How to recover abandoned carts on WhatsApp with AI

To recover abandoned carts over WhatsApp, first confirm that you have permission to contact the person and gather reliable information about their purchase. The agent can answer questions and help them continue the process if it has the necessary data and functions. If it cannot confirm an answer, it should pass the conversation to a person.

In summary:

• Before messaging someone who abandons a cart, check that you have permission to contact them over WhatsApp.
• The follow-up message should identify the pending purchase and offer a clear way to continue or ask for help.
• The agent should answer using information confirmed by the store and pass the conversation to a person if it cannot resolve the question.
• To re-engage customers, tailor the message to the context and offer a way to stop receiving messages.

Follow-up depends on the data and actions available in each store. See how it works in the e-commerce vertical.

What information do you need to recover an abandoned cart via WhatsApp?

To send a useful follow-up, identify the pending cart and gather reliable information about the products and the purchase status. Also prepare a way for the customer to resume the process. Do not assume the agent can access this information: it depends on the data and features available through the store integration.

At a minimum, check that the context includes the product names and, where relevant, their variants and quantities. Also verify whether the cart is still pending or whether the purchase has been completed or cancelled. This reduces the risk of sending an outdated message or referring to items the customer can no longer buy.

Prepare a link to return to the cart only if the store can generate or retrieve it reliably. Check the UTIO WhatsApp agent and confirm what information it can receive from your store before designing the follow-up. If you cannot verify the status or the link, do not present them as confirmed. Offer the customer a way to ask for help instead.

What should you check before contacting a customer on WhatsApp?

Before contacting a customer, verify and document their permission to receive WhatsApp messages. Check the current WhatsApp Business rules and how data protection requirements apply to your situation. If you are unsure about any of these points, pause the messages and request a review before activating follow-up.

Check that the permission covers the type of message you want to send. Do not assume that agreeing to receive purchase updates also authorizes marketing messages. Record when and how permission was obtained, and respect any preferences the person expresses later.

Review the current WhatsApp Business rules before starting conversations from your business. Do not reuse messages or templates without checking that they are still valid. If you cannot contact someone on WhatsApp, do not assume you can switch channels: check that you have the required permission before using the UTIO email agent. This guidance does not replace a legal review of your situation.

How can an AI agent help complete a purchase?

An AI agent can help complete a purchase if it has reliable context about the cart and the functions it needs to respond. It can then answer questions using approved information and offer the available next step, without making up prices, stock availability, discounts or order status.

To design the flow, define what information the agent can access and what actions it is allowed to take. Availability depends on the store integration: do not assume the agent can retrieve the cart or generate a purchase link.

• The message identifies the pending purchase using the available details.
• The agent answers questions using information approved by the store.
• If it can provide a link to continue, it offers one; if not, it explains how to proceed.
• If it cannot confirm a detail, it passes the conversation to a person.

Studio lets you create an agent by reading your website, but this does not confirm that the agent can access store data. Check which integration and functions your process needs before activating it.

How can you re-engage customers on WhatsApp without sending generic messages?

To re-engage customers on WhatsApp without sending generic messages, treat follow-up on an abandoned cart separately from communication after a purchase. In each case, use only the context available, respect recorded permissions and preferences, and offer an action that fits the situation, such as resuming the purchase or asking for help.

For an abandoned cart, the message can identify the product or remind the customer that they have not completed their purchase, as long as those details are confirmed. For a previous customer, use available information about their relationship with the store. Do not assume what they need or attribute interests they have not shown.

Before sending, check that the contact can receive the message and that the channel allows it. If they have said they do not want further communications, record that preference and exclude them from future follow-ups. To guide the design of the process, you can consult UTIO’s published examples, without assuming they describe this specific flow.

When should the agent hand the conversation over to a person?

The agent should hand the conversation over to a person when it cannot confirm an order detail, the query involves an exception or issue, or answering requires a decision that is not covered by its instructions. This prevents it from completing the purchase based on assumptions and leaves the case with your team.

Decide in advance which queries need human intervention. These could include a discrepancy in the order, a delivery problem or a request the agent cannot verify. Tell the agent not to promise changes, refunds or special terms without approval.

The handover should give the customer a clear way to continue and pass the available context to your team: who is contacting you, what they need and what the agent has said. Your store should decide who receives the case and how the customer is notified. Do not assume that transferring the conversation is available until you have confirmed the integration. If you also handle customer issues, you can review how to set up a customer support flow.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need to offer a discount to recover an abandoned cart?

No. You can follow up without offering a discount. The message can remind the customer which purchase they left unfinished and offer help with continuing. If you decide to include a promotion, confirm its terms, validity period and how it applies before communicating it. The agent must not promise a discount the store has not approved.

Can a WhatsApp agent change the cart or complete the purchase?

It depends on the integration and the features the store enables. Do not assume the agent can add products, change quantities or complete payment. If it cannot perform those actions, it can guide the customer using confirmed information and provide the available way to resume the purchase.

Which metrics should you review to see whether follow-up is working?

Check how many conversations get a reply, how many lead to a visit or click on the purchase link, and how many result in a purchase, if you can attribute it to the follow-up. Also track opt-out requests and conversations the agent hands over to a person. Decide in advance how you will measure each figure.

Can you re-engage a previous customer on WhatsApp?

Yes, if the store has permission to send that type of communication and respects the customer’s preferences. Re-engaging previous customers is not the same as reminding them about an unfinished cart: the message should relate to a relevant purchase or need and provide a clear way to stop receiving communications.

See how UTIO approaches AI agents for online stores.

Sources

• Casos de clientes de UTIO — utio.io
• Agente de WhatsApp de UTIO — utio.io