Introducing Product Browsing & Add-to-Cart Abandonment Flows via WhatsApp

A significant hurdle for E-commerce businesses is the high rate of website visitors who show interest in products by viewing them yet leave without taking any action, such as adding items to their cart. This represents a missed opportunity for brands to engage with potential buyers at a crucial moment in their purchasing journey.

Recognizing this gap, QuickReply.ai introduces a new feature: Product Browsing and Add-to-Cart Abandonment Flows via WhatsApp. This feature empowers marketing teams to seamlessly retarget visitors on WhatsApp, even if they haven't added a product to their carts.

How It Works

Seamless Integration through QuickReply Shopify App

• Native Integration: The QuickReply Shopify app now includes critical permission, the Shopify Pixel, housing the JavaScript code that powers this feature. This extension is pivotal for tracking product browsing and add-to-cart activities.
• ‍Grant Permissions: For this feature to work, Shopify stores must accept two new permissions:
  1. Under Activity - Browsing Behaviour
  2. Edit Store Analytics - Pixels
• For existing QuickReply.ai users, just update your app settings to grant access.‍
• Speed and Security: The code is secure, efficient, and written according to Shopify's best practices. It promises unaltered site functionality.

Intelligent Event Trigger Mechanism

• Event streams in action - Product / Collection Browsing + Add-to-Cart: The feature monitors two key events -
  1. Browsing product or collection pages
  2. Adding items to the cart

• Rules to filter meaningful browsing vs accidental browsing: A minimum 15-second page browse activity qualifies as an engagement, filtering out accidental visits to ensure meaningful interactions. This duration is configurable, offering brands flexibility.

• Instant message Trigger for add-to-cart: QuickReply is notified the moment a product is added to the cart, setting the stage for timely re-engagement without delay.

Deciding the Right Moment for Re-marketing

QuickReply’s system tracks the user's last activity on the website when determining the right moment to initiate a WhatsApp drip campaign.

After a 15-minute period of inactivity, we utilize this final action—whether browsing a product or collection page or adding an item to the cart—as the definitive trigger for the campaign.

This approach ensures that marketing efforts are always grounded in the user's most recent interaction, providing a seamless and relevant re-engagement strategy.

Mapping the Journey from Browser to their WhatsApp Number

• Cookie to Communication: When we obtain a user's number via a WhatsApp Widget, Website Popup, or Shopify Checkout Cart, we place a 1st party cookie in their browser. This code tracks engagement across all the WhatsApp flows.
• Engagement Equals Connection: Any interaction with WhatsApp messages, especially when clicking a call-to-action button back to the site, links the user's browsing behavior to their WhatsApp number. This integration enables product/collection browsing and add-to-cart abandonment flows for that user.

The Impact on D2C E-commerce

This feature marks a significant leap forward for Shopify brands, offering a direct line to customers through one of the most widely used messaging platforms globally - WhatsApp.

WhatsApp Re-Marketing vs Google & Meta Re-Marketing Ads

WhatsApp's entry into the remarketing domain offers Shopify brands a fresh, highly effective channel for re-engaging potential customers. Let's explore how WhatsApp stands out against traditional channels like Google and Meta.

1. Cost-Effectiveness at its Best: Unlike the dynamic retargeting costs associated with Google and Meta, where bids can skyrocket during peak seasons, WhatsApp remarketing costs are fixed. This predictability in spending allows brands to plan more efficient campaigns without worrying about fluctuating expenses.
2. Achieving Superior ROAS: QuickrReply’s data analysis and online reports validate that while Meta and Google typically offer a 2-3X ROI on re-marketing campaigns, WhatsApp stands out as a remarkably effective channel, delivering an impressive 10X ROAS. These figures are not mere estimates but are grounded in the real-world performance metrics of QuickReply’s customers.
3. Prepare for a Cookie-less Future: Collecting and utilizing first-party data ensures brands remain competitive and compliant with privacy regulations and future-proofing marketing strategies.
4. Targeting a Person, not a Pixel: Targeting with WhatsApp is uniquely personal. You're reaching out directly to a known phone number, not just a digital identifier like a cookie. This direct line facilitates meaningful conversations, especially for high-value products, answering questions and guiding the purchase decision.
5. Revenue Attribution: With WhatsApp, you're not just collecting data; you get detailed analytics that matters. With contact-level revenue attribution, you can see exactly how your campaign spend translates into sales, ensuring your marketing budget is always an investment.

3 Use cases of this feature 

1. Recovering Lost Sales: By engaging customers interested in specific products, brands can now provide personalized offers, effectively nudging them towards completing their purchase.

  2. High AOV Brands Leveraging Sales Expertise: Brands with high Average Order Value (AOV) products can significantly benefit by deploying their sales teams to take over WhatsApp chats.

This direct interaction allows teams to address customer queries in real-time, offer detailed product information, and provide personalized advice. Such a hands-on approach enhances the customer's buying experience and increases the likelihood of converting inquiries into sales.

3. Gathering Feedback: For visitors who abandon their carts, a quick follow-up on WhatsApp can help brands gather valuable insights into why they did not proceed, enabling continuous improvement.

Why WhatsApp is your best bet for re-marketing in 2024

• Unmatched Open Rates: With an astonishing 98% open rate, WhatsApp dramatically outperforms email marketing's average open rate of 25%-35%. This increased visibility ensures that your message reaches your audience and gets noticed.
• Owning 1st-Party Data: As digital advertising faces tighter privacy regulations, the importance of first-party data becomes undeniable. WhatsApp enables brands to build and leverage their database of phone numbers, securing a valuable asset for future marketing efforts in a cookie-less world.
• Fostering Persistent Conversations: Traditional retargeting can feel disjointed, leading to fragmented customer experiences. WhatsApp creates a continuous dialogue, minimizing dissatisfaction and increasing the likelihood of conversion through persistent, engaging conversations.

Conclusion

‍QuickReply.ai's Product Browsing & Add-to-Cart Abandonment Flows via WhatsApp for Shopify Brands is more than just a feature; it's a strategic tool designed to empower e-commerce brands to captivate and convert their audience.

By embracing this innovative approach, brands can enjoy enhanced engagement, improved conversion rates, and a deeper connection with their customers. The future of e-commerce marketing is personalised, conversational, and WhatsApp-centric, and with QuickReply.ai, that future is here.