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How to Send WooCommerce Order SMS Notifications in Your Store

Editorial Team
September 17, 2024
How to Send WooCommerce Order SMS Notifications in Your Store

Staying connected with your customers is crucial, especially when they’re eagerly awaiting their orders.

That’s where WooCommerce order SMS notifications come in!

Instead of relying solely on emails, why not send instant text alerts to keep your customers updated every step of the way?

From order confirmations to shipping updates, SMS notifications can make a big difference.

In this tutorial, we’ll show you how easy it is to set up WooCommerce order SMS notifications for your store, giving your customers extra peace of mind.

Let’s dive in!

What are WooCommerce Order SMS Notifications?

WooCommerce order SMS notifications is an alert that lets online store owners send real-time text messages to their customers about their order status.

Think of it as an instant way to keep your customers in the loop, from when they place an order to when it gets shipped and delivered.

These notifications typically cover things like:

  • Order Confirmation: A quick "thanks for your order" right after a purchase.
  • Order Processing: Letting the customer know their order is being prepped.
  • Shipping Updates: Notifying them when their order is on its way.
  • Delivery Confirmation: A message saying their order has arrived.

By sending these timely updates, you ensure your customers stay informed and happy. Plus, with tools like FunnelKit Automations, you can easily set this up and let the system handle it for you!

Why is Sending WooCommerce SMS Order Updates Important? 

Today’s customers expect instant responses, especially when it comes to their orders. SMS notifications keep them informed about the status of their purchase.

We all know how SMS notifications provide quick alerts and instant replies about orders.

Did you know 87% of businesses using SMS report success in their digital marketing efforts? 

That’s a huge number! With SMS, you can keep your customers in the loop, building trust and loyalty.

Here’s why sending WooCommerce SMS order updates is a game-changer for your store.

  • Higher engagement rate

Text messages are hard to ignore and most people check them within minutes.

It takes about 90 seconds for someone to respond to a text, compared to 90 minutes for an email to be opened and understood. It can even take days for a reply.

Sending order updates through SMS keeps your customers engaged and reassured that everything is on track.

  • Faster communication

Everyone loves quick and easy solutions, and SMS delivers just that. The moment an order is placed or shipped, your customers are notified instantly.

No waiting for emails or refreshing order statuses -instant updates give peace of mind and show that you’re handling their order efficiently.

It also helps prevent those “Where’s my order?” panic moments.

  • Increases trust and customer satisfaction

Customers want to feel like they’re in good hands and regular updates build that trust.

89% of consumers want brands to keep them updated at every step of the fulfillment process.

This not only boosts satisfaction but also reassures your customers that their order is safe, improving their overall experience.

  • Reduces customer support requests

SMS notifications are great for customers and a lifesaver for your support team.

By keeping customers updated through SMS, you’ll reduce the number of calls or emails asking for order status updates.

Fewer "Where’s my order?" questions mean your support team can focus on resolving more complex issues, improving overall efficiency.

  • Enhances brand loyalty

Keeping customers in the loop with SMS not only improves their experience but also builds loyalty. 

When people feel valued and well-informed, they’re more likely to shop with you again. 

You can also use SMS to keep the conversation going post-purchase by offering exclusive discounts or updates on new products. It’s a win-win for your business and your customers.

How to Send WooCommerce Order SMS Notifications?

Let’s dive into how you can easily set up and customize WooCommerce order SMS notifications directly from your WordPress site.

We’ll be using FunnelKit Automations for this tutorial. It’s a powerful tool that helps you automate tasks, save time, boost sales, and manage customers more efficiently.

With FunnelKit Automations, not only can you set up SMS alerts for order SMS notifications, but you can also customize a variety of WooCommerce emails—like order confirmations, post-purchase emails, and so on.

It ensures each message matches your brand and delivers exactly what you want to say.

FunnelKit also integrates with popular CRMs and other marketing tools, giving you even more control over managing everything in one place.

Want to see it in action? Check out the video below to learn more about what FunnelKit Automations—the WooCommerce CRM—can do.👇

How to Send WooCommerce Order SMS Notifications in Your Store

It comes in both free (lite) and premium versions. We’ll be using the premium version here to unlock some of its more advanced features.

Step 1: Install FunnelKit Automations plugin

Like any other plugins you install on WordPress, install FunnelKit Automations on your site and activate it.

WooCommerce Order SMS Notifications

Here’s a detailed guide to follow for installing and activating FunnelKit Automations on your WordPress site.

Step 2: Set up API integrations with the SMS service provider (Twilio)

FunnelKit Automations integrates with different SMS providers: Twilio and Bulkgate.

