Service texts
Order confirmations and delivery notices: the French operators’ charter classes them as functional messages, outside the sending hours set for promotional SMS.
Sources: af2m
SMS automation
Automated SMS at every step of the order
Cart abandoned, order confirmed, parcel shipped, product back in stock: Kanal triggers the right text on each event in your Shopify store. You set it up once.
5/5 on Shopify500+ brands trust us
Abandoned cart SMSOrder and delivery SMSBack in stock alertPost-purchase offerReview requestTracking link
An event in ShopifyYour conditionsFirst name and cart linkOrders recoveredService messageSales per flow
A customer’s journey, text by text
Pick a step to see the SMS that goes out at that moment.
Today 6:40 PM
Atelier Nova: your cart is waiting, Sarah. Finish your order here: atelier-nova.com/cart
Today 7:05 PM
Atelier Nova: thank you Sarah, order #4821 is confirmed. Details: atelier-nova.com/order
Today 9:12 AM
Atelier Nova: order #4821 is on its way. Track your parcel: atelier-nova.com/tracking
Today 10:30 AM
Atelier Nova: the linen shirt in sand is back. Get yours here: atelier-nova.com/linen-shirt
Today 11:00 AM
Atelier Nova: enjoying your shirt? 10% off the matching trousers this week: atelier-nova.com/trousers
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Abandoned cart SMS
The customer filled a cart, typed a phone number, then left. An automated SMS shows the way back: a short reminder, a first name, the direct link to the cart. And a second nudge if needed.
- Trigger
- Checkout left unfinished on the store
- Recipients
- Customers who agreed to receive your texts
- Content
- Reminder, first name, link back to the cart
- Measure
- Orders and revenue recovered
Atelier NovaSMS
Tuesday 6:40 PM
Atelier Nova: your cart is waiting, Sarah. Finish your order here: atelier-nova.com/cart
Wednesday 12:15 PMAtelier Nova: last reminder, your cart is still available today: atelier-nova.com/cart
Order and delivery SMS notifications
Confirmation, shipping, delivery: these are transactional texts, triggered by the status of the order and expected by the customer. They answer "where is my order?" before the question reaches your support team.
- Trigger
- Order status in Shopify
- Recipients
- The customer of the order
- Content
- Order number, tracking link
- Nature
- Service message, no commercial offer
Atelier NovaSMS
Tuesday 7:05 PM
Atelier Nova: thank you Sarah, order #4821 is confirmed. Details: atelier-nova.com/order
Wednesday 9:12 AMAtelier Nova: order #4821 is on its way. Track your parcel: atelier-nova.com/tracking
Friday 2:20 PMAtelier Nova: your parcel has been delivered. Enjoy, Sarah!
Back in stock SMS alerts
A sold-out product is not a lost sale if the customer can ask to be told. The moment stock is back, the text goes to those who were waiting, with the link to the product page.
- Trigger
- Product available again
- Recipients
- Customers who signed up for the alert
- Content
- Product name, direct link
- Measure
- Orders attributed to the alert
Atelier NovaSMS
Thursday 10:30 AM
Atelier Nova: the linen shirt in sand is back. Get yours here: atelier-nova.com/linen-shirt
Post-purchase SMS: offers and review requests
A delivered order opens two opportunities: suggest the product that completes the purchase, and ask for a review while the experience is fresh.
- Trigger
- Order delivered, or a delay after purchase
- Recipients
- Customers who agreed to receive your texts
- Content
- Matching product or review link
- Measure
- Additional sales per flow
Atelier NovaSMS
Monday 11:00 AM
Atelier Nova: enjoying your shirt? 10% off the matching trousers this week: atelier-nova.com/trousers
Thursday 5:30 PMAtelier Nova: your opinion matters. One minute to rate your shirt: atelier-nova.com/review
Set up once. Sent at the right moment.
Each automated SMS goes to the customer concerned, at the moment the event happens in your store.
How SMS automation works
A flow reads from left to right: what happens, for whom, what goes out, what it brings in.
- Event
An event in Shopify
Cart abandoned, order paid, parcel shipped, stock updated.
- Condition
Your conditions
A delay, a segment, an order amount: you decide who receives the message.
- Message
The SMS
A short text with the customer’s first name and the details of the order.
- Measure
The result
The orders it brings in are attributed to the flow.
Transactional or marketing SMS:what the rules say
Not all automated texts fall under the same rules. The difference fits in three points.
Marketing texts
Cart reminders and post-purchase offers are marketing: they need the customer’s prior consent and respect sending hours, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. local time in the United States.
Sources: CNIL, CTIA, 47 CFR 64.1200
In every case
The message names your brand and fits, where possible, in a single SMS of 160 characters.
Sources: CNIL, 3GPP TS 23.038
General information, not legal advice. Rules depend on the countries you send to.
Frequently asked questions about SMS automation
What is an automated SMS?
It is a text that goes out with no manual action when an event happens: a cart abandoned, an order shipped, a product back in stock. You set up the flow once and it then applies to every customer concerned.
What is a transactional SMS?
It is a service message tied to something the customer did: order confirmation, shipping, delivery. It informs, with no commercial offer. The French operators’ charter classes these as functional messages, unlike promotional SMS.
How do I send automated SMS from my Shopify store?
With a tool connected to the store that receives its events. Kanal installs from the Shopify App Store, syncs your customers, orders and checkouts, then triggers the text you chose for each event.
Do I need consent for SMS notifications?
Prior consent rules target marketing: a cart reminder or a post-purchase offer falls under them. A delivery notice is a service message, which the French operators’ charter treats separately. Rules vary by country: when in doubt about a message, ask your legal counsel.
Can automated SMS go out at night or on Sundays?
Promotional texts follow sending hours: in the United States, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the recipient’s local time; in France, 8:00 to 21:30 under the operators’ charter, which advises against Sundays and public holidays. That charter leaves functional messages, such as a delivery notice, outside those time limits.
Can I personalize an automated SMS?
Yes. The message uses the customer’s and the order’s details: first name, order number, tracking link or link back to the cart. Keep it short to stay within a single SMS of 160 characters.