A good abandoned cart message on WhatsApp identifies the store, reminds the customer of the product, provides a link to resume the purchase, and offers help. It goes out a few minutes after abandonment, stops when payment is confirmed, and changes course when the customer replies with a question. Below are 20 ready-to-adapt templates organized by situation.
Before copying, note one rule: outside an open conversation, a cart reminder must use a Meta-approved marketing template. In Brazil, each delivered send costs R$ 0.3217. A short, considered sequence therefore works better than many reminders.
In ChatFunnel, the store reports abandonment, the flow identifies the contact, and messages, waits, and conditions resume the purchase. The sequence ends when order confirmation arrives so it does not chase someone who has already paid.
When to send an abandoned cart message
No interval fits every store. A gift needed by a certain date and made-to-order furniture have different rhythms. Use the table as a starting point and adjust according to responses:
| Send | When | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| First reminder | 30 to 60 minutes after abandonment | Remind the customer of the product and offer help |
| Second reminder (optional) | The next day if there was no reply | Follow up with another approach, such as shipping or a common question |
| Last contact | 2 to 3 days later | End reminders and leave the door open |
Before every send, the flow checks again whether the purchase remains incomplete. The customer may have paid while the message waited. If payment arrived, the sequence stops.
2 situations change the template rule:
- Open conversation: if the customer messaged the store in the last 24 hours, the reply can be free-form without a template. It counts as a service message, free up to 1,000 per month per number and then R$ 0.035, according to Meta's pricing page.
- Customer arrived through an ad: when the conversation began through a Click-to-WhatsApp ad, Meta charges no messages for 72 hours.
The guide Meta to charge for WhatsApp messages explains categories and the allowance.
20 abandoned cart message templates
The templates use fictional Loja Aurora, customer Lia, and Aurora Run sneakers. Replace bracketed fields with your store's data. Templates 1, 2, 11, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, and 20 initiate conversation and need to become approved templates. The others reply to the customer within the 24-hour window.
First reminder
1. Simple reminder with link
Hi, Lia! This is Loja Aurora. We saw your Aurora Run size 38 is still in your cart. Ready to finish? Tap here: [purchase link]. If you have questions, reply to this message.
2. Reminder offering help first
Hi, Lia! This is Loja Aurora. Your Aurora Run purchase was left incomplete. Any questions about size, shipping, or payment? Tell me and I'll help. The link to continue is here: [purchase link].
3. Customer from an ad (within 72 hours)
Hi, Lia! I saw you discovered Aurora Run through our ad and reached checkout. Can I help you choose a size or check shipping to your postal code?
4. Customer who already spoke with the store today
Lia, the Aurora Run we discussed earlier is still in your cart. Would you like me to check the delivery estimate before you finish?
Replies to what stopped the purchase
5. Sizing question
I can help! Aurora Run fits your usual size. If you wear 38 in other brands, 38 will fit. Would you like the size chart?
Use this text only if the information is in the product sheet. Otherwise, pass the conversation to the team.
6. Expensive shipping or long delivery time
I understand. For your postal code, we have [delivery option] for R$ [amount], with delivery in up to [timeframe]. Would you like me to prepare that option on your order?
7. Declined card or payment error
This sometimes happens due to a limit or bank block. You can try another card or pay by Pix using the same link: [purchase link]. If the error continues, let me know and I'll call the team.
8. Pix generated and unpaid
Hi, Lia! Your Aurora Run Pix was generated and is still valid. If needed, here is the code again: [Pix code]. As soon as payment arrives, I'll confirm here.
Pending Pix has its own timing rules. See the guide to pending Pix on WhatsApp.
9. Customer says they already paid
Thanks for letting us know! I'll check the order before any other message. Can you share the order number or purchase email?
10. Customer asks to stop
Understood, Lia. I will not send further reminders about this purchase. If you need anything, contact us here.
Second and last contact
11. Second reminder with another approach
Hi, Lia! A reminder that Aurora Run size 38 is still in your cart. If size is the concern, you can exchange it within [policy period]. Ready to finish? [purchase link]
12. Last contact
Hi, Lia! This is the last reminder about your cart. If you still want Aurora Run, the link is here: [purchase link]. If you have questions, our team is here.
