Hey, it’s Chase and Jimmy!

Ever wonder what a really sophisticated abandoned cart SMS flow looks like?

Elemis has the playbook.

Instead of just sending a single “You left something behind” text, they roll out an 8-part sequence that layers urgency, exclusivity, social proof, and high-value incentives to pull shoppers back in.

But does layering all these tactics actually guarantee more carts converted, or just more noise in the inbox?

This morning we break down Elemis’ full SMS series: what works, where it falls short, and what your brand can borrow to improve abandoned cart performance.

Also inside:

✔️ Your New AI Teammate for Email & SMS
✔️ Scaling a broken checkout = scaling broken results
✔️ AI Power-Up: The Moment Mapper

Let’s jump in.

Your New AI Teammate for Email & SMS

Tired of digging through docs or second-guessing campaign ideas? Omnisend’s eCommerce Marketing Assistant gives you instant, expert answers to your toughest marketing questions.

Here’s what you’ll get:

• Real-time guidance on subject lines, flows, and deliverability

• A prompt library packed with pre-built campaign and automation ideas

• AI-powered insights tailored to your brand’s goals

It’s like having an email strategist on call 24/7, without the hourly rate.

Elemis’ Abandoned Cart SMS Series: How They Nudge Customers Toward Checkout

Elemis isn’t just sending reminders; they’re crafting a sequence that blends urgency, social proof, and layered incentives. Across multiple days, their SMS cadence works to pull shoppers back to checkout, while sprinkling in brand value and exclusivity.

Let’s break down the sequence, what’s working, and what other brands can take from it.

1. Welcome Offer + Perks

Focus: Greeting new subscribers with a discount and future value.

Elemis opens with a warm welcome and a 15% off incentive for first-time shoppers. Beyond the discount, the text promises long-term perks like early access to launches and exclusive deals.

Why This Works:
✅ Establishes immediate value (15% off) plus ongoing membership benefits.
✅ Sets expectations that this won’t just be a one-off deal - there’s continued reason to stay subscribed.
✅ Creates a “club” feel with access to perks others won’t get.

What Could Be Improved:
❌ The discount code and links could be visually simplified - multiple CTAs in one message may cause decision fatigue.
❌ No urgency tied to the offer; a time-based limit might drive faster conversions.

2. Social Proof + Personalization

Focus: Framing cart recovery with crowd validation.

Next, Elemis highlights that the shopper left the Superfood Facial Wash in their cart and reinforces interest by noting that 193 others recently viewed it.

Why This Works:
✅ Direct cart reference creates personalization and recall.
✅ Social proof (“193 people viewed”) builds credibility and FOMO.
✅ Discount incentive is reiterated to reduce friction.

What Could Be Improved:
❌ The social proof stat could feel stronger if framed as “193 bought” versus “viewed.”
❌ Message design is utilitarian - an emoji or brand voice flourish could lighten the tone.

3. High-Value Gift With Purchase

Focus: Upselling with a bonus.

Elemis shifts from cart recovery into gift-with-purchase strategy, offering a 5-piece skincare set (valued at $156) with orders over $200.

Why This Works:
✅ Elevates AOV by rewarding bigger purchases.
✅ Clearly communicates the retail value of the gift to enhance perceived savings.
✅ Adds excitement - free product feels like a luxury bonus.

What Could Be Improved:
❌ Doesn’t connect back to the abandoned cart item which could miss pulling that specific product into the purchase.
❌ The $200 threshold may alienate first-time or lower-spend customers.

4. Scarcity Layered In

Focus: Pushing urgency through product demand.

Elemis circles back to the Superfood Facial Wash, this time framing it as a hot seller: “1.2K people added this to their cart.” They also sweeten the deal with free ground shipping.

Why This Works:
✅ Scarcity and popularity combined makes the product feel in demand.
✅ Free shipping reduces a common conversion barrier.
✅ Repetition on the same SKU reinforces recall and desire.

What Could Be Improved:
❌ Could strengthen urgency by adding “before it sells out.”
❌ Risk of fatiguing customers by over-focusing on a single product.

5. Targeted Night Cream Offer

Focus: Specific product push + gift offer.

This message introduces the Pro-Collagen Night Cream (worth $98) as a complimentary gift with $145+ spend.

Why This Works:
✅ Narrows focus to a specific hero SKU, not just discounts.
✅ Clear threshold makes it easy to calculate the reward.
✅ Plays into “night shift” positioning, aligning with lifestyle needs.

What Could Be Improved:
❌ Could tie back to the shopper’s cart history for continuity.
❌ Copy feels more functional than emotional - an opportunity to emphasize indulgence/self-care.

6. Friends & Family Sale Invitation

Focus: Sitewide discount + exclusivity.

Elemis widens the funnel with a 25% off sitewide sale and a free Sea Change gift ($191 value) on orders $200+. Urgency is layered with scarcity: “Fewer than 2,000 available.”

