:1 (Adam Connell), making it one of the highest-returning channels available. For e-commerce specifically, the ROI comes from multiple sources: recovered abandoned carts (recovering even 5% of the 70% abandoned carts generates significant revenue), increased repeat purchases from re-engagement campaigns, and reduced support costs from proactive delivery updates. The low cost per message (typically 3-7p) combined with high engagement rates makes the economics compelling. Read more about why SMS is the best-value communication channel.
For marketing messages (promotions, flash sales, loyalty offers), you need explicit opt-in consent under GDPR and PECR regulations. You can collect this during checkout with a clear checkbox. For transactional messages (order confirmations, dispatch alerts, delivery updates), you can send these under "legitimate interest" without additional marketing consent, as they're part of the service the customer has purchased. Faretext handles opt-out (STOP) replies automatically.
Yes. Our platform supports dynamic fields that let you insert personalised data into every message: customer name, order number, product details, tracking links, delivery dates, and discount codes. Personalisation significantly improves engagement rates. For example, a cart recovery message that mentions the specific product left behind is far more effective than a generic reminder. Our API accepts any custom data fields your e-commerce platform provides.
SMS significantly outperforms email on key metrics: 98% open rate vs 20-30% for email (G2), 45% response rate vs 6%, and messages read in 90 seconds vs 6 hours. For time-sensitive communications like flash sales, cart recovery, and delivery updates, SMS is substantially more effective. However, the two channels work best together: use email for detailed content (product catalogues, newsletters) and SMS for urgent, action-oriented messages. SMS drives immediate action; email provides depth. For a broader channel comparison, see our guide to choosing between SMS and WhatsApp Business.

Ready to boost your e-commerce with SMS?

Join over 1,000 UK businesses sending smarter with Faretext.

25 free credits to test. No contract. UK-based support.

We value your privacy

We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience, analyse site traffic, and serve personalised content. You can choose which categories of cookies you allow below. cookies | privacy | terms | anti-spam