Put the power of SMS to work to help build your ecommerce brand. Then, sit back and watch your sales skyrocket.
Amanda Ranville wrote in
industries •
February 8, 2024 
If you sell things online, then it makes sense to add SMS to your sales and marketing strategy.
Here’s why. Mobile ecommerce sales are projected to top $710 billion in 2025. By 2024, there’ll be over 187 million mobile shoppers in the US alone. With more and more shoppers browsing and buying on their phones, it makes sense to connect with them on their phones, too.
Let’s take a deep-dive into the powerful potential of SMS for ecommerce so you can hit the ground running with your first text message.
New to the wonderful world of SMS marketing? We suggest you brush up on all the basics of SMS before you go any further. With the basics under your belt, you’ll soon see why it’s such a popular tool — and, indeed, such a natural fit — for ecommerce brands.
SMS marketing for ecommerce is all about using texts to support your broader marketing goals — like, winning new customers, nurturing existing customers, selling more stuff… the list goes on.
Below, we’ll explore the many benefits of SMS for ecommerce, before giving you a whole bunch of ideas for kick-starting your first campaign.
The average person checks their phone a whopping 352 times per day. Given how frequently your customers’ eyeballs are on their screens, it’s a safe bet that your marketing messages will be seen if they’re sent via text.
But it’s not just about getting your messages seen (although, obviously, that’s a great start.) Here’s why ecommerce leaders love SMS as a marketing tool:
It’s incredibly easy to personalise your SMS campaigns using custom fields. Why bother? Customers today want to feel like they matter to you. In fact, 73% of shoppers want a more personalised experience that shows you understand their unique needs and expectations.
Smart segmentation allows you to build target groups based on buyer behaviour. You can then dig into that data to send them enticing offers you already know they’ll love.
Even if you’re sending out a bulk SMS to large groups, you can personalise it using things like the customer’s name, location, and product preferences. It’s a simple, yet powerful way to show you care.
For a low-cost, convenient communications channel, nothing beats SMS for ecommerce. Plus, it pays. Data shows that texts clock up 36% click-through rates when part of integrated campaigns, and open rates of a staggering 98%.
And, behind the scenes, automation and bulk messaging capabilities lighten the load on your team — helping you reach a huge customer base in just a few clicks.
When it comes to speed, SMS is way out in front. Texts are seen almost instantaneously, and their concise and immediate nature helps create a sense of urgency. This is a powerful strategy for ecommerce marketers, and that’s a fact.
In ecommerce, where face-to-face interactions are non-existent, you need other ways to support your customers and make them feel loved.
Two-way SMS is a great channel for customer support — particularly for quick enquiries that are easily answered. In fact, when it comes to customer service, 76% of customers prefer SMS over other communication channels.
You can also use SMS to send automated updates about orders and delivery status. Or, if a customer has shown interest in a product that’s out of stock, set up automated SMS notifications to let them know when it’s available again.
Heard of Chatbox to SMS? Add it to your website to be able to move live chat conversations over to SMS. (And collect customer details along the way.)
It’s the little extras like these that help take the customer experience to the next level.
As every ecommerce brand would know, the line between ‘e’ and ‘m’ (that is, mobile commerce) is pretty blurred these days. Mcommerce is growing fast, and the more mobile-friendly you make your business, the better. This, of course, includes marketing.
So, how can you use SMS to take advantage of the mcommerce boom? Simply set up mobile landing pages to promote sales or special deals. With your customers already on their phones, send them a personalised text message with a link to a dedicated, mobile-friendly page where they can buy in one tap. Too easy.
Now that you’re full bottle on the benefits of SMS for retail, let’s take a look at how to get started. To add texting to your retail marketing and communications strategy, follow these best practice steps.
If you’re using SMS for ecommerce marketing, you’ll need to toe the legal line. Before you hit send on your first text, make sure you’re clear on the rules. According to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) you should:
If you break the rules? You’ll risk a costly audit or the suspension of your messaging campaigns. Learn more about how to play by the rules.
Note our rules are not complete – it’ll be up to you to know and abide by all content and consent rules.
To hit the ground running with your ecommerce SMS program, you’ll need a database of phone numbers. And, legally, you need your customers’ consent to be added to that database.
To build your subscriber list, you could add a checkbox or field to an existing form — like, your online checkout or a loyalty program form. Here are other ideas for building your subscriber list.
Once your list is a decent size, get segmentation in your sights. This is all about grouping your customers based on things like their age, what they’ve bought before, or where they live — so you can send more targeted messages to each group. Why? Well, it helps boost engagement and sales, so why not?
Don’t forget to provide easy ways to opt-out with every message you send.
Time to start sending? Question is, what will you send? It could be an SMS, mobile landing pages, or MMS.
Whichever type of text you choose, make it sing by following these best practices:
For inspiration, check out our examples of ecommerce SMS marketing messages further down.
If you’re using an SMS platform, you can set up automated workflows for key messages. Not only does this free up your time, but it’s a good way to make sure customers get those important messages and updates.
Texts that are ripe for automation include thank-you messages after a customer buys something online, or abandoned cart messages to lure customers back.
SMS can easily integrate with the ecommerce tools you already use. It means that you don’t need to switch between platforms when selling and messaging. You’ll be able to:
For example, you can integrate SMS into your Shopify store or add texting to BigCommerce. Then, it’s easy to send personalised SMS straight to where customers are shopping — their mobile phones.
Check out our integrations.
With your SMS solution for ecommerce set up, it’s a good idea to monitor how well each text and campaign performs.
Look at things like open rates and click-through rates to see what’s working and what’s not, and use the insights to continually improve on your campaigns.
With your SMS strategy all set, it’s time to put it into action. The good news? There are loads of ways you can add text messages to your broader marketing strategy. Let’s take a look at some of the most common use cases.
Got a big sale coming up? About to launch a new collection? Send an SMS message to your loyal customers so they’re the first to know about it. This helps create buzz and build anticipation so that, when the big day arrives, you’ll have flocks of visitors to your online store.
Send a quick reminder to a customer if they leave items in their online shopping cart. To entice them to complete their purchase, you could throw in a little discount.
Keep your loyal customers in the loop about the latest promos in your rewards program. You can also use SMS to send out updates about loyalty points, exclusive offers for program members, and more.
Streamline sending with regular updates and delivery notifications via SMS. Not only does this give the customer peace of mind, but it also reduces the volume of calls coming through your contact centre.
Send a sweet SMS treat to customers on their birthdays. Who knows? They might have some birthday money to spend, and your text message might just entice them to spend it with you.
Want to know what your customers really think? Ask them via SMS. It’s a quick and easy way to collect feedback on your products and services.
Does your ecommerce business rely on subscriptions? Make sure your customers know when their renewals are coming up by sending out timely reminders via SMS.
The use cases above just scratch the surface of what’s possible with SMS for ecommerce. To see how easy and impactful SMS marketing can be for your ecommerce business, start your free trial today. Start your free trial.