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Your Step-by-Step Guide to Profitable eCommerce SMS Marketing

Learn what eCommerce SMS marketing is, why it works, and how to create profitable SMS strategies to boost sales, customer retention, and engagement.

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Today, many new brands appear every day in online shopping. There are always new sales and ads everywhere. Customers have too many choices, and it can be confusing. For sellers who want to stand out, they need a clear and quick way to talk to buyers. They must share their brand message easily. Over 60% of online shopping visits come from phones. In some places with good mobile internet, this number is even higher.. This shows a very obvious trend: mobile shopping is rapidly becoming mainstream. Against this background, SMS marketing has once again entered people's field of vision.
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Social media algorithms are hard to control. Email marketing often gets ignored. But SMS is different. Many online stores rely on SMS for marketing. The reason is simple. People open text messages almost every time. Messages are delivered fast. They also lead to more sales. Now, let’s talk about what ecommerce sms marketing is. We’ll explain why it’s useful. Then we’ll go through how to do it step by step.

What is Ecommerce SMS Marketing?

E-commerce SMS marketing uses mobile SMS to send promotional information, order notifications, after-sales service and other content to consumers to achieve the purpose of directly reaching customers and improving purchase conversion. It is like a direct train between merchants and consumers without the need for the Internet. Whether it is a discount reminder or an order update, a text message can be delivered to the user's mobile phone immediately. This method has immediacy and a highconversion rate.
The operation of SMS marketing is not complicated. The system is built on two main parts. First, it uses an SMS API. This lets the system send text messages automatically. Second, it uses marketing tools that work by themselves. These tools can send texts when users do certain things. This means no one needs to do these tasks by hand. The system is more exact and works faster. For example, if a user adds shoes to their cart but doesn’t buy them in 5 minutes, the system can send a text: "Are you still thinking about these shoes?" Order today and enjoy free shipping."
By type, e-commerce SMS can be roughly divided into three categories:
  • Promotional category: such as holiday promotions, member days, new product launches, and other event notifications;
  • Transaction category: order confirmation, logistics update, refund status notification;
  • Service category: after-sales return visit, satisfaction survey, customer care information, etc.
These text messages may seem simple, but behind them is a complete user operation logic. As long as the method is used correctly, text messages are not just a communication tool, but a conversion tool.

Is SMS Marketing Still Effective?

Ecommerce sms marketing is not only still effective, but also has irreplaceable advantages in certain scenarios. Young users, such as Generation, Z, are more accustomed to mobile SMS notifications. Many people have developed the habit of receiving verification codes and notifications through SMS. Therefore, SMS is the best way to contact young customers who use mobile phones every day. In addition, the open rate of SMS is as high as 98%. The average open rate of email marketing is only about 20%. Most SMS messages are viewed within 3 minutes after being sent. In other words, the information is almost "read from second to second". In contrast, email marketing is often ignored or even skipped because they are buried in a pile of promotional emails.
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After enabling sms in marketing, a skin care brand increased the repurchase rate of old customers by a full 30%. They sent an "exclusive 20% discount coupon" SMS on the user's birthday, with a validity period of 48 hours. This simple and direct method works well. The interactive design of SMS marketing is also more flexible, and it is an effective way to establish a closer relationship with users. Interactive methods such as "Reply Y to book" and "Reply 1 to get a link" are simple and efficient, and are also easier to drive user action.
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How to Start Profitable eCommerce SMS Marketing?

Although short text messages are short, they involve multiple aspects such as strategy, technology, compliance, user experience, etc. Next, we will break down each step one by one to help you quickly start effective short-sleeved sms in marketing.

Step 1: Define Your SMS Marketing Goals

Marketing without goals will only become a formality. Setting clear SMS marketing goals can not only help you focus on the direction of resource investment, but also facilitate the subsequent analysis of results. The goals you need to set can be sales goals to promote orders through limited-time discount SMS, or interactive goals such as satisfaction surveys and holiday greetings. It is recommended to use the SMART principle to set goals:
  • Specific: clear goals;
  • Measurable: The effect can be evaluated through data.
  • Achievable: the goal is not out of touch with reality;
  • Relevant: it has a driving effect on the brand's business;
  • Time-bound: set a completion time.
In addition, the setting of goals must match the development stage of the brand. Different goals will affect the content, frequency, and timing of SMS. If you are a brand that has just started, it is recommended to use "customer acquisition" as the main goal, such as sending first-order coupons, limited-time newcomer gift packages, etc.; for mature brands that already have a stable customer base, the focus should be on improving customer loyalty, such as setting VIP exclusive benefits, points reminders, birthday discounts, etc.
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Step 2: Choose an SMS Marketing Platform

