WhatsApp automation for a Shopify store sends the right message at each order event without anyone typing it. A confirmation goes out when an order is placed. Cash-on-delivery orders get a Confirm or Cancel check, shipped orders get a tracking link, and shoppers who leave at checkout get 2 or 3 reminders. You need the WhatsApp Business API, an approved template for each message, and a tool that listens to Shopify. This playbook covers what to send, when to send it, which template category each message falls in, and what it costs.
- What to automate: order confirmations, COD confirmation, shipping updates, cancellation and refund notices, abandoned cart reminders, and AI replies to order questions.
- Template categories: order messages are utility templates (₹0.115 each in India). Cart reminders are marketing templates (₹0.86 in India) and need marketing consent.
- COD: ask the customer to confirm before you ship. Ship only tagged orders, and let a Cancel tap cancel the order in Shopify.
- Abandoned carts: 70.22% of online carts are abandoned. Send 2 or 3 reminders, starting about 1 hour after the shopper leaves, and stop when they order.
- Setup: about 20 minutes plus template approval. Make the phone number required at checkout first, or there is no one to message.
Why use WhatsApp automation for a Shopify store?
A Shopify store loses most of its money in three places. Shoppers leave at checkout, cash-on-delivery parcels get refused at the door, and the team spends hours answering “Where is my order?”. WhatsApp helps with all three, because the customer can tap a button, reply or ask a question in the same chat.
- Carts: the Baymard Institute puts the average cart abandonment rate at 70.22%, across 50 studies. The top reasons are extra costs (40% of shoppers) and slow delivery (20%), and a short reply can answer both.
- COD: Shopify marks a cash-on-delivery order as payment pending until you collect the cash. A fake or impulse COD order costs you shipping both ways and ties up stock for days.
- Support: most messages after a purchase ask about status. An AI that can read your Shopify orders answers them in seconds, at any hour.
The 6 WhatsApp automations every Shopify store should run
Start with these six. The first four are utility templates that follow from a purchase. The fifth is marketing. The sixth is a reply to a customer who wrote to you, so it needs no template.
| Automation | Shopify trigger | What it sends | Category | When |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Order confirmation | Order created | Order number, total and a link to the order status page | Utility | Seconds after checkout |
| COD confirmation | Order created with cash on delivery | Confirm order and Cancel order buttons | Utility | Seconds after checkout, in place of the confirmation |
| Shipping update | Fulfillment created | Carrier, tracking number and tracking link | Utility | When you fulfil the order |
| Cancellation and refund notices | Order cancelled, refund created | Reason, or the refunded amount | Utility | Immediately |
| Abandoned cart reminders | Checkout started, no order placed | Items, product image, a link back to the checkout, optional discount code | Marketing | A ladder of 2 to 3 reminders over 1 to 3 days |
| AI order help | The customer messages you | Order status, tracking, product answers | Service reply | Around the clock, in seconds |
Swipe sideways to see the full table.
Order and shipping updates on WhatsApp
Order updates are the easiest win: customers expect them, and Meta treats them as utility messages, the cheaper category. Meta’s own template guidelines list order confirmations, shipping updates and cancellations as utility examples.
- Order confirmation on Shopify’s order created event, with the order number, total and a View order button that opens the order status page.
- Shipping update when you create a fulfillment, with the carrier, the tracking number and a tracking link.
- Cancellation and refund notices, with the cancel reason or the refunded amount, so the customer hears it from you before they ask.
Three rules for order templates
- No promotion in a utility template. Meta moves any utility template with promotional or persuasive content to the marketing category, which costs more. Leave “use code SAVE10 on your next order” out of a shipping update.
- Show the product. An image header with the first item’s photo makes the message recognisable at a glance. In Sendiee, map it to the
{{first_item_image_url}}variable. - Link, don’t paste. A button to the order status page or the carrier’s tracking page beats a long message full of details.
