Australian shoppers buy online across every category, from fashion and beauty to homewares, supplements and electronics. Competition is intense, with local independents, national retailers and global marketplaces all fighting for the same customers. Owned channels, where you can reach customers directly without paying for every impression, are increasingly valuable.
SMS and WhatsApp are two of the most direct owned channels available. This guide explains how Australian online stores can use them for revenue and customer experience, and how to stay within the Spam Act 2003 and related rules.
This article is general information, not legal advice.
Why messaging works for e-commerce
- Immediacy: text messages are typically read soon after they arrive
- Simplicity: short messages with one clear action
- Customer service: delivery questions, returns and product queries handled in a channel customers already use
- Repeat purchases: timely reminders for replenishable products
But messaging is personal. Too many messages, or irrelevant ones, lead to opt-outs and complaints. Treat it as a privilege, not a broadcast channel.
The Spam Act in plain English
The Spam Act applies to commercial electronic messages, including marketing SMS, MMS, email and instant messages, sent with an Australian link. It is enforced by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), which has issued significant penalties to well-known Australian businesses for breaches. Every commercial message needs:
- Consent: express consent, such as an opt-in at checkout or a keyword sign-up, or inferred consent in limited circumstances based on an existing relationship and reasonable expectations
- Identification: your business name and how to contact you
- Unsubscribe: a functional, free way to opt out in every message, honoured within five working days
Keep records of how and when each person consented. Express consent is the safest basis for marketing.
Common mistakes
- Pre-ticked opt-in boxes at checkout
- Adding customers to marketing because they bought once, without considering whether consent can be inferred
- Unsubscribe links that require logging in
- Continuing to send after an opt-out
- Messages that do not identify the sender
SMS sender IDs and scam protections
Scam texts are a major issue in Australia, and the government has introduced measures to fight them, including an SMS Sender ID Register administered by ACMA, designed to protect registered alphanumeric sender IDs from impersonation. Check the current registration requirements for your sender ID with your provider, and keep messages consistent, branded and free of suspicious link shorteners. Telecommunications industry codes also require carriers to block scam traffic.
High-value SMS and WhatsApp flows
Abandoned cart recovery
A reminder sent within an hour or two of abandonment, to customers who opted in, can recover a meaningful share of lost sales. Keep it simple: the product, a link back to the cart and help if they have questions.
"Hi Jess, you left the Linen Throw in your cart at Coastal Home. Complete your order here: [link]. Questions? Reply to chat. Reply STOP to opt out."
Order and delivery updates
Transactional messages such as order confirmations, dispatch notices and delivery updates are generally not commercial messages if they contain no marketing content. They reduce "where is my order?" contacts and improve customer satisfaction.
Back-in-stock alerts
Customers who request an alert are highly likely to buy. These are among the best-performing messages for many stores.
Product launches and sales
Send to opted-in customers for major events such as end-of-financial-year sales, Black Friday, Click Frenzy, Boxing Day and new collection launches. Segment by purchase history and interest.
Replenishment reminders
For consumable products such as coffee, skincare, supplements and pet food, a reminder around when a customer is likely to run out is useful and timely.
Post-purchase care and reviews
Send care instructions or usage tips, then request an honest review through a verified review platform. Do not offer incentives only for positive reviews, and never write fake reviews; the ACCC treats them as misleading conduct.
WhatsApp for Australian stores
WhatsApp is widely used in Australia, particularly among multicultural communities and for international contacts. The official WhatsApp Business Platform (API) allows:
- Approved template messages for order updates and opted-in marketing
- Rich messages with images, buttons and product catalogues
- Two-way customer service with shared team inboxes
- Integration with Shopify, WooCommerce and CRMs
WhatsApp requires opt-in under Meta's policies, and the Spam Act applies to commercial messages as well. Meta charges per template message, with rates that vary by category and country.
SMS or WhatsApp?
- SMS: universal reach on every mobile, no app needed, ideal for short alerts and time-sensitive offers
- WhatsApp: richer media, two-way conversations, lower cost for some message types, and popular with specific audiences
Many stores use SMS for critical updates and broad campaigns and WhatsApp for customer service and conversational selling.
Collecting opt-ins the right way
- Checkout opt-in with an unticked box
- Website pop-up with a keyword or form sign-up
- Back-in-stock and waitlist forms
- Click-to-WhatsApp ads and website chat widgets
- Packaging inserts with a QR code
Explain what customers will receive and how often.
Frequency and timing
Most stores send marketing messages a few times a month at most, more often during major sales. Avoid early mornings and late nights in the customer's time zone; Australia spans several time zones, and Western Australia is two or three hours behind the east coast depending on daylight saving.
Measuring results
- Revenue per message and per subscriber
- Click-through and conversion rates
- Opt-out rate by campaign
- Cart recovery rate
- Customer service contacts per order
Pricing
| Service | DND Teams (starting from) | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Bulk SMS (Australia) | from A$0.045 per SMS | Sender ID setup support, delivery reports, opt-out handling |
| WhatsApp Business API | from A$49 per month platform fee | Shared inbox, templates, Shopify integration (Meta fees separate) |
| E-commerce messaging setup | from A$299 one-time | Abandoned cart, delivery and back-in-stock flows |
| Messaging strategy audit | from A$149 one-time | Consent, flows and compliance review |
These prices are positioned below typical Australian messaging provider rates. Contact us for an exact quote.
Building a messaging calendar
Plan the year around Australian retail moments: end-of-financial-year sales in June, Father's Day in September, Click Frenzy and Black Friday in November, Christmas and Boxing Day, back-to-school in January and Mother's Day in May. Add your own launches and seasonal changes, such as winter collections in the southern hemisphere's autumn. Space marketing messages so customers are never overwhelmed, and keep transactional flows running all year.
Privacy and data security
If your business is covered by the Privacy Act 1988, handle phone numbers and purchase history according to the Australian Privacy Principles. Even if it is not, customers expect their data to be protected. Limit access to customer lists, use reputable providers, never sell or share lists without consent and delete data you no longer need.
Personalisation without being creepy
Use the customer's first name, reference products they viewed or bought and tailor offers to their interests. Avoid messages that reveal sensitive information or feel intrusive, such as references to health products in a preview that others might see.
Integrating with your store and CRM
The best results come when messaging is connected to your store platform. Shopify, WooCommerce and other platforms can trigger messages automatically from events such as checkout abandonment, fulfilment and stock changes. Sync opt-ins and opt-outs across email, SMS and WhatsApp so a customer who unsubscribes from one channel is handled correctly, and record consent details against each customer profile.
Writing messages that convert
Lead with the benefit, keep it short, include one clear call to action and identify your brand at the start. Use a branded link domain rather than generic shorteners, which can look like scams. Test messages on real phones before sending.
How DND Teams helps
We help Australian online stores with bulk SMS, WhatsApp marketing and automated flows, built around Spam Act requirements. Read our Australia SMS compliance overview and our Spam Act guide, then request a free audit.
Prices shown are indicative "starting from" figures in local currency and exclude taxes and third-party charges (such as Meta or carrier fees) unless stated. Contact us for an exact quote. This article is general information, not legal advice, and reflects our understanding as of October 2026.