Sales & Conversion
Personas
Ecommerce
Time to ROI
Short-term (< 3 months)
OK, so if you're running an ecommerce store, you've probably heard the SMS hype. "SMS converts 10x better than email!" "Text messages have 98% open rates!" Whatever. Everyone's jumping on the SMS bandwagon for cart recovery, spending hundreds on Klaviyo SMS credits while their email campaigns sit there collecting dust.
Here's the thing - I was working on a complete website revamp for a Shopify client, and what started as a simple email template update turned into something way more interesting. Instead of following the SMS crowd, I went completely against the grain and focused on making their abandoned cart emails feel human again.
The result? We didn't just recover more carts - customers started replying to the emails asking questions, sharing specific issues, and some even completed purchases after getting personalized help. The abandoned cart email became a customer service touchpoint, not just a sales tool.
In this playbook, you'll learn:
Why I chose email over SMS for cart recovery (and the surprising results)
The simple template change that doubled customer engagement
How addressing real friction points beats generic discount offers
When SMS actually makes sense (and when it doesn't)
The ROI comparison between email automation and SMS campaigns
Conventional Wisdom
What every ecommerce "expert" recommends
Walk into any ecommerce conference or scroll through marketing Twitter, and you'll hear the same advice repeated like gospel:
"SMS is the future of cart recovery." The industry loves throwing around these impressive stats:
SMS has 98% open rates compared to email's 20%
Text messages get read within 3 minutes on average
SMS converts 6-10x better than email for urgent offers
Abandoned cart SMS can recover 18% of lost sales
Customers prefer text notifications for time-sensitive offers
The conventional playbook is straightforward: set up a three-part SMS sequence (immediate, 2-hour, 24-hour), offer escalating discounts, and watch the money roll in. Platforms like Klaviyo, Attentive, and Postscript have built entire business models around this promise.
This advice exists because the metrics look incredible on paper. When you compare a 98% SMS open rate to a 25% email open rate, the choice seems obvious. Plus, SMS feels more personal and urgent - it's the same channel people use to communicate with friends and family.
But here's where the conventional wisdom falls short: higher open rates don't always mean better business outcomes. SMS might get opened more, but that doesn't automatically translate to more revenue, better customer relationships, or sustainable growth. Sometimes the "inferior" channel actually delivers superior results when executed thoughtfully.
Consider me as your business complice.
7 years of freelance experience working with SaaS and Ecommerce brands.
When I started working on this Shopify client's abandoned cart strategy, I had every intention of following the playbook. The original brief was simple: update their abandoned checkout emails to match the new brand guidelines. New colors, new fonts, done.
But as I opened their existing template - with its product grid, discount codes, and "COMPLETE YOUR ORDER NOW" buttons - something felt off. This was exactly what every other ecommerce store was sending. It looked like it came from a template library, not from a real business that cared about its customers.
My client was also dealing with something specific that most SMS "gurus" never talk about: actual customer friction. Through conversations with their support team, I discovered customers were struggling with payment validation, especially with double authentication requirements from European banks. People weren't abandoning because they changed their minds - they were getting stuck in the checkout process.
Here's what really opened my eyes: their customer support was constantly fielding emails about payment issues, shipping questions, and product availability. Meanwhile, their "optimized" cart recovery emails were completely ignoring these real problems, just pushing discounts and urgency.
That's when I realized we were solving the wrong problem. Everyone talks about SMS vs email open rates, but nobody talks about response rates. What good is a 98% open rate if nobody replies when they need help?
Here's my playbook
What I ended up doing and the results.
Instead of jumping on the SMS bandwagon, I completely reimagined their abandoned cart email approach. Here's exactly what I did:
Step 1: Ditched the Template Approach
I scrapped the traditional ecommerce template entirely. No product grids, no flashy CTAs, no corporate feel. Instead, I created a newsletter-style design that felt like a personal note from the business owner.
Step 2: Changed the Subject Line Psychology
Instead of "You forgot something!" or "Complete your order," I used "You had started your order..." This simple change shifted from accusatory to conversational. It acknowledged what happened without making the customer feel bad about it.
Step 3: Addressed Real Problems Head-On
Here's the game-changer: instead of ignoring checkout friction, I addressed it directly. I added a simple 3-point troubleshooting list right in the email:
Payment authentication timing out? Try again with your bank app already open
Card declined? Double-check your billing ZIP code matches exactly
Still having issues? Just reply to this email - I'll help you personally
Step 4: Made It Actually Personal
I wrote the email in first person, as if the business owner was reaching out directly. No "our team" or "we appreciate." Just "I noticed you started an order" and "I'm here to help if you need anything."
Step 5: Removed Discount Desperation
No immediate discount offers. No "limited time" pressure. Just genuine helpfulness. The message was clear: we care more about solving your problem than making a quick sale.
The entire strategy flipped from "please buy" to "how can I help?" And that simple mindset shift changed everything about how customers responded.
Personal Touch
Writing in first person as the business owner created immediate connection and trust
Real Solutions
Addressing actual checkout friction instead of offering generic discounts built credibility
Response Channel
Making the email reply-friendly turned cart recovery into customer service opportunities
Human Over Automated
Feeling personal rather than robotic increased engagement and brand loyalty
The results went way beyond simple cart recovery metrics. Within the first month of implementing this approach:
Email Performance:
Reply rate increased significantly (customers actually responded to ask questions)
Support tickets related to checkout issues decreased
Customer satisfaction scores improved across the board
Business Impact:
More customers completed purchases after getting personalized help via email replies. Some shared specific issues that led to site-wide improvements. Others became repeat customers who appreciated the human approach.
But here's what really surprised me: the email became a customer feedback goldmine. People started sharing why they abandoned - whether it was shipping costs, product questions, or technical issues. This intel was worth more than any recovered cart because it helped improve the entire shopping experience.
Meanwhile, competitors were still blasting "COMPLETE YOUR ORDER NOW" SMS messages that customers were starting to ignore or find annoying.
What I've learned and the mistakes I've made.
Sharing so you don't make them.
This experience taught me that the SMS vs email debate misses the bigger picture. Here are the key lessons I learned:
1. Response Quality Beats Open Rates
A 25% email open rate with actual replies is worth more than a 98% SMS open rate with zero engagement.
2. Address Real Problems, Not Imaginary Ones
Most cart abandonment isn't about price or urgency - it's about friction, confusion, or trust issues.
3. Human Touch Scales Better Than Automation
Feeling personal doesn't require manual work - it requires thoughtful messaging that acknowledges real customer experiences.
4. Customer Service IS Marketing
Helpful recovery emails do more for brand building than any SMS campaign ever could.
5. Channel Choice Depends on Context
SMS works great for order updates and delivery notifications. Email works better for problem-solving and relationship-building.
6. Test Against Customer Behavior, Not Industry Benchmarks
Your audience might prefer email replies over SMS blasts - don't assume based on general statistics.
7. The Best Recovery Strategy Prevents Future Abandonment
Learning why people abandon helps fix root causes, making recovery emails less necessary over time.
How you can adapt this to your Business
My playbook, condensed for your use case.
For your SaaS / Startup
Use email for complex products requiring explanation
Focus on onboarding friction rather than discount offers
Make emails reply-friendly for customer support
Address common trial abandonment reasons directly
For your Ecommerce store
Prioritize email for high-value or complex purchases
Address payment and shipping concerns proactively
Use personal tone to build brand loyalty
Reserve SMS for order updates and urgent notifications