How does WhatsApp COD confirmation work for Shopify?
COD confirmation sends a WhatsApp message with two buttons the moment a cash-on-delivery order is placed. Only orders the customer confirms get shipped. Here is the flow in Sendiee:
Your team ships it. The customer gets your After Confirm reply.
The items go back into stock. The customer gets your After Cancel reply.
By default the order stays open as No response. With auto-cancel on, it is cancelled when your timer runs out.
Settings we recommend
- Start in tag-only mode. Auto-cancel is off by default. Run it like that for two weeks and ship only orders with the verified tag.
- Call the non-responders on big orders. The COD flow tab shows your confirmation rate and the status of each recent COD order.
- Then turn on auto-cancel with a 24-hour timer. The minimum is 15 minutes, which is too short for most shoppers.
- Keep “Require message delivery before auto-cancel” on. If WhatsApp never delivered the message, the order is marked Undeliverable and your admins are alerted instead of the order being cancelled.
- Add your COD app’s gateway name. If you take COD through a third-party app, add its payment gateway name under Custom COD gateway names so those orders are caught too.
How should a Shopify store send abandoned cart reminders?
Shopify counts a checkout as abandoned when the shopper has entered their contact details but has not paid 10 minutes later. Shopify keeps abandoned checkouts for three months. For WhatsApp, the contact details must include a phone number, which is why the setup starts in your checkout settings.
A 3-step reminder ladder
- A plain reminder 1 hour after abandonmentName the product, show its image and link straight back to the checkout. No discount yet: many shoppers were only interrupted.
- Remove the doubt 24 hours afterAnswer the usual blockers: delivery time, shipping cost, returns, cash on delivery. Invite a reply so a question becomes a conversation.
- The last nudge, with a code if margins allow 48 to 72 hours afterAdd a discount code you have created in Shopify, with an expiry. Keep it to one code per cart and stop after this step.
In Sendiee you build this on the Abandoned cart tab, under Ladder. Use these settings:
- Trigger event: Checkout started (recommended). The shopper has reached checkout, so you are far more likely to have their number than from a cart update.
- Reminder ladder: up to 5 steps, each with its own template and delay. Three is plenty.
- Discount escalation: attach a code you created in Shopify to the last step only, so shoppers do not learn to wait for one.
- Recovery link: each reminder links to Shopify’s own checkout link for that cart, with UTM tags, so Google Analytics credits the sale to WhatsApp.
- Guardrails: a minimum cart value, quiet hours in your time zone, a weekly cap per customer, and a skip for anyone who bought recently. Reminders stop by themselves once the shopper orders.
- Consent: turn on “Only message customers who accepted marketing at checkout”. Cart reminders are marketing messages.
The Dashboard sub-tab shows carts abandoned, carts recovered, revenue recovered and which reminder step brought each sale back. A cart counts as recovered when the same shopper orders later. Some of those shoppers would have come back anyway, so compare a few weeks with reminders against a few weeks without to measure the real lift.
Let AI answer “Where is my order?” on WhatsApp
Templates cover the messages you start. An AI chatbot covers the ones customers start. Give your Sendiee AI assistant the Shopify Actions tool and it can:
- Track an order by its number, or list a customer’s orders from their phone number or email.
- Search products, check variants and browse collections to answer “Do you have this in blue?”.
- Create a draft order, with a discount code if you allow it, and have Shopify email the customer an invoice with a payment link.
- Hand the chat to a person in Teambox when it should not answer alone.
AI replies are service messages, not templates. Since 1 October 2026, Meta gives each number 1,000 free service messages a month and charges the utility rate after that. Our guide to WhatsApp’s October 2026 pricing change explains it.
How to set up WhatsApp automation for Shopify
Allow about 20 minutes, plus a few minutes to a day for Meta to approve templates.