Situations requiring another approach
13. High-value cart
Hi, Lia! This is Loja Aurora. I saw your order is higher value and want to make sure everything is right. If you prefer, a team member can check timing and payment with you before you finish. May I call someone?
Define what counts as high value in your store and use this only when the team can respond.
14. Returning customer
Hi, Lia! Good to see you again at Loja Aurora. Aurora Run size 38 is in your cart. Would you like me to check the delivery estimate for your postal code? The link to continue is here: [purchase link].
15. Exchange question
Good question! Aurora Run exchanges follow the store policy: [policy period]. If the size does not fit, request an exchange here. Would you like the full policy?
16. Hesitation about buying
I understand, Lia. The purchase takes place in the store checkout at [website address]. If you prefer, send me the order number after paying and I'll check it here. Would you like the direct link?
Confirm the real website address. Do not promise a badge, certification, or guarantee the store does not have.
17. Customer wants to think
No rush, Lia! The link to resume is here: [purchase link]. If any questions arise, reply to this message.
18. Boleto generated and unpaid
Hi, Lia! Your Aurora Run boleto is due [date]. If needed, here is the barcode again: [boleto code]. After payment, clearing may take up to [timeframe].
Pending boleto needs the same care as Pix. Check the actual clearing time with your payment provider.
19. Product sold out
Hi, Lia! Aurora Run size 38 sold out, but we have [similar model or color] in your size. Want to see the options? [purchase link]
Use only after checking inventory.
20. Last contact with coupon
Hi, Lia! This is the last reminder about your cart. To help, we have coupon [code] with [condition] through [date]. The link is here: [purchase link].
Use only when there is margin and the coupon exists at checkout, as the discount section explains.
How to write an abandoned cart message that works
The 20 templates follow the same rules. Use them to create yours:
- Say who you are: the store name appears on the first line.
- Be specific: mention product, size, and color when the integration supplies those data.
- Make the next step easy: use a link that resumes the purchase rather than the home page.
- Offer help before a discount: answering a question does not cost margin.
- Do not invent urgency: "last units" requires real stock. An offer deadline must exist at checkout.
- Keep promises: if a message says it is the last reminder, the flow cannot send another.
The link must open the correct cart. If your platform does not send a resume link, offer help finding the product without promising the cart was saved.
How much does an abandoned cart WhatsApp message cost?
On the official API, Meta classifies abandoned cart reminders as marketing templates. Meta's category guidelines use "You left items in your cart" as a marketing example, according to the template category page.
| Situation | Message type | Cost in Brazil |
|---|---|---|
| Store-sent reminder without an open conversation | Marketing template | R$ 0.3217 per delivered message |
| Reply to a customer within 24 hours | Service message | Free up to 1,000 per month, then R$ 0.035 |
| Ad-initiated conversation within 72 hours | Any category | Free |
Hypothetical example: a store sends a first reminder to 1,000 abandoned carts in a month and a second to 600 of them. That is 1,600 marketing templates, about R$ 515 in Meta fees. Compare this with recovered orders before adding a third send.
The complete Brazilian real table with volume tiers is in the guide to official WhatsApp API pricing.
To create and approve templates, see how to create and approve a WhatsApp template with Meta and the tutorial how to approve WhatsApp templates in ChatFunnel.
Prepare data before activating the flow
Use a test checkout to follow the complete path from abandonment to purchase. Open a real record and see what arrived: phone, checkout identifier, resume link, and abandonment time. Events vary by platform and integration.
| Data or condition | Why check it |
|---|---|
| Contact identification | Avoids sending recovery to the wrong person |
| Permission to receive messages | Determines whether the contact may receive the approach on that channel |
| Purchase identifier | Recognizes updates and prevents duplicate sequences |
| Resume link | Leads to the correct purchase when the platform offers it |
| Order status | Prevents treating a paid purchase as abandoned |
| Timing and contact limit | Prevents overnight messages and endless persistence |
WhatsApp policy requires the person to have provided their number and authorized messages. A phone entered at checkout alone does not establish permission. Check the rules in the WhatsApp Business policy.
