Summary
When Shopify Advanced Automations are enabled in Wati, the system automatically creates built-in 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.
This article explains how the Checkout Recovery rule with WhatsApp as the primary channel works, including the default message sequence, fallback channel behavior, stop conditions, de-duplication logic, message limits, and supported Shopify triggers.
Instructions
Built-in rules created automatically
When Advanced Automations are enabled, Wati automatically creates built-in rules.
These rules are designed to reach customers through the most effective messaging channels based on their region.
Rule: 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 built-in 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
Fallback behavior setting
If the fallback channel is triggered, subsequent messages use the fallback channel:
If enabled, all remaining messages in the sequence use the fallback channel.
If disabled, only the failed message uses the fallback channel while future messages 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 abandoned checkout is eligible to trigger its own automation sequence. However, Wati prevents duplicate automation flows from being triggered for the same checkout.
Platform safeguards prevent excessive message triggering.
Only one automation flow can remain active per user at a time to prevent overlapping recovery messages.
This ensures customers do not receive overlapping automation messages.
Message limits
Advanced Automations apply message limits per automation sequence.
Built-in 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 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
Add to Cart - Customers who add items to their cart but do not proceed to checkout
These triggers allow merchants to automate communication across the entire customer order lifecycle.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Overview
1. What does the Checkout Recovery automation with WhatsApp primary channel do?
The Checkout Recovery automation helps recover abandoned checkouts by sending automated recovery messages using WhatsApp as the primary communication channel.
2. What channels are configured in the Checkout Recovery automation rule?
The Checkout Recovery automation rule uses:
Primary channel: WhatsApp
Fallback channel: RCS
Optional second fallback: SMS
3. When does the Checkout Recovery automation stop automatically?
The automation stops automatically when:
The customer completes checkout
The customer replies to the message
Message Sequence and Delivery
4. How does the default checkout recovery message sequence work?
The default recovery sequence includes 3 messages:
Message 1 is sent 15 minutes after checkout abandonment
Message 2 is sent 1 hour after Message 1
Message 3 is sent 24 hours after Message 2
If the customer completes the purchase before the next scheduled message, the remaining messages are automatically cancelled.
5. What happens when the fallback behavior option is enabled?
If the option “If the fallback channel is triggered, subsequent messages use the fallback channel” is enabled, all remaining messages in the sequence are sent through the fallback channel.
6. What happens when the fallback behavior option is disabled?
If the fallback behavior option is disabled, only the failed message uses the fallback channel while future messages continue using the primary channel.
Platform Rules and Limits
7. How does Wati prevent duplicate checkout recovery automations?
Wati uses a unique checkout ID and platform safeguards to prevent duplicate automations:
Only one event every 5 minutes is processed for the same checkout ID
Different checkout IDs are processed independently
Only one automation flow can remain active per user at a time
Remaining messages are cancelled when the order is completed
8. What message limits apply to Shopify Advanced Automations?
The following limits apply:
Default abandoned checkout sequence: 3 messages
Maximum configurable sequence: 18 messages
Maximum 4 marketing messages per rolling 24 hours
Maximum 10 marketing messages per rolling 7 days
9. What happens if Advanced Automations and Automated Messages use the same Shopify trigger?
If both automation types use the same Shopify trigger:
Advanced Automations take priority
The Automated Messages rule for that trigger is automatically disabled
Automated Messages cannot be enabled while Advanced Automations are active for the same trigger
10. Which Shopify triggers are supported in Shopify Advanced Automations?
Supported Shopify triggers include:
Abandoned Checkout
Order Confirmation
Order Shipment
Order Fulfilled
Order Returned
Add to Cart