To lead the tutorial, we’ll be using Twilio.

Navigate to the connectors page of FunnelKit Automations. And find the Twilio.

Then click on the “Connect” button.

WooCommerce Order SMS Notifications

Next visit the Twilio console page to get the account SID, Auth Tokens, and number.

adding API from Twilio

Then, paste them here and hit the “Connect” button.

Adding the API credentials

Congratulations! You have successfully connected to Twilio.

Twilio is connected

You can see “Twilio” is connected here.

WooCommerce Order SMS Notifications

Check out the documentation to learn more about adding Twilio to your WordPress site.

Step 3: Create an SMS notification workflow in FunnelKit

On the automations page of the FunnelKit Automations, create an automation.

Create an SMS notification workflow in FunnelKit

Create your automation from scratch and enter its name as you want.

Step 4: Customize SMS templates with order details

After you create the automation, the next task is to create an event. For that, click on the “Select an Event” button.

Customize SMS templates with order details

Then select the  “Order Created” event under the WooCommerce section.

After that, click on the “Done” button.

Order created in FunnelKit Automations

Next, determine how the trigger will work on your event.

Generally, any order goes into the “processing” stage after it’s created. So select it. Then choose any product and allow it to run multiple times on new active contacts. 

After that, hit the “Save” button.

WooCommerce Order SMS Notification

Click on the (+) button and then select “Action”.

Under the “Messaging” tab, select the “Send SMS” option with Twilio. And then hit the “Done” button.

Selecting the send SMS for the automation

Now, you need to provide the recipient address where you want to send your SMS and the SMS body. Also, you can send a test message about whether the workflow is working or not.

You can choose the recipient details from the merge tag {{..}}. 

choose the recipient details from the merge tag

After clicking on the {{..}} icon, you can find the tags. Copy the contact phone tag.

WooCommerce Order SMS Notification

And similarly, craft the SMS body.

Also, you can add a product or customized image in the SMS body.

WooCommerce Order SMS Notification

You can send a test message before sending the final SMS to your customers.

Plus, you can add a UTM parameter to track the engagement of every link you use in the SMS body.

Once everything is done, click on the “Save” button.

UTM parameter

Step 5: Test and activate the automation

Now enable the automation. 

Test and activate the automation

And depending on the criteria we set, if any user creates any order, it will trigger and they will get an instant SMS of their order.

Here’s the preview of the order-created SMS notification.

Final preview of the SMS

It seems the test SMS is also working fine. Now, let’s move on to the next step.

5 Types of WooCommerce Order SMS Notifications You Can Run with FunnelKit Automations

WooCommerce Order SMS Notifications

Keeping your customers in the loop is critical, and WooCommerce order SMS notifications make that easy.

With FunnelKit Automations, you can set up a variety of SMS alerts that go beyond just informing your customers that their order is on the way.

Whether it’s confirming their order, providing shipping updates, or letting them know it’s been delivered, these notifications help build trust and keep everything running smoothly.

Let’s dive into 5 types of WooCommerce order SMS notifications you can set up with FunnelKit Automations!

Confirmation SMS

When a customer places an order, FunnelKit Automations instantly processes the details and sends out a confirmation SMS.

To initiate that, choose the “Order created” event. And hit the “Save” button.

Confirmation SMS of the order

Then, just select the order status, the order contains, and the options as it is.

order created in the automation

Next, determine to whom you want to send your SMS and craft the SMS. Also, use tags from the merge tag icon {{..}}.

crafting SMS

This quick update reassures the customer that their order has been successfully placed and is being processed.

Shipment tracking SMS

As soon as an order is shipped, FunnelKit Automations sends an SMS with tracking information. The good news is that FunnelKit Automations has integration with all the available shipment plugins in WordPress.

To do so, select the event  “Order Status Changed”.

WooCommerce Order SMS Notification

Now, in the next step, change the status from “processing to shipped”. And hit save.

WooCommerce Order SMS Notification

So whenever the order status changes from processing to shipped, the user will get an SMS about it. 

Before that, craft the SMS and add the tracking number from the merge tag. For that, click on the {{..}} icon and choose the preferred merge tag from the list.

WooCommerce Order SMS Notification

In the merge tag window, search for “Shipment Tracking”. Then choose the “WooCommerce Advanced Shipment Tracking Details” tag. Click on the settings-like icon.

WooCommerce Order SMS Notification

From the dropdown menu, choose the tracking number and hit copy.

WooCommerce Order SMS Notification

Paste the code here. And then hit the save button.