Dashboard→Integrations→Shopify Settings
- Get the WhatsApp Business API on Sendiee
Create a Sendiee account and connect your WhatsApp number through Meta’s Embedded Signup. Order updates need the API; the WhatsApp Business app cannot receive Shopify events.
- Collect phone numbers at checkout
In Shopify admin, go to Settings, then Checkout. Set Customer contact method to Phone number or email, and set Shipping address phone number to Required.
- Connect your Shopify store
In Sendiee, open Integrations, then Shopify Settings. Click Connect your Shopify store, enter your myshopify.com address, click Connect and approve the app in Shopify. You can also install Sendiee from the Shopify App Store.
- Generate the templates pack
On the Messages tab, click Generate templates pack, pick a tone (Professional, Persuasive or Casual) and submit the templates to Meta for approval.
- Switch on order events
For each event on the Messages tab, choose an approved template, map its variables and turn on Notification enabled.
- Set up COD confirmation
On the COD flow tab, choose the confirmation template and write the replies sent after Confirm and after Cancel. Leave auto-cancel off for the first two weeks.
- Build the abandoned cart ladder
On the Abandoned cart tab, open Ladder. Set the trigger to Checkout started, add 2 or 3 reminder steps with their delays, set quiet hours and turn on the marketing-consent filter.
- Place a test order
Order from your own store with your own phone number, then check each message in Delivery logs on the Messages tab.
No WhatsApp API number yet? Our step-by-step guide on how to get the WhatsApp Business API takes you through it in about 15 minutes. Prefer to start from Shopify? Install Sendiee from the Shopify App Store.
WhatsApp templates for Shopify you can copy
Adapt these, keep them short, and submit each one under the category shown. Sendiee’s templates pack writes 11 of them for you in three tones and submits them to Meta in one go.
Hi {{first_name}}, thanks for your order #{{order_number}}. Your total is {{total_price}}. We will message you here when it ships.
Hi {{customer_name}}, you placed order #{{order_number}} for {{total_price}}, to be paid in cash on delivery. Please confirm so we can ship it.
Hi {{first_name}}, order #{{order_number}} has shipped with {{tracking_company}}. Tracking number: {{tracking_number}}.
Hi {{customer_name}}, you left {{first_item_name}} in your cart. We have saved it for you. Complete your order in one tap.
Still thinking it over, {{customer_name}}? Use {{discount_code}} for 10% off your cart. The code expires in 48 hours.
Writing for a sale? Format bold and italic text with our free WhatsApp text formatter. To let shoppers message you first, put a WhatsApp chat link or a QR code on your product pages and packaging.
How much does WhatsApp automation cost a Shopify store?
You pay Meta per delivered template, by category and by the customer’s country. You also pay your provider for the software. India rates are below; other countries are on Meta’s rate cards.
| Message | Category | India, per delivered message |
|---|---|---|
| Order confirmation, COD confirmation, shipping, cancellation, refund | Utility | ₹0.115 |
| Abandoned cart reminders | Marketing | ₹0.86 |
| AI and team replies to a customer who messaged you | Service | 1,000 free a month per number, then ₹0.115 |
| Messages from customers | Inbound | Free |
Swipe sideways to see the full table.
A worked example
Take an Indian store with 1,000 orders a month. Each order gets a confirmation (or a COD confirmation) and a shipping update: 2,000 utility messages, or ₹230. Say 1,000 abandoned carts a month have a phone number and marketing consent, and each gets 2 reminders on average: 2,000 marketing messages, or ₹1,720. That is about ₹1,950 a month in Meta fees, before your software plan.
Since 1 October 2026, utility templates sent while a customer’s 24-hour chat window is open are charged too, so the example holds whether or not the customer has written to you. Sendiee adds no markup: Meta bills you directly. See plans on the pricing page.
Rules that keep your WhatsApp number safe
- Get opt-in. Meta’s opt-in rules say people must know they are agreeing to messages from your business, by name. Mention WhatsApp in your checkout consent wording, and send cart reminders only to shoppers who ticked it.