Choosing a suitable sms platform directly affects your subsequent operational efficiency and user experience. The mainstream platforms on the market now include Postscript, Klaviyo SMS, and SMSBump, each of which has its own advantages.
  • Postscript: Deeply integrated with Shopify, with rich automation templates, especially suitable for abandoned cart reminders;
  • Klaviyo SMS: Excellent performance in email marketing + SMS combination, can unify user data.
  • SMSBump: User-friendly interface, suitable for start-up brands.
When choosing an sms platform, you need to consider the following factors.
  • Compliance: whether it supports data protection regulations such as TCPA and GDPR, and whether it has a user consent management mechanism.
  • Automation function: whether it supports automatic sending of personalized SMS based on user behavior (such as abandoned cart).
  • Integration capability: whether it can connect to your e-commerce platform, CRM system or email platform (such as Mailchimp, Wegic, etc.).
  • Billing method: Some platforms charge by item, such as Twilio, which is suitable for large-volume operations; some charge by monthly fee, such as SlickText, which is suitable for flexible use by small and medium-sized businesses.
In addition, actual business needs must be considered when selecting an sms platform. It is recommended to conduct actual docking tests with the platform before selecting a model to ensure that key data (inventory, user tags, etc.) can be linked in real time.

Step 3: Build and Segment Your Subscriber List

SMS in marketing is not about "the more the better", but about "sending the right one". The key behind this is the quality of the list and the accuracy of the grouping. Only when the right information is sent to the right person, will marketing not become a nuisance. First, you need to get subscribers:
  • Set up a subscription pop-up on the homepage, such as "Subscribe to enjoy a 10% discount on the first order."
  • Add the option of "check to receive SMS notifications" when the user fills in the information.
  • Add offline activities such as scanning the code to join the club, and filling in the mobile phone number to participate in the lottery.
Image by Istock
After establishing the list, you cannot send SMS in bulk, but you must reasonably group the users: divide the basic tags according to the consumption amount, purchase category, registration time, etc. For example, "high-value users", "recent buyers", or "dormant users". Behavioral tags are divided according to browsing, clicking, abandonment, and other behaviors. For example, for users who browse but have not purchased it, you can send a text message saying, "The products reserved exclusively for you are still in the shopping cart".
Be careful not to buy third-party lists. These lists not only affect the delivery rate, but may also be illegal. If users have never been authorized to receive SMS, the brand image will be damaged.
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Step 4: Set Up SMS Compliance and Opt-In

Compliance is the bottom line of sms in marketing. No matter which country or region you are in, SMS marketing must strictly abide by local laws. In the United States, SMS marketing must follow the rules of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). Before sending marketing texts, you must get the user's "clear written permission." Each text must also include a way to "opt out" (like replying STOP).
In the EU, the GDPR requires two steps before adding someone to a marketing list. For example, the user first checks a box, then confirms by text. Also, every text must show your brand name so users know who is contacting them.
You can get users to sign up in simple ways. They can use a keyword in the form of a text message, such as a word like JOIN to a number. Or you may insert a checkbox on your ecommerce website (with its default being not checked). The other one is by inquiring at the moment of checkout.
In the first message following sign-up, inform the user how frequently they will receive messages and what type. E.g., you will receive up to 3 texts per week containing special offers and order details. Be understanding and friendly, as it will give users confidence in you and increase the chances of their future visit.

Step 5: Craft Compelling SMS Campaign Messages

The gist of SMS marketing is to impress the users, and encourage clicks with limited words. SMS can contain no more than 160 characters; thus, the copy should be simple but appealing. It is possible to adhere to a rather simple copy framework: personal address + evident points of interest + sense of urgency + call to action (CTA). As an example: "Hello, John, your favorite sneakers are available again. 🔥 20% discount in a few days, buy 👉link". Inclusion of the name of the user, the browsing habits, or the buying history can tremendously boost the rate of opening and clicking through advertisements. Also, it is possible to adorn it with some visual accompaniments (as 🎉🔥), which add emotional attractiveness, but skip the use of symbols (as ❌🛑) that can give rise to misunderstanding.
Image by Istock
Good SMS should be tested and refined as well. A/B testing is widely used. You may experiment with various titles, the arrangement of content, or the text of the button. One brand, as an example, tested two subject lines of emails. The first one was the Summer promotion that started. The second one was "Your special summer 20 percent discount coupon is here." The latter received 40 percent more clicks. It should always be measured in terms of clicks, purchases, and unsubscriptions using the tracking tools. This assists you in enhancing future content.

Step 6: Automate Flows and Triggers

Automated processes will help preserve the cost of labor and generate a timely response to the users. The reminders about left shopping carts, confirmation of orders, shipment updates, payment reminders, and birthday wishes are common automated text messages. Through the example of a user reserving a product in the cart but failing to complete the checkout in 30 minutes, the message can be constituted as a text message: Hi, Wendy, your cart items are about to run out! Pay in advance and receive a discount of 5%!" This is usually effective as it saves 8-15 percent of orders when done manually and it is very effective.
Such tools as Klaviyo or Postscript allow you to establish such messages within no time. You may decide at what time you want to send them, such as when a user does not order within the next 48 hours or his birthday with a discount code. The system monitors the number of individuals clicking and purchasing, so you are able to know what works and can update it. In the long term, you will be able to make more specific plans, depending on user action, such as purchasing history or stage in the customer lifecycle. This will assist in creating stronger bonds with the customers using intelligent automated messages.

