Hey, it's Chase and Jimmy here.

SMS has one of the highest ROI channels in ecommerce right now – 90%+ open rates, responses in minutes, direct line to every customer who opted in.

And yet, most brands still treat it like a shorter version of their email program. Same promos, same timing, same approach.

If you wanna make money moves with SMS, it’s all about using it at strategic moments when urgency, speed, and directness actually matter.

It's not about volume. It's about knowing when SMS does the job better than any other channel.

Today we're breaking down 8 SMS plays you're probably missing and how to use them without burning out your list.

Also inside:
✔️ If you manage multiple brands, Omnisend just saved you hours of rebuild work
✔️ Inside the send: How Supergoop built a Mother's Day gift guide that actually feels like Supergoop
✔️ Quick clips: This week's top eCom news stories

Let’s dive in.

If you manage multiple brands, Omnisend just saved you hours of rebuild work.

Omnisend's latest updates tackle the biggest pain point for agencies and multi-brand operators: rebuilding the same assets across every store because copying them was slow, incomplete, or just not possible. This release fixes that; and adds smarter segmentation, server-side tracking, and API expansions for the data-heavy crowd.

What's new:

• Bulk copy forms, campaigns, templates, and automations across multiple brands in one action instead of rebuilding each time

• Build a templated agency account as a central library for your best campaigns, forms, and automations; then apply them to new clients instantly

• Set access management per team member so staff only see the client accounts they should

• Use total spend and AOV filters to build proper VIP segments and target high spenders (now available to all accounts)

• Server-side tracking via Edgetag captures events that ad blockers and iOS privacy changes would normally kill

→ Watch the full breakdown

*Sponsored

Your SMS Strategy Is Probably Missing These 8 Plays

SMS has quietly become one of the highest-ROI channels in ecommerce. Open rates north of 90%, response times in minutes, and a direct line to the pocket of every customer who opted in. But plenty of brands are still only using it for one thing: promo blasts.

Here are 8 ways to put SMS to work across the full customer journey, from first purchase to long-term loyalty.

1. Launch drops and flash sales

SMS shines when urgency is the message. A new product going live, a 24-hour sale, a limited-run restock. Text is the fastest way to get it in front of the customers most likely to buy.

Short. Direct. And it gives people a reason to act right now.

Pro tip: run SMS as a follow-up to email, not a replacement. Email handles the visuals and the story. SMS is the "go now" nudge that closes it.

2. Back-in-stock alerts

One of the highest-converting SMS plays you can set up, and still underused. When a customer lands on a sold-out PDP, let them opt in for a text the moment it's restocked.

They've already shown intent. When the notification hits, they click straight to checkout.

Klaviyo, Attentive, and Postscript all support this out of the box. Low lift to set up, strong revenue per send.

Pro tip: include the product name and a direct link in the first message. Don't make them dig for it.

3. Abandoned cart recovery

You already have cart abandonment covered with email. Adding an SMS layer for subscribers who opted in captures the revenue email misses.

Keep the text simple. Three rules: Name the item they left behind. Include a direct link back to the cart. Skip the discount unless the data says you need it.

Pro tip: send the email first, then a follow-up text a few hours later. The spacing makes the SMS feel like a helpful nudge, not a second shout.

4. Post-purchase transactional updates

Once an order is placed, silence creates anxiety. Transactional SMS closes that gap in real time.

Order confirmations: "Thanks for your order! We're packing it now and you'll get a tracking link the moment it ships." Shipping updates: "Your order just shipped 🚚 Track it here: [link]" Delivery notifications: "Your package was delivered. Reach out if anything looks off."

These texts aren't glamorous, but they reduce support tickets, set a tone of transparency, and quietly build trust from day one.

5. Post-purchase nurture

The moment after checkout is the biggest missed opportunity in the lifecycle, and plenty of brands go radio silent right through it.

Use SMS post-purchase to: Recommend products that pair with what they bought. Share how-to tips, care instructions, or inspiration. Start a conversation that has nothing to do with selling.

You don't need to pitch on every send. Ask for a photo of them using the product. Share something behind the scenes. Treat them like part of the brand, not just a buyer.

