Abandoned Cart Recovery with SMS & Viber
7 out of 10 shoppers fill their cart and leave without completing the purchase. iSend automatically sends an SMS or Viber reminder and brings them back, with one click that restores their cart.
MARIA, YOU LEFT SOMETHING IN YOUR CART! COMPLETE YOUR ORDER WITH -10% CODE BACK10 → isend.gr/r/A7F3
~70%
Of carts are abandoned98%
SMS open rateNative
Inside WooCommerceA/B
Tests with automatic winnerEvery abandoned cart is a sale waiting to be completed
Native to WordPress, not yet another external platform
Most abandoned cart solutions run as external platforms: WordPress just syncs data and the SMS goes out from their cloud. iSend runs all the logic inside WooCommerce.
Tracking inside your online store
The cart is recorded directly by WooCommerce on add-to-cart, not through an external pixel or connector that loses data.
Cron & sending built in
Detection and sending run with WordPress cron on your own server. No dependency on third-party flows.
OTP consent at checkout
Consent is verified with OTP and stored with IP & timestamp as GDPR proof in the plugin database, and reported in parallel to the platform so you have a second, independent copy.
One ecosystem
Orders, shipments, carts, OTP, stock & marketing in one plugin and one SMS platform, with no Zapier in between.
From abandoned cart to recovered sale
The full recovery flow in 5 automatic phases. Everything runs on its own once the initial setup is done.
Cart tracking
On every add-to-cart or change, the plugin records the cart (contents, total, unique 12-character recovery key, status=active) in the wp_isend_abandoned_carts table. Guest carts are recorded too, via the WooCommerce session. Admin carts never are.
Phone & consent capture
At checkout the customer enters a phone number → receives an OTP → verifies → ticks the consent checkbox (or gives their number through a popup). Phone, consent source, timestamp, IP and the exact consent text are recorded as proof. Without consent, no message is ever sent.
Detection (cron)
Every hour the isend_check_abandoned_carts cron picks active carts with phone + consent, excluding suppressions, that have passed the abandonment threshold and the interval, while respecting quiet hours: your own window (default 9-21) and optionally the Greek statutory quiet hours (summer 15:00-17:30 & 23:00-07:00, winter 15:30-17:30 & 22:00-07:30).
Reminder sending
The message is built from the template with 11 variables ({recovery_url}, shortened {recovery_link}, {products}, {item_count}, {cart_total}, {discount_code} and more) and sent as SMS or Viber. On Viber, optionally with a product photo and a button. With A/B tests enabled, the platform serves a variant by weighted random selection.
Recovery
The customer taps the recovery link → the cart is restored, the coupon is applied automatically, status=clicked, redirect to checkout. When the order is completed → status=recovered.
Every reminder contains an unsubscribe link ({unsubscribe_url}). If it is missing from your template, it is added automatically at the end ("STOP: …"), since with an alphanumeric Sender ID the recipient cannot reply STOP. One click clears the consent and puts the phone number on a permanent blocklist.
A daily cron automatically deletes carts older than the cleanup threshold (default 30 days), keeping the database clean.
Consent is not just a checkbox
The checkbox at checkout is where you win, or lose, the right to send. That is why iSend gives you ready-made, vetted wordings, tests them against each other and keeps the proof in two independent places.
8 vetted wordings
You pick one of eight ready-made wordings. Free text is not allowed. Each one stands on its own as a valid consent statement: it names the store, the channel (SMS), the purpose and the right to withdraw, so the customer never sees a vague or unfulfilled promise.
- Full wording
- Short & friendly
- Cart reminders only (no offers)
- Benefit-focused (offers first)
- With a discount incentive automatic discount
- With a discount coupon
- With a one-time welcome discount automatic discount
- With a discount on every order automatic discount
"Yes, I want cart reminder SMS and offers from {shop}, and I get a {discount}% discount on my order. Consent can be withdrawn at any time."
The discount applies itself
Three of the wordings promise a discount, and the plugin honors it automatically on the cart total, with no coupon. It is applied as a taxable negative fee on the subtotal after coupons, so VAT is reduced proportionally too: the customer sees the full percentage you promised on the amount they actually pay. The one-time welcome discount is flagged per phone number so it is never given twice.
