Too Long? Read This First ● Connect your store in Ecomm+. The WooCommerce WhatsApp integration starts with REST API keys that you paste into AiSensy. ● Send carts to AiSensy with a webhook. Install the free Cart Abandonment Recovery plugin and paste your AiSensy webhook URL into it. ● Switch on the flows. Turn on the Abandoned Cart Flow and the Order Flow in Ecomm+. WooCommerce supports one abandoned cart message per cart. |
Are you tired of watching shoppers fill your WooCommerce checkout and leave without paying?
Most of them were close to buying. They got distracted, compared prices or planned to come back later. Then they forgot.
WooCommerce abandoned cart notifications on WhatsApp bring them back with one short reminder and a link to their checkout.
The gap is large. Baymard Institute puts the average documented cart abandonment rate at 70.22%, across 50 studies.
This guide shows you how to set up the WooCommerce WhatsApp integration with AiSensy and switch on the reminder, one step at a time.
What is a WooCommerce abandoned cart notification on WhatsApp
It is an automated WhatsApp message sent to a shopper who started checkout on your WooCommerce store but did not place the order.
The message reminds them about the cart and links back to their checkout page.
WooCommerce cannot send it by itself. You need a WooCommerce WhatsApp integration built on the official WhatsApp Business API (Application Programming Interface), through a provider such as AiSensy.
How the WooCommerce WhatsApp integration works
Two connections make the integration work. Each one does a different job.
The REST API keys let AiSensy read your store and orders. The webhook tells AiSensy when a cart is abandoned.
You need both. Without the webhook, AiSensy never hears about the cart.
What you need before you start
Keep these five things ready before you set up the WooCommerce WhatsApp integration.
| Requirement | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| WordPress admin access | You will add a user, create API keys and install a plugin |
| WhatsApp Business API on AiSensy | Automated reminders need the official API, not the WhatsApp Business app. See the WhatsApp Business API guide |
| Cart Abandonment Recovery for WooCommerce | A free plugin by Brainstorm Force that tracks carts and sends them out by webhook |
| Phone number field at checkout | The reminder only reaches shoppers who entered a number, ideally with the country code |
| One approved template | Business-initiated WhatsApp messages must use a template that Meta has approved. You pick one in AiSensy |
How to generate WooCommerce REST API keys
AiSensy connects to your store through the WooCommerce REST API (Representational State Transfer Application Programming Interface). First, you create a WordPress user for AiSensy. Then you create API keys for that user.
In WordPress: Users → Add New → Create user → WooCommerce → Settings → Advanced → REST API → Add Key
Step 1: Add AiSensy as a user
In your WordPress dashboard, open Users and click Add New.
Step 2: Enter the user details
Use these exact values, then click Add New User.
Username: AiSensy
Email: cloud.aisensy@gmail.com
First Name: AiSensy
Role: Shop Manager
Step 3: Open the REST API screen
Go to WooCommerce → Settings → Advanced → REST API. Click Add Key.
Step 4: Create the key
Fill in these fields and click Generate API Key.
Description: AiSensy
User: the AiSensy user you just created
Permissions: Read/Write
Step 5: Copy both keys
WooCommerce now shows a Consumer Key and a Consumer Secret.
You see them only once. Save both before you leave the page.
How to connect WooCommerce with AiSensy
Step 1: Open Ecomm+
Log in to AiSensy, open Ecomm+ and click Store setup under WooCommerce.
Step 2: Enter your store credentials
Fill in four fields, then click Connect.
Shop Name: your store name, for example Flipkart
Shop URL: your full domain, for example https://yourshopname.com
Consumer Key and Consumer Secret: the keys from the previous section
Step 3: Check the status
If the details are right, your store shows as Connected. The first half of your WooCommerce WhatsApp integration is done.
Not connected? Check the Shop URL first. Enter it exactly as your store loads in the browser, with https and no extra path.
How to send abandoned carts to AiSensy
The store connection covers orders. Abandoned carts need one more link: a webhook URL inside the Cart Abandonment Recovery plugin.
In WordPress: Plugins → Add New → Cart Abandonment Recovery → WooCommerce → Cart Abandonment → Settings
Step 1: Install the plugin
In WordPress, go to Plugins → Add New. Search for Cart Abandonment Recovery for WooCommerce, install it and activate it.
Step 2: Copy your webhook URL from AiSensy
In AiSensy, go to Ecomm+ → WooCommerce store and copy the webhook URL.
Step 3: Open the plugin settings
In WordPress, hover over WooCommerce and click Cart Abandonment. Open Settings.
Can't see Cart Abandonment? Reinstall the plugin.
Step 4: Adjust tracking and email settings
Untick every option under Disable Tracking For. This tracks every cart.
Tick every option under Exclude email sending for. This stops the plugin from sending its own recovery emails.
Step 5: Paste the webhook and save
Scroll down and turn on Webhook. Paste the AiSensy webhook URL into the Webhook URL field and click Save Changes.
Good to know: The plugin captures contact details once a shopper starts filling the checkout form. Carts dropped before checkout carry no phone number, so they can't get a WhatsApp reminder.
How to switch on the abandoned cart flow
In the AiSensy dashboard: Ecomm+ → Abandoned Cart Flow → Abandoned Cart 1 → Select template → Map values → Enable
Step 1: Get a template approved
Pick an abandoned cart message from the library under Setup Messages, or submit your own.
Meta still decides whether a template is approved. The WhatsApp template message guide covers the rules.