Step 7: Test and Optimize Your Campaigns

There is no such ecommerce sms marketing process that is so perfect that it can be done once and forever. The effect can only be continuously improved through continuous testing and optimization, which will make each penny spent more valuable. It is possible to begin with the following directions:
  • Text testing: i.e,. testing either the phrase urgent or exclusive to determine which will receive the greatest click-through;
  • Sending time: the time duration test including the best weekday and weekend time, best morning time, and best evening time;
  • CTA button: conversion can vary dramatically between the different words, such as click me to see, or buy now.
  • Segregating the people: An example of this will be to use different promotion activities with high spending users and low spending users in a test.
Once you have done the test, you must verify the data on a regular basis. SMS tools tend to give such indicators as a click-through rate, a conversion rate, and an unsubscription rate. It is advisable to examine at least once a week and realign the strategy ahead of time. When your SMS contains a particular word that makes more people unsubscribe, then there should be an adaptation in the way you say it. In case certain messages tend to result in orders, then you must send similar messages more frequently. It is not only the words that you use that represent improving your SMS marketing. Also, it entails the way you send them. As an example, you want to make sure you are grouping correctly. Check whether you are chatting too frequently or not. Your SMS can go beyond being read with testing, checking the results, and making modifications to become a sales driver.

Step 8: Monitor Performance and Analyze ROI

The ultimate measure of the effectiveness of ecommerce sms marketing is whether it actually brings benefits. Common key indicators include the number of messages sent, open rate, click-through rate, conversion rate, unsubscribe rate, and return on investment (ROI).
Image by Istock
  • Open rate: SMS is almost close to 100%, but it is still worth monitoring abnormal fluctuations.
  • Click-through rate (CTR): measures whether users are interested in the content, and an average of 10-20% is normal.
  • Conversion rate (CVR): whether orders or actions are successfully promoted;
  • Unsubscribe rate: If it is too high, it means that the content is too frequent or irrelevant.
  • ROI (return on investment): For example, if you spend 1,000 yuan on SMS fees and bring 3,000 yuan in sales, the ROI is 3.
It is recommended that you build a complete reporting system to classify and count different types of SMS (promotional, order, and after-sales). You can use the analysis tools that come with the SMS platform, or import the data into Excel or BI tools for further sorting and analysis. Comparing these data with other channels (such as emails and social ads) can clearly show the positioning and value of SMS in the overall marketing matrix.
If SMS can maintain a high ROI over the long term, it means it is worth being one of the brand’s core marketing channels. As your SMS strategy matures, you can also start setting quarterly goals, such as “driving a 30% repurchase rate through SMS each month”, to make marketing results controllable, predictable, and replicable.
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Key Strategies for Successful eCommerce SMS Marketing

In addition to basic operations, there are some "icing on the cake" strategies to improve the user experience and overall conversion effect.
  • Personalized recommendations. Not only name customization, but also product recommendations based on browsing history and purchase preferences. For example, "The shirt you bought last time has been restocked, and you can enjoy a 95% discount if you place an order now." This type of content, based on user behavior, can stimulate clicks and conversions more than a unified template push.
  • Emphasize scarcity and urgency to stimulate immediate action. Phrases like "Only 100 copies left" and "Discount ends in 2 hours" work well to push users to decide. By adding a time limit or stock limit, you make people feel they might miss out. This creates urgency and helps turn interest into quick sales.
  • SMS is more than just for sending messages. It can also be a way to interact. Adding simple commands like "Reply 1 to check your order" or "Reply Y to join the group" gets users involved. It also helps brands get quick feedback and serve customers faster.
  • Link SMS with other marketing channels to create a full cycle. For example, use SMS to alert customers about a sale, email to send product details, and your website to complete the purchase. This keeps your brand message the same everywhere. It also makes the buying process smoother for customers.

Conclusion

Ecommerce sms marketing is a great way to connect with users and boost sales. It helps bring customers back and keeps them engaged. Businesses use SMS for order updates, promotions, reminders, and follow-ups. When used well, SMS can be a powerful tool at every stage of the customer journey.
But good SMS marketing needs a strong website to work with. A simple, easy-to-use website is key for turning SMS messages into sales. Without a clear product page, smooth checkout, and consistent branding, even the best SMS won’t get results. As platform fees rise and rules change, having your own online store gives you more freedom and control over your brand.
Wegic is a no-code tool that lets anyone build a website quickly. You don’t need tech skills—just answer simple questions, drag and drop sections, and your site is ready. Whether you’re new to e-commerce or already running a business, Wegic helps you create a professional brand website fast. Start today and build your site with Wegic.


Written by

Kimmy

Published on

Jul 15, 2025

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