SMS Marketing Templates for Ecommerce

Last Updated: February 2026

Most ecommerce brands use SMS wrong. They either blast 10 texts a week until their unsubscribe rate spikes, or they collect phone numbers and never send anything at all.

The problem is usually the same: they treat SMS like a shorter version of email. It's not. SMS is a notification channel. People don't want your brand story in a text message. They want to know their order shipped, that a sale is live, or that something they wanted is back in stock.

This guide covers the SMS marketing strategy we use for our ecommerce clients, followed by SMS marketing templates you can copy for every major use case. Strategy first, then the templates — because a good template in the wrong context is still a bad text.

What SMS Is Actually For

SMS is not where you build brand loyalty. Email does that. SMS is where you send fast, timely notifications that people can act on immediately. The entire value of the channel is speed and directness.

There are two categories of SMS you should be sending:

Flows (Automated, Triggered by Behavior)

These fire automatically based on what a customer does. They're the highest-ROI SMS messages because the timing is perfect — the customer just did something, and you're responding to it.

• Transactional notifications: Order confirmation, shipped, out for delivery, delivered
• Abandoned cart / checkout: They left without buying — nudge them back
• Welcome: First touchpoint after opting in to SMS
• Winback: Haven't purchased in a while — hit them on a different channel
• Replenishment: Consumable products running low — time to reorder
• Subscription notifications: Upcoming charge, renewal, or changes

Transactional messages are especially powerful for SMS. They're the kind of notification people actually want as a text — quick, useful, and expected. You can design and visualize your entire flow sequence with our Flow Builder.

Campaigns (Manual, Timely Events)

These are one-off sends you schedule around specific events. The key word is timely. If it's not time-sensitive, it probably doesn't belong in SMS.

• Sales: Sitewide promotions, flash sales, end-of-season clearance
• New drops: Product launches, limited editions, seasonal releases
• Back in stock: Popular items returning — people who wanted them need to know now
• Holiday / seasonal: BFCM, Valentine's Day, brand-specific moments

Notice what's not on either list: brand stories, educational content, product deep-dives, or “learn why we're different from competitors.” That content belongs in email, where people have the space and attention to engage with it. SMS doesn't have enough space or time — and you'll get charged per message segment, so long messages literally cost you more.

The Cost Math

A standard SMS is 160 characters. Go over that and you're into a second segment — which means double the cost per send. Most platforms charge per segment, not per message. So a 170-character text costs twice as much as a 160-character one. Brevity isn't just good UX. It's economics.

If you're choosing between SMS platforms, we've reviewed the major ones: Postscript, Attentive, and Yotpo SMSBump. Short version: if you use Klaviyo for email, use Klaviyo SMS. One platform, one source of truth.

SMS Flow Templates

These are automated SMS messages triggered by customer behavior. Each template is designed to be under 160 characters where possible (one segment = lower cost). Adjust the tone to match your brand, but keep the structure: one message, one action.

Abandoned Cart

With a discount:

Abandoned Checkout

Welcome

Order Confirmation

Shipping Notifications

Winback

Replenishment Reminder

Subscription Notifications

SMS Campaign Templates

Campaign SMS messages are manual sends tied to specific events. Every one of these should have a clear reason to exist: something is happening right now that the customer needs to know about.

Sale Announcement

Flash Sale

New Product Drop

Back in Stock

Seasonal / Holiday

What Makes a Good SMS

Every SMS marketing template above follows the same formula. Here's what makes it work:

The Formula: Benefit + Action + Link

Can you communicate a benefit in one sentence, attach it to a clear action, and include a link? That's a good SMS. If you can't, the message probably belongs in an email instead.

• 160–280 characters max. One SMS segment is 160 characters. Going past that doubles your send cost. Stay under 280 (two segments) at most.
• One action per message. Don't ask people to browse, check their order, AND leave a review in the same text. Pick one.
• Short, punchy, to the point. No preamble, no filler, no “We're excited to announce that...” — just the information + the link.
• Conversational tone is fine, but limited. You're telling someone something, not having a conversation. A casual tone works, but don't force it.

SMS vs. Email: Use the Right Channel

The best SMS marketing strategy uses both channels together. Email for nurturing, SMS for urgency. They're complementary, not interchangeable. Use our Audience Builder to segment your list so each channel reaches the right people at the right time.

Common SMS Mistakes

We audit ecommerce brands' SMS programs regularly. These are the mistakes we see most often:

1. Sending Too Many Texts

Brands that send 8–10 SMS messages a month see massive unsubscribe rates. People are protective of their text inbox in a way they aren't with email. Two to four texts per month is a reasonable baseline for most brands. Ramp up during sales events (BFCM, product launches), but always have a reason for every message.

2. Not Using SMS at All

The opposite problem. Brands collect phone numbers through popups and checkout, then never text anyone. They have the list and the platform, but they're afraid of annoying people. Meanwhile, those phone numbers go stale. If someone opted in, they want to hear from you — just don't abuse it.

3. Treating SMS Like Email

Paragraph-long text messages with multiple links and calls to action. Nobody reads these. SMS is a fast scan — if the value isn't obvious within two seconds, the message gets ignored. Keep it to one thought, one action.

4. Sending About Nothing

Text messages that don't have a clear action or reason. “Happy Monday from [Brand]!” is not a text people want to receive. Every SMS should give the reader something to do or something they need to know. If it doesn't, send an email instead — or don't send anything.

See how the right SMS strategy (combined with email) can transform results — one of our clients saw a 500% increase in email and SMS revenue after we rebuilt their flows and campaign cadence.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many SMS messages should I send per month?

Two to four campaign texts per month is a solid baseline for most ecommerce brands. Flow messages (abandoned cart, shipping notifications, etc.) are on top of that since they're triggered by customer behavior and expected. During peak periods like BFCM, you can increase campaign frequency — but every text needs a clear reason to exist.

What's the ideal length for an SMS marketing message?

Keep messages under 160 characters when possible (one segment). If you need more space, stay under 280 characters (two segments). Going beyond that gets expensive and signals the content is too complex for SMS. If your message requires more than two sentences, it belongs in an email.

Should I use SMS and email for the same campaign?

Yes, but coordinate them. For a sale announcement, send the email first (with full creative and details), then follow up with an SMS to non-openers a few hours later. For abandoned carts, email can be the first touch with SMS as a follow-up if they don't convert. The key is using SMS to catch people who missed the email, not duplicating the same message on both channels simultaneously.

What SMS platform should I use for ecommerce?

If you're using Klaviyo for email (and most serious ecommerce brands are), use Klaviyo SMS. Having email and SMS in one platform means unified data, coordinated flows, and one attribution source instead of two conflicting dashboards. We've reviewed the alternatives — Postscript, Attentive, Yotpo SMSBump — and recommend Klaviyo SMS in almost every case.