It does not trust the checkbox
The discount is decided on the server, not by what the browser sends: it requires active, non-withdrawn consent for a number verified with OTP. For the one-time and "current order" discounts, the number must have been verified in this very session, while the "every order" discount recognizes already registered customers without a new verification.
A/B on the wording itself
Beyond A/B testing the SMS, you also test the consent wording: a second wording is shown to half of your customers and the admin counts impressions and consents per version. So you see which wording actually builds your list, instead of guessing.
Proof in two places
Since version 2.8.0, every consent grant, withdrawal or deletion is also reported to the iSend platform, with the phone number, the exact text, the source, the domain, the IP, the plugin version and the time. You have a second, independent copy of the proof outside your WordPress. If the network goes down, events are queued and resent on their own.
Your store never stops
A momentary network outage should not cost you an order or a reminder. The plugin is built to withstand it.
Every abandoned cart is lost revenue
The figures below are hypothetical examples to give you an order of magnitude. They are not a guarantee or promise of performance. They are based on the industry benchmark of ~70% abandonment and a conservative assumption of 10% recovery. Actual results vary per online store. See the calculation method in detail.
How the examples were calculated
The numbers are hypothetical models based on market benchmarks, not measured results of iSend customers. They are given only as an indicative order of magnitude; iSend does not guarantee any specific performance, recovery or revenue. Actual results depend on your industry, offer, audience and implementation.
The ~70% is the established industry benchmark, not our own statistic. The most recognized source is the Baymard Institute, which from a meta-analysis of 49 studies gives an average of ~70% (current value ~70,19%). Other sources (Statista, SaleCycle) report 68-80% depending on industry and device. On mobile it is higher.
- 10% recovery of abandoned carts (an assumption; SMS recovery is often reported higher).
- Up to 2 SMS per cart (the default "Maximum reminders" setting; adjustable 1-5). We conservatively used ~2 as the upper limit. In practice only carts with a phone number & consent receive messages.
- Plan cost: the full annual cost of the plan is deducted from the benefit, even if the plan also covers your other sending.
Abandoned carts/month = Completed orders ÷ (1 − 0,70) − Completed orders
Lost revenue/month = Abandoned carts × Average order value
Recovery/month = Lost revenue × 10%
Example (Small online store): 50 orders ÷ 0,30 = 166,7 total carts → 166,7 − 50 = ~117 abandoned/month. Lost revenue: 117 × 35€ = ~4.080€. Recovery: 4.080€ × 10% = ~410€/month.
See all plans & pricing. Amounts exclude VAT and are subject to change.
What you configure on the platform
From isend.gr you control A/B tests, OTP delivery and sending details.
-
A/B Tests (Carts → A/B Test) Create variants with a name, template 1/2, delay (15-1440'), interval (1-168h), weight (1-100), automatic winner threshold and stats reset. The platform serves variants and accepts events (sent/clicked/recovered); a winner is declared once the sending threshold is passed AND the variant is at least 20% better in recovery rate. In WordPress you see them synced with "Sync Now".
-
OTP delivery The code always goes out as a plain SMS, even if your channel is Viber. It is a time-critical, transactional message, so it is delivered to unsubscribed numbers too. Expiry 5', 3 attempts, 60s resend wait (configured in the plugin).
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Sender ID & balance An approved Sender ID and sufficient SMS balance are required for the reminders to go out.
Who does what
- An active account on isend.gr. For now, abandoned cart & OTP are offered free on all plans.
- Plugin: license key + API token + Sender ID → enable the "Abandoned Cart" module (+ OTP/Checkout).
- Set thresholds / templates / coupon / hours + choose the consent text from the 8 vetted wordings.
- (Optional) isend.gr → Carts → create A/B variants.
- Provides the right license tier (Plugin Licenses → features: abandoned_cart, otp).
- Approves the Sender ID.
- Manages balance & billing.
The "iSend SMS for WooCommerce" plugin
v2.8.0 · WordPress 5.8+ · WooCommerce 5.0+ · PHP 8.2-8.3 · HPOS compatible · API: sms.isend.gr. Abandoned cart is one of 8 modules.
