Before you get started with transactional journeys, it might be helpful to start with the basics: What are journeys?
Transactional journeys let you send subscribers messages about the status of their order or subscription. For example, you can send a message when a subscriber completes an order or their order has shipped, or to let them know that their subscription started.
You should know
- When you create a transactional journey, it automatically includes Attentive's template message copy. You can customize the copy to better suit your business needs. If you customize this copy, keep in mind that you’re responsible for ensuring that your transactional text messages don’t include marketing content.
- If you have access to developer resources, then you can also build custom journey triggers, greatly expanding the types of transactional journeys you can build and the messages you can send.
- If you're looking for guidance on how to write transactional message copy, be sure to check out Transactional message copy best practices.
- Best practice is to have separate opt-ins for promotional messages and transactional messages. You can collect promotional opt-ins with Attentive sign-up units, or with a separate checkbox during checkout (Shopify Plus only).
- Transactional messages follow standard Quiet Hours rules when quiet hours are toggled on.
- Transactional messages will still send during Smart Sending.
- If a subscriber who's subscribed to both promotional and transactional messages opts out of transactional messages, they're automatically opted out of both types of messages. Note that the opt-out rate for transactional messages is very low (.33%).
- Transactional messages are sent through your normal dedicated shortcode.
- You can send multiple transactional messages in a single journey, but keep in mind that each message within a journey uses the same trigger. If you want to let subscribers know both when their order ships and when it’s delivered, you’ll need to create two separate journeys.
Transactional vs. promotional text messages
There are different legal and carrier requirements for promotional messages and transactional/informational messages. Transactional messages, unlike promotional messages, have less stringent opt-in requirements and don't require double opt-in like promotional messages sent through Attentive.
However, transactional messages have strict requirements for what they can and can't include. Transactional messages:
- Must include content about the customer’s specific order, like their order number or a confirmation that a product shipped.
- Must not include promotional content of any kind. This includes discount codes, upselling, references to other products you offer, or any other kind of promotional content. Keep in mind that you’re responsible for ensuring that your transactional text messages don’t include
You can send transactional messages with these integrations:
Shopify and Shopify Plus transactional messages
Shopify triggers let you message subscribers when they interact with your Shopify store. Use the order shipped trigger to message subscribers when their order ships, the out for delivery trigger to message them when their order is about to be delivered, and so on. By default, Shopify journey triggers are transactional, which means you can’t use them for promotional messages.
Currently available Shopify triggers:
- Order Confirmed: Sent when a subscriber completes a purchase.
- Order Shipped: Sent when a subscriber’s order has shipped.
- Order Canceled: Sent when either you or a subscriber cancels their order.
- Order Delivered: Sent when an order is delivered to a subscriber.
- Order Out for Delivery: Sent when an order is out for delivery to a subscriber.
- Order Refunded: Sent when a subscriber is refunded for an order.
- Refund Failed: Sent when a refund fails.
- Shipment Canceled: Sent when either you or a subscriber cancels a shipment.
Before you can get started with Shopify and Shopify Plus transactional messages, first check out Set up transactional messages for Shopify and Shopify Plus integration.
ReCharge transactional messages
If you’re using ReCharge to handle subscriptions, you can build journeys based on the following triggers:
- Subscription Started: Sent when a subscription has started..
- Subscription Skipped: Sent when a subscriber skips a subscription period.
- Payment Failed: Sent when a payment fails.
AfterShip transactional messages
If you're using AfterShip for shipment tracking, you can build journeys based on the following triggers:
- AfterShip - Available for Pickup: Sent when a shipment has arrived at a pickup point and is ready for pickup.
- AfterShip - Delivered: Sent when a shipment has been delivered successfully.
- AfterShip - Delivery Attempt Failure: Sent when a carrier failed to deliver a shipment.
- AfterShip - Exception: Sent when a shipment is held at customs, returned to sender, or any other shipping exceptions.
- AfterShip - Expired: Sent when a shipment has had no tracking information for 30 days since it was added.
- AfterShip - In Transit: Sent when a carrier has picked up a shipment from a shipper.
- AfterShip - Info Received: Sent when a carrier has received shipment information and is on their way for pickup.
- AfterShip - Out for Delivery: Sent when a carrier is delivering a shipment.
Olo transactional messages
If you’re using Olo for order and delivery tracking, you can build journeys based on the following triggers:
- Olo - Courier Assigned: Message subscribers when a courier has been assigned to deliver their order.
- Olo - Order Cancelled: Message subscribers if their order was cancelled by the store or the customer.
- Olo - Order Confirmed: Message subscribers when the store accepts their delivery order.
- Olo - Order Delivered: Message subscribers when their order has been delivered.
- Olo - Order Out for Delivery: Message subscribers when their order is out for delivery.
Shopify and AfterShip
AfterShip behaves differently depending on whether you use Shopify. Specifically, this affects your customers’ opt-in process for receiving transactional text messages.
- If you’re using Shopify, the opt-in message is handled by Shopify.
- If you’re not using Shopify, the opt-in message process is event-based. Your customers are automatically opted in if their phone number is on AfterShip.
How to send promotional content in a transactional journey
While transactional text messages have strict rules for what can and cannot be included, you can add promotional messages to a transactional journey using a Subscription Type branch step.
The subscription type branch lets you send promotional messages to subscribers who opted in to promotional content, and transactional messages to subscribers who didn't opt in to promotional content. The subscription type branch step works similarly to the other branch steps.