Why This Works:
✅ Broad appeal - no cart product required to qualify.
✅ Scarcity with gift availability adds urgency.
✅ “You’re invited” language makes it feel exclusive.

What Could Be Improved:
❌ The higher $200 threshold may deter lower-AOV shoppers.
❌ Could risk distraction from the initial abandoned cart focus.

7. We’ve Missed You + Personal Upgrade

Focus: Re-engagement with personalization.

Elemis leans on emotional reactivation, stating, “We’ve missed you.” They frame the Friends & Family sale as 30% off just for you, positioning it as an upgrade over the general 25% offer.

Why This Works:
✅ Personal tone (“just for you”) feels special and human.
✅ Tiered discount strategy drives urgency to take advantage of exclusivity.
✅ Adds a free gift incentive to boost appeal.

What Could Be Improved:
❌ Could risk trust if shoppers realize many received similar “exclusive” offers.
❌ Messaging could better remind customers of their abandoned product.

8. Final Reminder: Offer Ending

Focus: Last-chance urgency.

The sequence closes with a final nudge “upgrade ends soon.” The 30% discount and free gift are reiterated with a strong time-based push.

Why This Works:
✅ Urgency is clear and motivating.
✅ Simple message keeps the focus on the core incentive.
✅ Strong closing cadence to convert fence-sitters.

What Could Be Improved:
❌ Could boost urgency further with a specific countdown (“ends in 12 hours”).
❌ Risk of fatigue if customers feel over-messaged.

So, What’s Working?

Smart Layering of Tactics: Elemis blends personalization, social proof, scarcity, and gift-with-purchase for a multi-angle persuasion strategy.

Escalating Incentives: Discounts evolve from 15% to 30% + free gifts, keeping customers engaged.

Consistent Cadence: Daily sends maintain momentum and keep Elemis top-of-mind.

But Here’s What’s Missing

Cart Continuity: Later texts drift away from the original cart item, missing chances to anchor the series around shopper intent.

Visual Proof: UGC, testimonials, or before/after transformations could make claims more believable.

CTA Variety: Links and codes repeat heavily, swapping in urgency-driven CTAs (“Claim Your Set,” “Unlock 30% Now”) could spark higher clicks.

Final Takeaway

Elemis’ abandoned cart SMS series is more than reminders it’s a layered sales funnel compressed into text messages. By combining discounts, urgency, and exclusivity, they steadily raise the stakes to convert hesitant shoppers.

With tweaks to personalization, content variety, and CTA freshness, this series could shift from “strong” to unmissable in the inbox.

Scaling a broken checkout = scaling broken results

Most brands focus on top-of-funnel growth.

But here’s the truth: the biggest bottleneck is usually at the bottom.

📉 Checkout friction that kills conversions
📉 Failed payments with no backup plan
📉 Data scattered across five tools, making optimization guesswork

Sticky.io is built to stop growth from leaking:

✅ Boost CVR + AOV with upsells, order bumps, and faster checkout flows
✅ Recover revenue automatically with smart retries + cascading payments
✅ Run smarter campaigns from one CRM with affiliate tracking + churn insights

Scaling isn’t just about sending more traffic.

It’s about making sure every click, cart, and customer turns into revenue.

→ See how Sticky.io helps brands scale with confidence.

🙃 Meme Drop

It's the most wonderful time of the yearrrr (to hit those revenue goals)

 🤖 AI Power-Up: The Moment Mapper

Most brands only plan for the obvious lifecycle moments:

Welcome. Post-purchase. Winback.

But your customers live much bigger lives than your flows suggest. AI can help you zoom out and find the overlooked moments that spark buying decisions.

Here’s how to map them:

1. List your products and audience demographics.

2. → Example: “We sell skincare products to women 25–40.”

3. Drop that into ChatGPT and prompt:

4. “Suggest 5 unique customer ‘moments’ (life events, seasonal shifts, or daily routines) when my products would be especially relevant. Pair each with a campaign idea that feels timely and personal.”

5. AI will surface patterns like:

   • Routine shifts: “Back-to-office after summer break” → Campaign: ‘Desk-side skincare essentials’

   • Lifestyle triggers: “Half-marathon training season” → Campaign: ‘Your post-run skin recovery kit’

   • Seasonal cues: “First cold snap of fall” → Campaign: ‘Hydration heroes for dry air’

The result: Instead of blasting predictable promos, you start showing up in the exact moments your customers need you most. It feels personal, timely, and impossible to ignore.

Annnnd that’s a wrap for this edition! 

Thanks for hanging with Chase and me. Always a pleasure to have you here.

If you found this newsletter helpful (or even just a little fun), don’t keep it to yourself! Share ecomemailmarketer.com with your favorite DTC marketer. Let’s get them on board so they don’t miss next week’s drops.

Remember: Do shit you love.

🤘 Jimmy Kim & Chase Dimond

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