1. Order Notifications
SMS to the customer on every status change (pending, processing, on hold, completed, cancelled, refunded, failed), SMS to the admin on new order and on order note. Template + variables per status.
2. Shipping Notifications
SMS when a tracking number is added or the shipping status changes, with automatic courier voucher detection (ELTA, ELTA Courier, Box Now, EasyMail, Courier Center, APOST, Entippos and more), one shipment per voucher. Supports WooCommerce Shipment Tracking, YITH, AST + delivery reminder.
3. Abandoned Cart
Full abandoned cart recovery with tracking, cron, recovery links, coupons, A/B tests and OTP consent. (The subject of this page.)
4. OTP Verification
Phone verification with an SMS code at: registration, login (2FA), checkout, password reset, plus the [isend_otp_form] shortcode for a standalone form anywhere. Configurable length / type / expiry / wait time / roles. The code always goes out as a plain SMS.
5. Phone Validation
Silent phone validation at checkout (format, mobile or landline) with optional HLR reachability check (~0,005€/check).
6. Customer Management
Welcome SMS + admin notification on registration, duplicate phone block and automatic customer sync to an iSend contact group.
7. Balance Alerts
Alert (SMS + email) when the balance drops below a threshold, plus a daily report email.
8. Stock Notifications
Admin alert on low / out-of-stock items and "Notify me" (back in stock) for customers.
License tiers & the modules they unlock
These are the defaults of each tier. Modules unlock from the features of your specific license, which are set per customer on isend.gr, so your license may include additional modules.
| Tier | Modules |
|---|---|
| Starter | Orders |
| Professional | Orders, Shipments, Abandoned Cart |
| Agency | All of the above + OTP, Marketing |
Management: Dashboard (balance, 30-day stats, module status) · Settings (license/API/sender) · SMS Log (filters + CSV export) · "Carts" page with stats (active / recovered / clicked), filters, consent column with source and date, manual reminder sending and deletion.
DB tables: wp_isend_sms_log, wp_isend_abandoned_carts, wp_isend_ac_suppressions, wp_isend_stock_subscribers.
Everything isend.gr offers
Abandoned cart is one piece of a complete communication ecosystem. See what the platform includes.
Sending channels
- SMS: Quick Send, Campaign Builder, bulk import, history
- Viber: subscribers, sessions, campaigns
- OTP with consent & quiet hours
- Voice / MMS / WhatsApp (optional)
Contacts
- Contact groups & custom fields
- Tags & segmentation
- CSV/Excel import with column mapping
- Change history with restore
- Opt-in/opt-out keywords & blocklists
Sending settings
- Sender IDs (request/approval/purchase)
- Virtual numbers (inbound)
- Keywords / shortcodes → groups
- Templates with tags & preview
Tools
- Chat Box widget
- Popup Builder (exit-intent)
- QR Codes
- Abandoned cart A/B tests
- Automations (triggers & conditions)
- Holidays / quiet hours
Reports
- Analytics dashboard
- All messages per campaign
- Failed SMS with error codes
- Consent statistics (GDPR/TCPA)
Integrations & Developers
- WordPress / WooCommerce
- Magento 2, SoftOne ERP
- Google Contacts & Calendar sync
- REST API + keys + webhooks
Subscriptions & Billing
- Plans & plan changes (prorated billing)
- Purchase extra credits
- Invoices & payment methods
- Viber invoices & coupons
Team & Account
- Owner / Manager / User roles
- Profile, language, preferences
- Tickets & Sender ID request
- Knowledge base / FAQ
Admin side: customer management (Customer Inspector, feature overrides), subscriptions & billing, plans & access control, sending servers & routing, Sender IDs / Numbers / Keywords, Plugin Licenses (features per license), sales & failure statistics, customer retention / win-back and monitoring (jobs, queues, panic mode).
Everything you want to know about abandoned carts
Stop losing sales
Enable abandoned cart recovery in your WooCommerce store and bring back the customers who left, automatically, with SMS & Viber.
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