Maximizing Subscriber Collection at Shopify Checkout

A shopper who is finalizing a purchase is already engaged. This is the perfect moment to encourage them to subscribe to your SMS channel for exclusive offers and news about your store. 47% of subscribers will sign up for texts during the checkout process, so it’s an essential tool for growing your subscriber list. By using our best practices and recommendations, you can maximize your subscriber collection and improve customer experience with SMS opt-in during Shopify checkout.

This article provides a step-by-step guide to see your highest subscriber collection from Shopify checkout, based on our proven best practices for checkout optimization.

Step 1: Enable SMS opt-in during checkout

When completing a purchase, a customer can be presented with the option to subscribe to receive texts from your brand - for exclusive offers and sales, new releases, and more. By selecting this opt-in box, they will be added to your SMS subscriber list. 

You can enable the checkout opt-in from your Shopify Settings. Go to Checkout, scroll to the Consent for marketing section, and tick the SMS marketing checkbox. 

Step 2: Customize your sign-up with a top-converting message 

Shopify’s default settings and text for the following fields are automatically set, and merchants can use them as they are. However, to see your highest subscriber growth, we strongly recommend customizing these areas with best practices for top-converting opt-in languages.

To do this, scroll down to Checkout Language and click on the Manage checkout language button. 

 You can also get there from your Shopify Admin. Go to Online Store → Themes → Actions → Edit Languages → Checkout.

Once in the Language settings, type “sms” in the Filter items bar to quickly locate the fields we want to customize. 

The default “accept SMS checkbox” label message is Text me with news and offers. We recommend changing it to one of the following top-converting types of call to action instead:

• An offer for exclusive information and perks: Receive updates & offers via SMS and gain access to new product launches, inspo & more!
• A message customized for your brand: Join our VIP (Very Inclusive Perfume) SMS list for early access to our best deals and new arrivals!
• A general call to action: Sign up for our SMS list and be the first to receive exclusive updates about sales, discounts, and more!
• A message with a discount offer: Sign me up for SMS updates to unlock 20% off my next order!

Step 3: Add a Phone Number for Shipping to make SMS sign-up faster 

Make opting into SMS faster for customers by including a Shipping address phone number field during checkout. Now, when shoppers click the checkbox to opt-in to your SMS marketing, their shipping address and phone number will autofill the Mobile phone number field, making it even easier for them to sign up to text with you.

To set this up, go to the Checkout settings, scroll to the Customer information section, and under Shipping address phone number, select Optional. 

Step 4: Add a Pop-up after Purchase

If customers have skipped the opt-in during checkout, you can provide one more reminder to get them to sign up for your SMS list by offering order updates via SMS. Here, your customers can sign up to receive transactional texts, as well as marketing offers. Here’s an example!

1. First, you must create your Post-purchase Pop-up in the SMS & Email app. To do so, go to Subscriber Collection, then select Pop-up. Customize your Pop-up to fit your style preferences. We recommend that you use a prompt to “Track your Order” and add detail underneath about receiving shipping updates and exclusive offers.
   
2. Now you must set up the pop-up so that it appears only on your Thank You page! Configure behavioral settings for the pop-up to appear only on this page by doing the following: Navigate to Behavior in the Pop-up Editor, and Add an Advanced Condition. Select “Part of URL” and write “thank_you” in the field provided.

3. This pop-up will only show with URLs ending in thank_you, prompting customers to subscribe after making a purchase from you!

Now that you have customers opting in for shipping updates, as well as your regular marketing messages, we need to set up Shipping Confirmation texts if you do not have them set up already. This will automatically send Shipping Updates so that customers can track their orders. 

1. Navigate to Create Flow > Transactional Flows > Shipping Confirmation. 
2. Update the message to match your brand’s voice, if needed.

Every time an order is shipped, your SMS subscribers will receive updates via text.

Conclusion

Now that you have optimized your Shopify checkout with our best practices and recommendations, here is an example of what your final checkout should look like: 

Don’t forget to set up a Welcome automation so that you can send a text to your new subscribers and make a great first impression.