- Require a phone number at checkout. In Shopify, Settings, then Checkout: set Customer contact method to Phone number or email, and Shipping address phone number to Required. New stores default to Optional (Shopify’s checkout settings).
- Keep utility templates plain. Promotional wording moves a template to marketing, at about 7 times the price in India.
- Plan for messaging limits. New accounts can message 250 unique customers a day outside the 24-hour window. Every order update counts. Business verification raises the limit to 2,000, so verify before a sale (Meta’s messaging limits).
- Honour opt-outs. Customers can turn off marketing messages from your business inside WhatsApp. If someone asks you to stop, remove them from cart reminders and campaigns.
- Test, then watch the logs. Place a test order with your own number. Sendiee’s Delivery logs show every message, why any was skipped or failed, and let you retry or resend to a corrected number.
Frequently asked questions
Can Shopify send WhatsApp order notifications automatically?
Not on its own. Shopify sends email and SMS notifications. For WhatsApp, you connect Shopify to a WhatsApp Business API provider such as Sendiee, which listens for Shopify order events and sends an approved WhatsApp template for each one.
Are abandoned cart messages marketing or utility templates on WhatsApp?
Marketing. Meta lists abandoned cart reminders under the marketing category, so they cost the marketing rate and need marketing consent. Order confirmations, shipping updates and cancellations are utility templates.
How does COD confirmation on WhatsApp work?
When a customer places a cash-on-delivery order, the store sends a WhatsApp message with Confirm order and Cancel order buttons. A confirmed order is tagged in Shopify so your team ships it. A cancelled order is cancelled in Shopify and its items are restocked.
When should I send the first abandoned cart reminder?
About 1 hour after the shopper leaves. Shopify marks a checkout as abandoned after 10 minutes, but a reminder that early can interrupt a shopper who is still deciding. Send 2 or 3 reminders in total and stop when they order.
Do I need customer consent to send WhatsApp messages from Shopify?
Yes. Meta requires opt-in before you message someone, naming your business. Order updates follow from the purchase, but cart reminders are marketing, so send them only to shoppers who accepted marketing at checkout and honour every opt-out.
How much does WhatsApp automation cost for a Shopify store?
Meta charges per delivered template. In India that is ₹0.115 for an order update and ₹0.86 for a cart reminder. A store with 1,000 orders a month would pay Meta about ₹1,950 for the examples in this guide, plus its software plan.
Can I use the WhatsApp Business app instead of the API?
No. The free app cannot receive Shopify events or send messages automatically. Automated order updates need the WhatsApp Business API, which you can connect in about 15 minutes, and coexistence lets you keep using the app on the same number.
Which Sendiee plans include the Shopify integration?
The Shopify integration is included on the Pro, Business and Enterprise plans. You can start on the free plan to connect WhatsApp and upgrade when you connect your store.
Sources
Facts checked against Meta, Shopify and Baymard Institute pages on 7 October 2026.
- Meta: Template categorization (utility, marketing, authentication)developers.facebook.com
- Meta: Pricing on the WhatsApp Business Platformdevelopers.facebook.com
- Meta: Pricing for service (non-template) messagesdevelopers.facebook.com
- Meta: Get opt-in for WhatsAppdevelopers.facebook.com
- Meta: Messaging limitsdevelopers.facebook.com
- Shopify Help Center: Abandoned checkoutshelp.shopify.com
- Shopify Help Center: Checkout form optionshelp.shopify.com
- Shopify Help Center: Manual payment methods (including COD)help.shopify.com
- Baymard Institute: Cart abandonment rate statisticsbaymard.com
Need a hand?
Sendiee is an AI marketing platform for WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger, and an official Meta Business Partner. See everything the Shopify integration does, or read how we help e-commerce brands. Stuck on a step? Message us on WhatsApp or write to [email protected].