The average e-commerce cart abandonment rate is 70%. Email recovery sequences average a 5% recovery rate. WhatsApp sequences — when done right — regularly hit 15–30%. Here's exactly how to set them up.
Why WhatsApp outperforms email for cart recovery
~20%
Email open rate
~98%
WhatsApp open rate
~5%
Email cart recovery
15–30%
WhatsApp cart recovery
WhatsApp messages land directly on the customer's home screen — they see the notification within minutes. And because they're already in WhatsApp, replying is one tap. That two-way nature is what drives the 6× higher recovery rate.
The 3-message abandoned cart sequence that works
1 hour after abandonment
Reminder — no pressure
"Hi [Name], you left [Product] in your cart. It's still saved for you 👉 [Cart Link]"
💡 Keep it simple. No discount yet. Just a reminder. This catches people who got distracted.
24 hours after abandonment
Social proof + urgency
"Hi [Name], [Product] is popular right now — 12 sold today. Still want it? [Cart Link]"
💡 Add real scarcity or social proof. Avoid fake "Only 2 left!" — customers see through it.
72 hours after abandonment
Offer — last chance
"Hi [Name], here's 10% off to complete your order — code SAVE10. Expires tonight: [Cart Link]"
💡 Only offer a discount if the first two didn't convert. You don't want to train customers to always abandon for a discount.
How to set this up with Shopify + Waqly
1
Connect your Shopify store to Waqly (enter your myshopify.com domain and API key)
2
Enable the "checkout.abandoned" webhook event in Waqly's Shopify integration settings
3
Create a chatbot flow triggered by the abandoned cart webhook — use a "Delay" node to wait 1 hour, then send message 1
4
Add another Delay (23 hours) → send message 2
5
Add a final Delay (48 hours) → Condition node (if no order placed) → send message 3 with discount code
6
Set the flow to enabled — it runs automatically for every new abandoned cart
Beyond abandoned carts — the full WhatsApp e-commerce stack
- Order confirmation — automatic WhatsApp message when a new order is placed
- Shipping notification — message with tracking link when order ships
- Delivery confirmation — message when delivered, prompt for review
- Flash sale broadcasts — send a template to all opted-in customers for sales events
- AI customer support — auto-answer order status, return and refund queries 24/7
Start recovering more carts
Connect Shopify or WooCommerce to Waqly and set up your first recovery flow today.
Start for free →