A customer picked a product, reached checkout and vanished. One good WhatsApp message brings some of them back; a bad one just annoys them. Here are seven templates that work, when to send each one and what WhatsApp’s rules require. At the end: how to have it all happen automatically.
On WhatsApp you cannot simply message everyone who abandoned a cart. You may only contact customers who agreed to hear from you, usually through a checkbox next to the phone field at checkout. A business-initiated message outside the 24-hour window after the customer’s last message must be a template Meta approved in advance, sent through the official WhatsApp Business API.
In practice, every template below is written so you can submit it for approval as it stands. The words in square brackets, such as [name], [product] and [link], become variables in the template, and the system fills them in for each customer. Every marketing message should also carry a short opt-out line, such as "Reply STOP to unsubscribe".
One more thing: a good abandoned cart message invites a reply. A customer who stopped just before paying is usually unsure about something: size, shipping, returns. When they write a question, someone has to answer at once, or the message has only brought them back to the same doubt.
The customer’s name and the product’s name, in two or three lines. A generic "forgot something?" gets lost; "the trainers in size 6 are still in your cart" gets read.
The link should take the customer back to their full cart with the items they chose, not to your home page. Every extra click on the way to payment costs you orders.
A line like "not sure about the size? Just reply" turns a reminder into a conversation. A customer whose question gets answered comes back to buy.
If the first reminder carries a discount code, customers learn to abandon carts to get one. Save the discount for the final message.
Reminder, second reminder, last chance. Anyone who buys leaves the sequence at once, and anyone who has not replied after three messages does not need a fourth.
Consent at checkout, a Meta-approved template and an opt-out line. Your number stays in good standing and customers do not feel their WhatsApp was invaded.
Four steps. From the second one, AssistantLabs does the work.
Add a checkbox next to the phone field, such as "Send me updates on WhatsApp". Only customers who tick it enter the sequence.
Pick templates from the list below, adjust them to your tone and submit them as marketing templates. AssistantLabs submits them and tracks the approval.
A reminder after about an hour, a second after a day, a last one after two or three days. Your store is connected, so anyone who completes the order leaves the sequence on their own.
Every customer reply goes to the AssistantLabs assistant, which answers from your catalogue and policies and walks the customer back to the cart.
"Hi [name], looks like you left a few things in your cart at [store]. We saved them for you, and you can finish your order here: [link]. Any questions? Just reply to this message." When: about an hour after they leave. No discount; many people were simply interrupted.
"Hi [name], the [product] in [colour], size [size], is still waiting in your cart. Want to complete your order? [link]. Not sure about the size? Message us and we will help." When: instead of the first reminder when the cart holds one or two items. Add the product photo as the template header.
"Hi [name], you are only [amount] away from free shipping. Maybe [related product] would go with it? Your cart is here: [link]." When: as the second reminder, about a day later, when the cart is close to your free-shipping threshold.
"Hi [name], this is our last reminder about your cart. If the [product] is still right for you, it is here: [link]. And if not, no problem, we will not message you about it again." When: two to three days later. If you offer a discount code, this is where it goes. Only mention urgency if it is real.
"Hello [name], we sent you a quote for [product or service] on [date]. Is there anything we should update, such as quantity, delivery date or payment terms? Reply here and we will sort it out." When: two or three working days after the quote. An open question, no pressure.
"Hi [name], the [product] in size [size] is back in stock, and you asked us to let you know. Here is the link: [link]." When: as soon as stock updates, and only to customers who asked to be notified. This is the message customers are happiest to receive.
"Hi [name], we noticed you stopped just before checkout. Was anything unclear? Shipping, sizing or returns, just write here and we will answer straight away." When: an alternative first message for expensive items, where the customer is more likely hesitating than forgetful.
An abandoned cart email is a solid baseline, and there is no reason to drop it. WhatsApp adds a conversation.
| Abandoned cart email | WhatsApp with AssistantLabs | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it lands | The inbox, sometimes the promotions tab | The chat list, next to friends and family |
| When the customer has a question | A no-reply address or support inbox | The assistant answers in the same chat |
| What you need to send it | Email marketing consent | Consent and a Meta-approved template |
| Customers who ordered meanwhile | Depends on the tool | Leave the sequence automatically |
| What you measure | Opens and clicks | Replies and orders per sequence |
FAQ
A customer picked a product, reached checkout and vanished. One good WhatsApp message brings some of them back; a bad one just annoys them. Here are seven templates that work, when to send each one and what WhatsApp’s rules require. At the end: how to have it all happen automatically.
Talk to us on WhatsAppConnect your store and WhatsApp, pick your templates, and the assistant sends them and answers every reply. Free to start, no credit card.
Turn on abandoned cart messages