When customers feel like insiders, they come back.

6. VIP and early access

Your best customers deserve to feel like your best customers. SMS is the perfect channel for it.

Use it to deliver: Early access to new drops. Private restock notifications. Subscriber-only discounts. Behind-the-scenes previews and sneak peeks.

The rule is simple. Tell SMS subscribers they get the good stuff first, and then actually deliver on it. People notice when you follow through, and they notice when you don't.

7. Win-back for lapsed customers

A customer who hasn't bought in 60 days isn't lost. They just need a reason to come back.

A good win-back text can: Say hello and remind them you exist. Share a tailored offer based on their past orders. Point them to what's new or trending since their last visit.

Pro tip: fire this 30 to 60 days after the last purchase, depending on your buying cycle. Keep it casual. A soft "we miss you" outperforms a hard pitch every time.

Before you hit send: the SMS checklist

Get permission first. Make the opt-in obvious and tell people exactly what they're signing up for. Compliance matters, but respect matters more.

Segment your list. Behavior, purchase history, and engagement should drive who gets what. Blasting everyone is the fastest way to burn your list down.

Keep it short. People don't read texts like they read email. One message, one purpose. Link out if you need more room.

Lead with a clear CTA. Shop now. Track your order. Reply YES. Don't assume the action is obvious.

Use MMS and emojis when they add something. A well-placed product photo or emoji can lift a message. A random one can make it feel cheap.

Don't over-send. More texts don't equal more revenue. Stick to messages your list will actually be glad to see.

Inside The Send: How Supergoop Built A Mother’s Day Gift Guide That Actually Feels Like Supergoop

Inboox's AI Breakdown unpacked this Mother's Day gift guide from Supergoop and found what clicked:

• The bright logo and vibrant color scheme lock in brand recognition instantly, no squinting required

• Product shots paired with short descriptions make the whole email scannable in a glance

• Multiple CTAs give readers more than one natural moment to act

Plus, it flagged a few easy tweaks: the core promo could be pushed harder up top, icon sizes and styles could be standardized across the layout, and the mobile render has room for tighter readability tweaks.

Access 1.5M+ real Shopify emails, get instant AI breakdowns on what works (and what doesn't), plus send-time data, full HTML, and more.

→ Start your free trial

Quick Clips:

• AI is the new trust battleground: 37% of Gen Z consumers say transparency about AI use makes a brand more trustworthy, and 26% now rank unethical AI right alongside greenwashing as a brand killer, per FTI Consulting's 2026 Retail Resiliency Report. 68% of Gen Z stopped buying from a brand over its values in the last year. If your AI strategy doesn't include a transparency strategy, you're already losing this generation.

• Gen X is the beauty industry's quiet powerhouse: The "forgotten generation" now drives 44% of total beauty spending and is set to grow its category 1.3x in the next five years, per Circana and NielsenIQ. Skincare, anti-aging, and menopause-focused brands are leading the way, with Ulta, Sephora, and Bluemercury all leaning in. Brands chasing Sephora kids are leaving real money on the counter.

• Leisure Hydration closes Series A: The functional hydration brand just closed an oversubscribed Series A led by Midnight Venture Partners, with backing from the CEOs of Nutrabolt, Bloom Nutrition, and Hu Chocolate co-founder Jordan Brown. Revenue is up nearly 1,300% over two years, and they're rolling into Target, Whole Foods, and HEB this year. Positioning themselves as the next-gen Vitamin Water, and the velocity data backs it up.

• Snapchat is no longer just for teenagers: Snap's billion-user community has grown up, and the platform now drives serious results for SMBs. Comfrt drove a 32% revenue lift through Snapchat, Hibbett saw a 31% bump using dynamic product ads, and 40% of daily US Snapchatters between 16-64 aren't on TikTok at all. AR try-on, chat ads, and AI-powered campaigns are giving smaller brands a real edge while bigger competitors sleep on it.

Annnnd that’s a wrap for this edition! 

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

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Remember: Do shit you love.

🤘 Jimmy Kim & Chase Dimond

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