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Setting up SMS notifications

You can give your customers the option of entering a phone number at checkout instead of an email address. If you have SMS notifications set up, and if your business address is in a supported country, then customers who enter a phone number instead of an email address will receive their order confirmation by SMS to their mobile phone.

You can select what contact method customers can use at checkout from the Checkout and accounts page in your Shopify admin.

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Considerations for SMS notifications

Before setting up SMS notifications, review the following considerations:

  • A single order confirmation SMS notification is sent to a customer when there's no email address associated with the customer profile. Customers won't receive shipping notifications or other notification types by SMS. If you want to send more SMS updates to your customer for their order, then install a transactional SMS app from the Shopify App Store.
  • There is no cost to you when an SMS notification is sent. Standard message rates might still apply to your customers depending on their phone carrier.
  • SMS notifications are sent only when there's no email address available. If there's an email address associated with the customer, then an email is sent by default instead. Customers with an email address associated with their profile can't choose to have notifications sent by SMS instead.
  • SMS notifications can't be edited. The customer name, order number, and other specific details automatically update with the correct information. To customize SMS notifications, install a transactional SMS app from the Shopify App Store.
  • SMS notifications aren't supported for stores that sell CBD products. If you sell CBD products, then you can only set up email order and shipping notifications.
  • International customers might not receive an SMS message if they haven't included their international area code in their contact phone number when placing their order. Customer contact phone numbers should be formatted using the E.164 standard, for example +18005550123, to ensure that a customer receives their SMS notification.
  • Customers can't send a message to you in reply to an SMS notification.
  • Customers can't create a customer account using only a phone number. They need to enter an email address to create an account.
  • Customers can't use only a phone number to check out through Shop Pay.
  • You can't recover an abandoned checkout when the customer began checking out with a phone number.
  • Orders containing digital products support SMS notifications:
    • If a customer buys a digital gift card, then they receive an SMS notification with a link to their gift card.
    • If a customer buys a digital download, the link to the download will be available from the Thank you page of the checkout, which is linked to the order confirmation sent by SMS. However, because some digital downloads apps send separate emails, you should test your set up to confirm how your digital downloads send.

Supported countries for SMS notifications

SMS notifications are supported only when your business address is in one of the following countries:

  • Australia
  • Brazil
  • Canada
  • France
  • Germany
  • Ireland
  • Italy
  • Japan
  • New Zealand
  • Spain
  • United Kingdom
  • United States

If your business isn't in a supported country, then you can only offer email notifications to customers, or you must install a transactional SMS app from the Shopify App Store.

Considerations about SMS Sender IDs

Your store's SMS Sender ID (the sender name displayed on SMS messages from your store) is based on your store name in your general Store contact details settings. There are restrictions to how your SMS Sender ID displays to your customers:

  • All SMS Sender IDs longer than 11 characters are truncated.
  • SMS Sender IDs omit non-alphanumeric characters, such as spaces, punctuation, and special characters. For example, if your store's name is My Shopify Store then your SMS Sender ID displays as MyShopifySt.
  • Some countries and regions don't support dynamic SMS Sender IDs, in which case your store's numerical phone number displays as your SMS Sender ID instead.

Set up your customer’s SMS notification options

When a customer places an order using your store's checkout, they enter an email address by default. If you let customers check out using their phone number, then they can choose to enter either an email address or a phone number. If you have SMS notifications set up, then customers who enter a phone number instead of an email address will receive their order confirmation by SMS to their mobile phone when your business address is in a supported country.

When a customer enters a phone number, it's saved in their customer information. It's also used as the default shipping phone number. If you require your customers to enter an email addresses, then select the email-only option.

Steps:

Desktop

  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Checkout.

  2. In the Customer contact method section, select any of the following SMS settings:

    • To select phone or email check out, select Phone number or email.
    • To select email only, select Email.

  3. Click Save.

Mobile

  1. From the Shopify app, tap Menu, and then tap Settings Settings.

  2. In the Store settings section, tap Checkout.

  3. In the Customer contact method section, select any of the following SMS settings:

    • To select phone or email check out, select Phone number or email.
    • To select email only, select Email.

  4. Tap Save or ✓.

Deactivate Shopify SMS notifications

If you're using a third-party app to send custom order SMS notifications to your customers, then deactivate Shopify SMS notifications in your Shopify admin to avoid sending duplicate messages.

Steps:

Desktop

  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Notifications.

  2. Click Customer notifications.

  3. In the Order processing section, click Order confirmation.

  4. Click the SMS tab.

  5. In the Shopify order confirmation SMS section, click Deactivate.

  6. In the Deactivate Shopify SMS dialog, click Deactivate.

Mobile

  1. From the Shopify app, tap Menu, and then tap Settings Settings.

  2. In the Store settings section, tap Notifications.

  3. Tap Customer notifications.

  4. In the Order processing section, tap Order confirmation.

  5. Tap the SMS tab.

  6. In the Shopify order confirmation SMS section, tap Deactivate.

  7. In the Deactivate Shopify SMS dialog, tap Deactivate.