Published on May 23, 2025 4 min read

The Ultimate Guide to Recovering Abandoned Carts with Burst SMS

Abandoned carts present a significant challenge for e-commerce businesses, leading to lost sales opportunities. Leveraging Burst SMS can be an effective way to re-engage customers and encourage them to complete their purchases. This guide explores five powerful strategies to use SMS marketing for successfully recapturing abandoned carts and boosting your overall conversions.

1. Send a Timely and Personalized Reminder

Timing is crucial. Reminding customers about their cart as soon as possible increases your chances of making a sale. With Burst SMS, you can ensure that messages are sent to customers within minutes of them leaving your site.

Why it works:

• It catches customers while your brand and products are still fresh in their minds.
• It adds a human touch when personalized with their first name and product details.

Example Message:

“Hi Sarah, you left your cozy sweater in your cart. It’s still waiting for you! Complete your order now 👉 [link]”

Best Practices:

• Use the customer’s name and item(s) left behind.
• Add a clear call-to-action with a link to their cart.
• Keep the tone friendly and helpful.

Timing tip: Send the first SMS within 30–60 minutes after the cart is abandoned.

2. Offer a Limited-Time Discount or Free Shipping

Incentives work. Surprises with shipping or tax charges tend to be one of the leading causes of cart abandonment. Reduce hesitation by using Burst SMS to deliver a handy little incentive.

Why it works:

• It gives customers an extra reason to complete the purchase.
• The urgency of a limited-time offer creates fear of missing out.

Example Message:

“Hey Tom! Your cart is about to expire. Use code SAVE10 in the next 2 hours to get 10% off. Grab it now 👉 [link]”

Effective Offers to Try:

• Receive a 10% discount when you shop, saving on the things you like.
• Use free shipping when available to avoid any shipping fees.
• Get a unique token of appreciation as a gift with your purchase.

Caution: Don’t overuse discounts, as they can lose their impact if offered too often. Discounts should feel special, limited, and time-sensitive to create a sense of urgency and excitement for your customers.

3. Highlight Social Proof and Product Benefits

Customers sometimes abandon carts because they’re unsure about the product’s value. Use SMS to reinforce confidence through quick highlights of reviews, ratings, or product benefits.

Why it works:

• People trust real reviews which provide honest, firsthand experiences from other customers.
• Reviews remind customers of the product’s benefits, reinforcing their interest.

Example Message:

“Still thinking it over? 500+ happy customers rated your chosen backpack 4.9/5 stars! Don’t miss out 👉 [link]”

Other angles to consider:

• Mention the best-seller status or highlight its growing popularity.
• Showcase a standout product feature that sets it apart from competitors.
• Include short quotes from customer reviews to emphasize positive experiences.

Keep it short and sweet—SMS doesn’t need a full testimonial, just a nudge of credibility.

4. Create an Automated Multi-Step SMS Campaign

One reminder message is good, but a well-timed sequence is even better. Burst SMS lets you schedule and automate multiple messages to increase your chances of conversion without being intrusive.

Why it works:

• Customers are more likely to respond after multiple touchpoints.
• Spaced messages increase the chances of catching them at the right moment.

Example Campaign Flow:

• Message 1 (After 30 minutes): Send a friendly reminder about the items left in their cart.
• Message 2 (After 12 hours): Follow up with a message that includes a small incentive.
• Message 3 (After 24–48 hours): Create a sense of urgency by letting them know it’s their “last chance.”

Tips for Success:

• Keep each message focused on one purpose.
• Don’t repeat the same words in every message.
• Test and adjust timing based on audience response.

Use Burst SMS’s automation tools to build and monitor these campaigns without manual work.

5. Use Two-Way SMS for Customer Support

Some customers abandon carts because of unanswered questions. Offering real-time support via SMS can solve problems quickly and win back the sale.

Why it works:

• It reduces friction for hesitant buyers.
• Customers appreciate easy, fast responses, building trust.

How to use it:

• Include a line in your reminder messages like: “Have questions? Just reply to this message—we’re here to help.”
• Assign someone on your team to manage incoming responses through the Burst SMS dashboard.

Bonus Tip: Combine this with an FAQ link to provide clear answers to common questions about shipping, returns, and more.

Conclusion

By using SMS reminders, businesses can improve their customer service by providing quick responses to inquiries or concerns. The key is to use them strategically and personalize them for each customer to create a personalized experience. Additionally, businesses should have strategies in place to manage incoming responses efficiently for smooth and effective communication.