Abandoned Cart Recovery by WhatsApp on Shopify: Rules and Setup

How abandoned checkouts work on Shopify

Shopify's abandoned checkouts help page defines an abandoned checkout as one where the customer gave their email but did not pay, and treats it as abandoned after it has been incomplete for more than ten minutes. Abandoned checkouts older than three months are deleted from the admin.

Shopify can email these shoppers automatically. Under Apps > Messaging > Automations, the abandoned checkout email automation lets you choose which shoppers to send to and how long to wait. Each email contains a link back to their cart. Shopify does not send it if the customer completed the order in the meantime, the payment failed with a processing error, the products are out of stock, or the customer gave a phone number instead of an email.

WhatsApp reminders are not built into Shopify. You need a WhatsApp Business Platform provider or app that connects to your store, sends an approved template and stops if the order is completed.

Why email should be your first reminder

Email is not free of rules: you still need a lawful basis to send marketing email and an unsubscribe link. But it carries no per-message charge and no DNC check, and a shopper who ignores it costs you nothing. Keep WhatsApp for shoppers who have asked for it.

The rules: Meta opt-in and Singapore's DNC Registry

Meta's opt-in requirements

Meta's opt-in guidance says businesses may contact people on WhatsApp only if they have given their mobile number and the business has received opt-in permission to receive messages from that particular business. The opt-in must clearly state that the person is opting in to receive communication, must clearly name the business, and must comply with applicable law. Meta also recommends separate opt-in by message category and clear instructions on how to opt out.

Singapore's Do Not Call rules

Under the PDPA's Do Not Call provisions, a marketing message to a Singapore number generally needs a DNC Registry check first, unless the person has given clear and unambiguous consent in written or other accessible form. PDPC's guidelines apply these rules to messages sent through apps like WhatsApp that use a Singapore number. Our DNC Registry guide explains the check, the 21-day validity of results and what counts as consent. You can also check numbers on the DNC Registry site.

What a WhatsApp cart reminder costs

Meta's WhatsApp pricing page lists a cart abandonment reminder as a marketing template message in its own example. Marketing is the most expensive category. Rates depend on the recipient's country code; Singapore has had its own rate since the pricing update effective 1 October 2026.

Do not try to save money by sending cart reminders as utility templates. Meta categorises templates itself, and promotional wording in a utility template can be recategorised or rejected. Our WhatsApp Business API cost guide covers provider fees and template approval.

How to set up WhatsApp cart recovery on Shopify

1. 1

   Turn on Shopify's abandoned checkout email

   In Apps > Messaging > Automations, enable the abandoned checkout email and set the delay. This is your baseline.

2. 2

   Collect WhatsApp marketing consent before checkout

   Add an unticked box or a separate sign-up: 'Send me WhatsApp reminders and offers from [store name]. Reply STOP anytime.' Check that your app records the consent before payment, since a shopper who abandons may never finish checkout.

3. 3

   Connect a WhatsApp Business Platform provider

   Choose a provider or Shopify app that sends approved templates, reads the consent field and stops the reminder once the order is paid.

4. 4

   Write and submit a marketing template

   Name the store, say why they are getting the message, include the cart link and an opt-out line. Avoid fake urgency such as invented stock counts.

5. 5

   Set the trigger and limits

   Send only to opted-in numbers, once per abandoned checkout, after the email. Exclude customers who have opted out or are flagged in your DNC checks.

6. 6

   Test, then measure

   Abandon a test checkout with your own opted-in number, check the message and link, then compare orders recovered by email and by WhatsApp after a month.

Our Shopify store setup checklist covers the policies and consent settings that should be in place before you add any marketing automation.

Timing and wording that keeps complaints low

There is no official best delay. What matters is that WhatsApp comes after email, is sent once, and is plainly from you.

Customers who block or report your number lower its quality rating, and Meta may limit how many people you can message. A single polite reminder to people who asked for it protects your number for order updates, which matter more.

Do it yourself or get help?

The Shopify email reminder takes ten minutes to switch on and should be live on every store. WhatsApp cart recovery needs a provider account, a verified Meta business, an approved template and a consent field wired into checkout, which is a bigger job.

Our WhatsApp Notifications package (S$590) sets up the WhatsApp Business API through an official provider, with up to three templates submitted for approval, triggers from your store and opt-in handling, so order updates and (with proper consent) cart reminders go out automatically. If you are still building the store, our Shopify Store package (S$1,890) includes the policies, consent options and abandoned checkout email from the start.