Also distinguish abandoned cart from pending payment. Someone who just generated Pix may be opening their banking app. A message saying they gave up at that moment assumes the wrong thing.
Build the WhatsApp cart recovery flow
The flow starts with the abandonment event, checks whether purchase remains incomplete and whether the contact may receive a message. Only then does the wait for the first send begin.
After the first send, the path depends on what happens:
- Question: the conversation goes to AI or the team under store rules.
- "I already bought": check the order before another reminder.
- Stop request: end contacts of that type.
- No reply: a new attempt respects store limits and channel rules.
In ChatFunnel flows, waits and conditions organize this path, and the sequence ends when purchase confirmation arrives. During testing, check that the event arrives and is linked to the right contact and purchase. For product questions, the AI agent knowledge base holds reviewed product sheets. When data is missing, the conversation goes to the team and AI does not invent measurements.
Use a discount only when there is a reason
Sending a coupon in the first reminder reduces margin on a purchase that only needed an answer. Before offering one, define who receives it, for which products, and for how long.
If the customer asks about timing, answer about timing. If they object to shipping cost, show delivery options. A product discount may not resolve the objection. When an offer exists, terms must match in the message and checkout.
The guide to cart recovery and purchase abandonment explains how to investigate site abandonment reasons before writing the message.
Test the flow before enabling it for everyone
Before expanding the audience, simulate these situations and see where each conversation ends:
- Purchase completed while waiting for the first send.
- Purchase completed after the first reminder.
- The same abandonment event arriving twice.
- Phone missing or invalid.
- Customer asking to stop.
- A reply requiring a person.
In the first results review, separate messages sent, delivered, replies, and confirmed purchases. An order completed after a reminder can be associated with the sequence under a defined rule, but that does not prove the message caused the sale. Count each order once. To track each customer after the message, see how to organize customers, orders, and repeat purchases in CRM. Those who have not returned after weeks enter WhatsApp customer reactivation.
Conclusion: a short reminder and an answer that resolves
A WhatsApp abandoned cart message works when it is short, names the product, leads to the correct purchase, and offers help. Start with 2 or 3 sends, remembering each costs R$ 0.3217 as a marketing template. More important than text is what follows: the answer to the question that stopped the purchase.
Start with templates 1, 9, 10, and 12, covering the reminder, "I already paid," the stop request, and closing. Then add objection-specific answers as questions arise.
ChatFunnel receives abandonment from the store, identifies the contact, and runs the sequence with messages, waits, and conditions, ending when the order is confirmed. The AI agent answers questions from the store knowledge base, and the team takes over what needs a person.
Speak with a specialist and see cart and Pix recovery in practice
Frequently asked questions about abandoned cart messages
What should I write in an abandoned cart message?
Give the store name, mention the product left in the cart, include a link to resume purchase, and offer help. A phrase like "any questions about size or shipping?" lets the customer explain what stopped the purchase.
How long after abandonment should I send the message?
A good starting point is 30 to 60 minutes after abandonment, with a second reminder the next day. Adjust the interval to product type and your store's responses.
Are abandoned cart WhatsApp messages paid?
On the official API, yes. The store-sent reminder is a marketing template costing R$ 0.3217 per delivered message in Brazil. Replies in an open conversation are service messages, free up to 1,000 per month per number.
Can I send an abandoned cart message without a template?
Only if the customer spoke to the store in the last 24 hours. Outside that window, the first message must use a Meta-approved template.
How many cart recovery messages should I send?
2 or 3 at most. After the last contact, end the sequence and leave the conversation open for the customer to return when desired.
Is a coupon worthwhile in an abandoned cart message?
Only when there is a commercial reason. If the customer stopped over size, shipping, or payment, an answer resolves the issue without reducing margin.
How do I stop messages when the customer has already paid?
The flow needs to check the order before each send and end the sequence when payment confirmation arrives. If the customer replies "I already paid," stop reminders and check the order.
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