Summary
Shopify Advanced Automations in Wati allow Shopify merchants to automatically recover abandoned checkouts and communicate with customers across multiple messaging channels such as WhatsApp, Rich Communication Services (RCS), and Short Message Service (SMS).
Once this feature is enabled for your account, Wati automatically creates default automation rules for abandoned checkout recovery. You can review and customize these rules to match your messaging strategy, including selecting message channels, configuring fallback options, adjusting message timing, and defining when the automation should stop.
Instructions
Enable the advanced automations for Shopify
Follow these steps to enable Advanced Automations for your Shopify integration in Wati:
Log in to your Wati account with Shopify already integrated.
Navigate to Connectors → Integrations → Shopify.
From the left-side menu, go to Automation → Automated Messages.
You will see a banner for Shopify Advanced Automations. Click Configure to enable the feature.
Configure the advanced automations for Shopify
Follow these steps to review and customize these rules to match your messaging strategy:
Step 1: Navigate to automation rules
Log into your Wati account.
Go to Automations and click on the Rules.
Locate the Shopify automation rules created for your account.
You will see the default abandoned checkout recovery rules available for editing.
Step 2: Review the default automation rules
When Shopify Advanced Automations are enabled, Wati creates 2 automation rules by default:
Checkout recovery for US customers
Checkout recovery with RCS fallback
To review a rule:
Click the rule name.
Open the rule configuration page.
Each automation rule typically includes:
A trigger (Shopify event)
Optional conditions
A message sequence
Channel configuration
These elements determine when the automation starts and how messages are delivered.
Step 3: Configure the primary channel
Inside the sequence settings, you can choose the primary channel used to send the first message.
Available channels may include:
WhatsApp
RCS
SMS
The primary channel determines where the first message in the automation sequence will be sent.
Example
Customers in the United States → RCS
Customers in other regions → WhatsApp
Choosing the correct channel helps ensure customers receive messages on the platform they are most likely to use.
Step 4: Configure a fallback channel
If the primary channel cannot deliver the message, you can configure a fallback channel.
To set this up:
Select a Fallback Channel.
Choose how the fallback should be applied when the primary channel fails.
You can decide whether the fallback should apply only to the failed message or to all remaining messages in the sequence.
Enable the checkbox If fallback triggers, subsequent messages use the fallback channel based on your preference.
Enabled – All remaining messages in the sequence will be sent through the fallback channel.
Disabled – Only the failed message will use the fallback channel, and the rest of the messages will continue using the primary channel.
Using a fallback channel helps ensure that customers still receive important messages even if the primary channel cannot deliver the message.
Step 5: Adjust the message sequence
Each automation rule includes a configurable message sequence designed to recover abandoned checkouts.
You can modify:
Message templates
Time delay between messages
Number of messages in the sequence
Default abandoned checkout sequence
Message 1 – Sent 15 minutes after checkout abandonment
Message 2 – Sent 1 hour after Message 1
Message 3 – Sent 24 hours after Message 2
You can adjust this sequence to match your store’s messaging strategy.
Step 6: Configure stop conditions
Automations can stop automatically based on customer behavior.
Available stop conditions include:
Stop when customer replies
Stop when checkout is completed
These conditions help prevent unnecessary messages after the customer has taken action.
Step 7: Save and activate the rule
After completing your configuration:
Click Save.
Ensure the rule status is set to Active.
Once activated, the automation will run automatically whenever the selected Shopify trigger occurs.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can I choose different messaging channels based on country?
Yes. You can set conditions such as the customer’s phone country and assign different primary messaging channels accordingly.
2. What happens if a message fails on the primary channel?
If a fallback channel is configured, the message will automatically be sent through the fallback channel.
3. Can a customer enter multiple abandoned checkout flows?
Yes. A customer can enter multiple flows if they abandon different checkout sessions. However, safeguards prevent duplicate processing for the same checkout ID.
4. Does Advanced Automation affect my existing Automated Messages flows?
Yes. If both systems use the same trigger, Advanced Automation takes precedence over existing Automated Messages flows.
5. Where can I see the revenue generated by an automation?
You can view revenue and performance metrics in the Analytics section.
6. Can I increase the number of recovery messages?
Yes. The default sequence includes 3 messages, but you can configure up to 18 messages in a sequence.
7. Can I modify the default automation rules?
Yes. Default rules are provided to help you get started, but you can edit them to fit your needs. You can modify:
Message sequence
Message templates
Channel selection
Message timing
8. Can I change the timing of recovery messages?
Yes. You can customize the delay between messages in the sequence. For example, you can send the first message sooner or increase the gap between follow-up reminders.
9. Can I add more messages to the sequence?
Yes. By default, abandoned checkout sequences include 3 messages, but you can configure up to 18 messages if needed.
10. Can I change the primary channel for a rule?
Yes. You can choose a different primary channel such as WhatsApp, RCS, or SMS, depending on your messaging strategy and channel availability.