A simple version looks like this:
Hi {{1}}, your cart is still waiting for you.
Order value: Rs {{2}}
Pick up right where you left off.Complete Order
This is an illustrative message. Replace the wording with your own brand voice.
Step 2: Open the flow
Go to Ecomm+ → Abandoned Cart Flow. Click the pencil icon next to Abandoned Cart 1 and select your approved template.
Step 3: Map the cart details
Link each placeholder to a WooCommerce attribute. Each shopper then sees their own cart details.
| Placeholder | AiSensy attribute | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
| {{1}} | $FirstName | Shopper's first name |
| {{2}} | $WOOCOMMERCE_OrderAmount | Cart value |
| {{3}} (button) | $WOOCOMMERCE_CheckoutUrl | Link back to the shopper's checkout |
More attributes, such as $WOOCOMMERCE_LineItems, are listed in the AiSensy tags and attributes doc.
Step 4: Set the delay and enable the flow
Choose how long after abandonment the reminder goes out. Then turn the flow on.
AiSensy's setup guide says a correctly configured flow helps WooCommerce stores recover 25 to 40% of abandoned carts. Your results depend on your products, prices and timing.
How to test your setup
- Open your store in a private browser window and add a product to the cart.
- At checkout, enter your name and your WhatsApp number with the country code.
- Close the tab without placing the order.
- Wait for the plugin cut-off time plus your AiSensy delay.
- Check the name, the amount and the button link in the message you receive.
Testing? Set a short delay first. Raise it to your real setting once the message arrives correctly.
What to know before you go live
- One reminder per cart. AiSensy's WooCommerce flow supports a single abandoned cart message.
- It is a Marketing message. A cart is not a completed purchase, so Meta classifies the reminder as Marketing. Collect marketing opt-in at checkout and check per-message rates on the AiSensy pricing page.
- Phone format matters. Numbers without a country code may not deliver. Add a country code selector at checkout.
- Not every shopper is reachable. Only carts with a phone number get a reminder. It does not recover every abandoned cart.
How to fix common setup issues
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Store does not show Connected | Shop URL format or wrong keys | Use https://yourdomain.com and regenerate keys if needed |
| Cart Abandonment menu is missing | Plugin did not install cleanly | Deactivate, delete and reinstall the plugin |
| No WhatsApp message arrives | Webhook off, not saved or flow disabled | Paste the webhook again, save it and check the flow toggle in Ecomm+ |
| Some shoppers never get it | No phone number or no country code | Make the phone field required and capture the country code |
| Button opens the wrong page | Button variable mapped to the wrong attribute | Map it to $WOOCOMMERCE_CheckoutUrl |
| Shoppers also get recovery emails | Plugin emails still active | Tick every option under Exclude email sending for |
What else the integration handles
The same store connection runs the Order Flow in Ecomm+. It covers four WooCommerce events: Order Confirmed, Order Cancelled, Order Fulfilled and Order Delivered.
Each message triggers when you mark the matching status in WooCommerce. If your store does not have that status, create it manually. Otherwise, that message will not fire.
Running COD (Cash on Delivery) orders too? Pair this flow with RTO (Return to Origin) reduction on WhatsApp.
Conclusion
A WooCommerce abandoned cart reminder on WhatsApp needs three connections: REST API keys to link your store, a webhook to send abandoned carts, and one approved template for the reminder.
Set up the keys in Ecomm+, paste the AiSensy webhook into the Cart Abandonment Recovery plugin, then switch on the flow with a short delay. Test the full path with your own number before you go live.
Start with one reminder, check how many carts it brings back, and adjust the delay from there.
Ready to bring your WooCommerce shoppers back?
FAQs
Q. Can WooCommerce send WhatsApp messages on its own?
No. WooCommerce has no built-in WhatsApp messaging. You need a WhatsApp integration through a provider such as AiSensy, plus REST API keys and a cart abandonment webhook.
Q. Which plugin does AiSensy use to track WooCommerce abandoned carts?
Q. How many abandoned cart messages can I send from WooCommerce?
One. The WooCommerce abandoned cart flow in AiSensy supports a single reminder per cart, so choose the delay and the message carefully.
Q. Why didn't a shopper get the abandoned cart message?
Check four things: a missing or badly formatted phone number, a webhook that is off or not saved, a template that is not yet approved, or a flow that is still switched off in Ecomm+.
Q. Does the plugin track carts if the shopper never reaches checkout?
No. The plugin captures contact details once the shopper starts filling the checkout form. Without a phone number, the store cannot send a WhatsApp reminder.
Q. Is an abandoned cart message Utility or Marketing?
Marketing. A cart is not a completed purchase, so Meta classifies the reminder as a Marketing message. Utility messages cover updates on orders the customer has already placed.
Q. Do I need coding skills to connect WooCommerce with AiSensy?
No. You create a user, generate API keys, paste them into Ecomm+, install one plugin and paste one webhook URL. Everything happens in WordPress and the AiSensy dashboard.
Q. What if I lose my WooCommerce Consumer Secret?
WooCommerce shows the keys only once. Generate a new key pair from WooCommerce, Settings, Advanced, REST API, then enter the new keys in AiSensy.
Q. Can the same integration send order updates?
Yes. The Order Flow in Ecomm+ covers Order Confirmed, Order Cancelled, Order Fulfilled and Order Delivered messages. It is built for prepaid orders.
Q. How long after abandonment should the reminder go out?
You set the delay inside the AiSensy flow. With only one reminder available, start with one to a few hours, then compare recovered orders and adjust.