Quick answer
What is business messaging for E-commerce & Retail?
E-commerce messaging is the set of SMS, WhatsApp, RCS and voice messages an online store sends from order to delivery and beyond: order confirmations, COD confirmation, shipping updates, cart recovery and sale campaigns. Service updates can go 24×7; offers follow India's promotional rules.
Last updated: 21 October 2026
Online stores and retail chains message customers at every step: confirming orders, cutting fake COD orders, updating deliveries and bringing shoppers back for the next sale. The right channel at each step lowers returns and lifts repeat purchases.
Key facts
- ✓Order, shipping and delivery updates are service implicit messages under DLT and reach DND numbers.
- ✓Promotional SMS in India must use a 6-digit numeric header and can only be sent between 10 AM and 9 PM.
- ✓WhatsApp marketing messages need the customer's opt-in and a Meta-approved marketing template.
- ✓Meta bills WhatsApp marketing templates at a higher per-message rate than utility templates in India.
- ✓RCS messages fall back to SMS automatically on phones that don't support RCS.
The E-commerce & Retail messaging journey
- 1
Order placed
Confirm the order instantly by SMS and WhatsApp with the order number.
- 2
COD confirmation
Ask cash-on-delivery customers to confirm by WhatsApp reply or a keypress on a voice call.
- 3
Shipping & delivery
Send shipped, out-for-delivery and delivered updates with a tracking link.
- 4
Win-back
Recover abandoned carts and announce sales with WhatsApp, RCS carousels or promotional SMS.
E-commerce & Retail use cases by moment
| When | Message | Channel |
|---|---|---|
| Order placed | Confirmation with order ID and tracking link | SMS + WhatsApp |
| COD order | Confirm before dispatch: reply YES or press 1 | WhatsApp or voice OBD |
| Shipped / out for delivery | Status with delivery window | SMS or WhatsApp |
| Delivery failed | Reschedule link or keypress | WhatsApp, voice |
| Cart abandoned | Reminder with product image and buy button | WhatsApp or RCS |
| Sale launch | Offer to opted-in customers | RCS carousel, promotional SMS |
Which channel for what
Sample message templates
Examples in DLT format, where each {#var#} is filled in when the message is sent. Register your own wording on DLT before sending; we review templates during onboarding.
- Hi {#var#}, your order {#var#} for Rs {#var#} is confirmed. Track it here: {#var#} - {#var#}
- Your order {#var#} is out for delivery today. Keep Rs {#var#} ready for cash on delivery. - {#var#}
- We missed you! Your order {#var#} could not be delivered. Reschedule: {#var#} - {#var#}
- {#var#} Sale is live! Flat {#var#}% off on {#var#}. Shop now: {#var#} T&C apply. - {#var#}
Compliance for E-commerce & Retail
- Keep service updates free of offers; adding a discount turns a message promotional and changes its route, header and allowed hours.
- Collect WhatsApp opt-in at checkout or in your app, and honour opt-outs immediately.
- The Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020 require clear information to buyers; make sure delivery and return messages match your published policies.
Metrics to track
- COD confirmation rate and RTO (return-to-origin) rate
- Failed-delivery reschedule rate
- Cart recovery revenue per message sent
- Click-through rate by channel (SMS vs WhatsApp vs RCS)
- Opt-out rate after campaigns
How to get started
- 1
Share your use case
Tell us which messages you send, on which channels, and your monthly volume.
- 2
Register on DLT
We help you register your entity, headers and templates; WhatsApp and RCS senders are set up in parallel.
- 3
Test
Send test messages from the panel or with sandbox API keys.
- 4
Go live
Start sending and track every message with live delivery reports.
E-commerce & Retail FAQs
Can a sale message go on a transactional route?
No. Offers are promotional: they need a promotional template, a numeric header and must be sent between 10 AM and 9 PM.
How do we reduce fake COD orders?
Ask for confirmation before dispatch, by WhatsApp reply or an automated call where the customer presses 1 to confirm.
Which channel works best for abandoned carts?
WhatsApp or RCS for customers who opted in, since they show product images and buttons; SMS as a fallback.
Is WhatsApp or SMS better for order updates?
Use both: WhatsApp for customers who opted in, since it shows images and buttons, and SMS for everyone else so no update is missed.
How fast should a cart reminder go out?
Most stores send the first reminder within an hour and a second within a day. Send only to customers who agreed to receive marketing messages.
Can we send festive sale messages at night?
Not by promotional SMS, which is limited to 10 AM to 9 PM. Schedule campaigns inside that window.
Does RCS work on iPhones in India?
RCS support depends on the phone and operator. Messages to phones without RCS fall back to SMS automatically, so every customer still receives them.
Can customers reply to order updates?
On WhatsApp, yes. On SMS, only if you send from a long code set up for two-way messaging.