WooCommerce Order SMS Notification

It gives your customers real-time updates on where their package is, helping them follow the delivery journey from the warehouse to their doorstep.

Order delivered SMS

Once the order reaches the customer, a delivery confirmation SMS is sent, notifying them that their package has arrived.

Let’s see how to do it!

Change the event to “order status changed” and hit the done button.

Order status changed

Next, customize the status from “Shipped” to “Delivered”. Then hit save.

Order delivered - WooCommerce Order SMS Notification

Now craft your WooCommerce order SMS and configure the settings. Then, hit the save button.

Order shipped

This final update closes the loop and ensures a seamless shopping experience.

Pending order

For orders that are pending payment or action, FunnelKit Automations can send a gentle reminder via SMS.

To do that, select the event “Order Status Pending”. And hit the done button.

Pending order

Next, keep the settings as they are. And then save it.

Customizing Pending order

Configure the settings and craft your SMS. Use the merge tag {{..}} icon to find your relevant tags from the list and use them in the SMS body.

Pending order

It keeps the customer aware of the status and encourages them to complete any steps required to finalize their order.

Refunded order

If an order has been refunded, FunnelKit Automations will trigger an SMS alert, informing the customer that their refund has been processed.

Let’s see how to do it!

Select the event “Order Refunded” and hit the “Done” button.

WooCommerce Order SMS Notification

After that, open the SMS configuration page and craft your SMS. 

Once happy with the settings, hit the “Save” button.

WooCommerce Order SMS Notification

It instantly helps build trust and ensures transparency in financial transactions.

6 Best Practices for Using WooCommerce Customer Order Alerts

SMS notifications are a great way to keep your customers informed, but to make the most impact, there’s a right way to do it. 

Here are 6 best practices to follow when using WooCommerce customer order alerts:

1. Keep it concise

SMS messages are meant to be quick and to the point. You have limited space to convey important information, so keep your updates clear and brief. Focus on what the customer really needs to know. 

For example: “Your order has been shipped. Track it here: [link]” gives them exactly what they need without extra words. Clarity ensures they understand the message at a glance.

2. Personalize your SMS notifications

Personalization makes a huge difference. Customers are far more likely to engage with a message that feels tailored to them.

Instead of sending a generic “Your order has shipped,” try: “Hi [Customer Name], your order #[Order Number] is on its way!”

Using their name and order number makes the message feel personal and builds a stronger connection between your brand and the customer.

3. Choose a perfect time

Timing is important in SMS marketing. Send your messages when customers are most likely to check their phones.

Send an order confirmation right after a purchase, and notify them promptly when the package ships.

Avoid sending messages at odd hours, like early morning or late at night, as this could annoy your customers. Well-timed messages keep customers informed without disrupting their day.

4. Provide an opt-out option

It’s important to give customers control over their communication preferences. Always include an easy opt-out option like “Reply STOP to unsubscribe” at the end of your messages.

This not only respects their choice but also keeps you compliant with SMS marketing regulations. Providing this option shows you value their privacy and ensures only interested customers continue receiving updates.

5. Ensure compliance with SMS regulations

SMS marketing comes with regulations, and it’s crucial to stay compliant. Different regions have specific laws about sending SMS notifications, like obtaining customer consent before messaging them.

Make sure customers have opted in to receive notifications, and always follow local laws like GDPR or TCPA. Compliance keeps your business legal and helps build trust with your customers.

6. Test and optimize your SMS templates

Don’t just set up your SMS alerts and forget them. Continuously test different aspects of your messages—like tone, length, or timing—to see what resonates best with your audience.

Pay attention to metrics like delivery and engagement rates, and tweak your templates for better results. Ongoing optimization helps ensure your messages stay effective and relevant.

Wrapping Up: Streamline Communication with SMS Alerts

Setting up WooCommerce order SMS notifications is a simple yet effective way to enhance your customer communication. 

By delivering timely, personalized updates, you can keep your customers informed, reduce support inquiries, and strengthen customer relationships.

With the right setup, FunnelKit Automations makes it easy to streamline your order SMS alerts, ensuring a smooth and seamless shopping experience for your customers.

Now that you know how to set it up, along with proven strategies and practical use cases, it’s time to elevate your store’s communication.

Ready to take your WooCommerce store to the next level with FunnelKit Automations? Download it now!

Author: Editorial Team
The Editorial Team at FunnelKit (formerly WooFunnels) is a passionate group of writers and copy editors. We create well-researched posts on topics such as WordPress automation, sales funnels, online course creation, and more. We aim to deliver content that is interesting and actionable.
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