Summary
When Shopify Advanced Automations are enabled in Wati, the system automatically creates default automation rules to help recover abandoned checkouts. These rules are pre-configured with messaging sequences, channel settings, and stop conditions so you can start engaging customers immediately.
You can review and customize these rules to match your communication strategy, including selecting message channels, configuring fallback options, adjusting timing, and defining how automations should behave when customers take action.
Instructions
Default automation rules created automatically
When Advanced Automations are enabled, Wati automatically creates 2 default abandoned checkout recovery rules.
These rules are designed to reach customers through the most effective messaging channels based on their region.
Rule 1: Checkout recovery for US customers (RCS primary)
Trigger
Customer Abandoned Checkout
Condition
Phone country = United States
Sequence configuration
Primary Channel: RCS
Fallback Channel: SMS (planned for a future phase)
Pre-configured recovery sequence: 3 messages
The automation stops automatically when:
The customer completes checkout
The customer replies to the message
This rule ensures that customers in the United States receive recovery reminders through Rich Communication Services (RCS).
Rule 2: Checkout recovery (WhatsApp primary)
Trigger
Customer Abandoned Checkout
Sequence configuration
Primary Channel: WhatsApp
Fallback Channel: RCS
Optional second fallback: SMS
Pre-configured recovery sequence: 3 messages
The automation stops automatically when:
The customer completes checkout
The customer replies to the message
This rule is designed for regions where WhatsApp is the preferred communication channel.
How the checkout recovery sequence works
Each default automation rule includes a 3-step message sequence designed to remind customers to complete their purchase.
Default timing
Message 1 – Sent 15 minutes after checkout abandonment
Message 2 – Sent 1 hour after Message 1
Message 3 – Sent 24 hours after Message 2
If the customer completes their purchase before the next message is scheduled, the remaining messages in the sequence are automatically cancelled.
Channel selection and fallback logic
Each automation sequence allows you to configure how messages are delivered across channels.
You can set:
A Primary Channel
An optional Fallback Channel
There is also a setting:
If fallback triggers, subsequent messages use the fallback channel
If enabled
Once fallback is triggered, all remaining messages in the sequence will use the fallback channel.
If disabled
Only the failed message will use the fallback channel.
Remaining messages will continue using the primary channel.
This flexibility helps ensure messages are delivered even if the primary channel fails.
Event handling and de-duplication
Each abandoned checkout is processed using a unique checkout ID.
Platform rules
If the same checkout ID triggers multiple events, only one event every 5 minutes is processed.
If different checkout IDs are generated, they are processed independently.
If the order is completed, all remaining messages in the sequence are automatically cancelled.
These safeguards help prevent duplicate or unnecessary messages.
Multiple abandoned checkouts
If a customer abandons multiple checkouts:
Each checkout can trigger its own automation sequence.
Platform safeguards prevent excessive message triggering.
Only one active automation flow per user is allowed at a time.
This ensures customers do not receive overlapping automation messages.
Message limits
Advanced Automations apply message limits per automation sequence.
Default configuration
Default abandoned checkout sequence: 3 messages
Maximum configurable sequence: 18 messages
Platform marketing limits
Standard platform marketing limits still apply:
4 marketing messages per rolling 24 hours
10 marketing messages per rolling 7 days
These limits help ensure compliance with messaging platform policies.
Automated messages vs advanced automations
When Advanced Automations and Automated Messages use the same trigger, Advanced Automations take priority.
Here is the logic Wati follows
If Advanced Automation is enabled, the Automated Messages rule for that trigger is automatically disabled.
If Automated Messages are active and you enable Advanced Automations, the Automated Messages rule is automatically turned off.
If Advanced Automations are already active, Automated Messages cannot be enabled for the same trigger.
This logic applies only when both automations use the same Shopify trigger.
Supported Shopify triggers
These advanced automations currently support the following Shopify events as triggers:
Abandoned Checkout – Customer leaves checkout without completing the purchase
Order Confirmation – Order is paid or partially paid
Order Shipment – Order is shipped or partially shipped
Order Fulfilled – Order is fulfilled or partially fulfilled
Order Returned – Order is refunded or partially refunded
These triggers allow merchants to automate communication across the entire customer order lifecycle.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can I disable a default automation rule?
Yes. You can turn off automation rules at any time if you do not want them to run.
2. What happens if a customer replies to a recovery message?
If the Stop on reply option is enabled, the automation sequence stops immediately when the customer responds.
3. Will customers receive duplicate messages if they abandon checkout multiple times?
Each checkout event is processed separately using a unique checkout ID. Platform safeguards prevent duplicate triggers for the same checkout within a short period.
4. Can I track the performance of my automation?
Yes. You can track automation performance in the Analytics section, where you can monitor engagement and revenue generated from automation rules.
5. Does this work with all Shopify stores?
Advanced Automations are available for Shopify stores connected to Wati on Business plans and may require enablement from the Wati team.
6. Can I use this feature for automations other than abandoned checkout?
Yes. Advanced Automations support multiple Shopify triggers, including:
Order confirmation
Shipment updates
Order fulfillment
Order returns
You can create different automation workflows using these events.
7. Do fallback channels always trigger?
No. A fallback channel is only used if the message cannot be delivered through the primary channel.
8. Does Advanced Automation affect my marketing message limits?
Yes. Standard platform messaging limits still apply, including rolling limits for marketing messages.