Abandoned cart SMS in the UK: a simple compliance guide for Shopify stores

Abandoned cart texts work well, but in the UK they count as electronic marketing. That means they're covered by PECR (the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations) and UK GDPR. Here's what that means in practice. This is general guidance, not legal advice.

1. Get consent at checkout

Only text customers who agreed to receive marketing messages. In Shopify, turn on the SMS marketing consent checkbox at checkout. Don't pre-tick it.

2. Say who you are

Every message should make it clear it's from your brand.

3. Make opting out easy, and honour it immediately

Tell customers they can reply STOP. When someone does, stop messaging them straight away and keep a record so they're never texted again.

4. Don't over-message

One message and, at most, one follow-up for each abandoned cart is reasonable. Repeated texts annoy customers and lead to complaints.

5. Respect quiet hours

Avoid texting late at night or early in the morning, based on the customer's local time.

6. Handle data responsibly

Keep phone numbers and conversations secure, only for as long as you need them, and delete them when customers ask.

How Auto Recover handles this for you

Auto Recover only texts customers whose Shopify consent says yes, checks that consent on every send, honours STOP immediately and permanently, enforces quiet hours, and sends no more than one follow-up per cart.

Start your 7-day free trial. You choose when recovery switches on.