Cart and browsing
Abandoned cart WhatsApp templates
Product photos, carousels and copy-code buttons that bring shoppers back to a saved cart.
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WhatsApp templates
Ecommerce WhatsApp Message Templates
WhatsApp messages with product images, buttons and copy codes, written to pass Meta's review and shown the way they land in the chat, on iPhone and Android.
Imagesbuttons and codes
Metareview ready
Copyin one tap
WhatsApp messages by moment
Showing 3 template pages
Cart and browsing
Browse abandonment WhatsApp templates
Follow-ups for products someone viewed but never added, from fit guides to one-tap questions.
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Cart and browsing
Back-in-stock WhatsApp templates
Restock alerts for the size, colour or product a shopper asked you to watch.
See the messages →
Anatomy of a WhatsApp template
Four parts, each with its own limits
Every WhatsApp message template is built from the same four components. Knowing the limits before you write saves a rejected submission.
1Header
Optional. Text up to 60 characters, or an image, video or document.
3Footer
Optional, up to 60 characters. The usual home for the opt-out line.
12342Body
Up to 1,024 characters. Supports *bold*, _italic_ and ~strikethrough~, plus variables.
4Buttons
Up to 10 in total: quick replies, up to two links, one phone number and one copy-code button. Labels up to 25 characters.
Before you send
The rules every WhatsApp template has to follow
Meta reviews every template before it can start a conversation. These are the checks behind every message in this library.
- Get opt-in before the first business-initiated message, and make it clear it covers WhatsApp.
- Choose the right category. Marketing, utility and authentication templates are reviewed and priced differently.
- Give a realistic sample for every variable when you submit the template.
- Keep button labels under 25 characters and let people stop promotions with one tap.
- Outside the 24-hour window after a customer's last message, only approved templates can be sent.
Choosing the channel
WhatsApp or SMS: which to use for which message
Most stores need both. WhatsApp carries the rich, interactive messages; SMS reaches everyone, instantly, with no app required.
Best for: rich offers, carts, delivery booking, support
- Needs approval before sending
- Yes, every template is reviewed by Meta
- Images, documents and carousels
- Built in
- Buttons
- Up to 10 per message
- Length
- Up to 1,024 characters in the body
- Needs an app
- Two-way conversation
- Native, with a 24-hour service window
SMS
Best for: urgent, short, universal reach
- Needs approval before sending
- No, but carriers filter unregistered traffic
- Images, documents and carousels
- Images via MMS, no documents or carousels
- Buttons
- None, replies are typed
- Length
- 160 characters per segment, 70 with emoji
- Needs an app
- No, works on every phone
- Two-way conversation
- Yes, by reply
Let Zefir write, approve and send every message for you
Zefir runs WhatsApp and SMS as one channel, built and operated for you, with every order attributed to the message that produced it. Live within 72 hours.
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$530M+WhatsApp attributed revenue
12 to 15%average revenue lift per order
FAQ
Questions about WhatsApp message templates
What is an ecommerce WhatsApp message template?
A WhatsApp message template is a pre-approved message a store uses to start a conversation, such as an order update or a back-in-stock alert, with variables filled in for each customer. Zefir writes, submits and runs these templates for you, so they go live without your team managing Meta's review.
Do WhatsApp message templates need approval?
Yes, every WhatsApp message template must be approved by Meta before a business can use it to start a conversation. Zefir handles template submission and approval as part of the service, so templates like these go live without you managing the review.
What is the difference between marketing and utility templates?
Utility templates cover updates a customer expects, like order and shipping messages, while marketing templates cover offers and promotions, and Meta reviews and prices the two differently. Zefir chooses the category for every template as part of the service, so you never have to learn the rules yourself.
What can a WhatsApp template include?
A template can have a header with text, an image, a video or a document, a body of up to 1,024 characters, a footer and up to 10 buttons. Zefir designs each one around the parts that sell, like product photos and copy-code buttons, within Meta's limits.
Keep reading
WhatsApp Marketing for Ecommerce in 2026How ecommerce brands use WhatsApp to sell, support and retain.SMS Marketing for Ecommerce: Still the Highest-ROI Channel in 2026Why SMS still earns its place, and where it fits next to WhatsApp.Abandoned Cart Recovery for EcommerceThe full playbook for winning back abandoned checkouts.Email vs WhatsApp vs SMS for EcommerceWhich channel converts best, message by message.