SMS text messaging: reminders, updates and replies by text
Emails get skimmed. Texts get read. SMS lets your site text customers the things that keep orders coming: a nudge before the order cutoff, "your order is on the way", and quick answers when they text you back.
What your site can text
- Order reminders. Recurring texts on a set day and time each week, such as "Menu closes tonight at 9pm!" Customers sign up for each one. See How to edit SMS order reminders.
- Delivery updates. "Your order is on the way" from the Delivery Confirmation page, plus one-off texts to everyone on a delivery day. See Delivery confirmation: tell customers their order is on the way.
- Automatic replies. A welcome text when someone subscribes, and replies when a customer texts HELP or MENU. These live on Messaging (SMS & Email) > Canned SMS Messages.
Your number
Your site texts from its own phone number, through our SMS provider. Setting it up is a one-time step we do with you: we create the account, set the number, and submit the carrier verification that lets business texts reach phones.
See your setup on Manage Site > Integrations > Manage SMS Providers. The card shows the provider, your Number, your Segment Price, the Verification Status, and whether it is Active. Texts start flowing once verification is approved.
Customers choose what they get
Nobody is signed up by surprise:
- At account creation, customers can tick an optional Opt-In for SMS box.
- Customers turn each reminder on or off any time on their account page under Notifications under My Preferences. A customer who skipped the box turns texts on there first with the Enable SMS notifications button.
- Each reminder shows its public name and description, so customers know what they are signing up for.
- Replying STOP to any text turns texts off. Only texting START turns them back on.
- Accounts that share a phone number, such as a household, share one text setting. A choice on one account applies to all of them. START brings back the messages that were on, or turns on every active message if none was.
- Staff with the Support role or higher can turn texts off for a customer. Open the customer under Customers > Lookup / Manage. Under Global Opt Outs, click edit next to SMS Notifications, tick Opt Out of SMS Notifications and click Save. This turns texts off for every account with that number.
Each reminder on Messaging (SMS & Email) > Message Prefs shows how many customers are signed up, with a link to the list.
What it costs
Texts are billed by the segment: one chunk of a text, about 160 plain characters. A longer text, or one with emoji or special characters, uses two or more. The message editor counts segments as you type and warns you about characters that raise the cost.
Buy credits in advance on your Billing page to lower the rate. Credits roll over. See Your Eat Fresh billing page: plan, invoices, SMS credits and payments.
Keeping an eye on it
The Messaging dashboard shows your number, rate, credit balance, texts sent this month, scheduled and active messages, and your recent bulk sends. It also holds the master SMS Enabled switch. See The Messaging dashboard: SMS on/off, credits and sends.
Tips for texts that work
- Short and useful. Lead with the point: "Order by 9pm for Monday delivery."
- One link, to your order page. The editor has a token for it.
- Send at a sensible hour, before the cutoff, not after.
- Keep marketing texts rare. Order reminders people asked for are welcome; daily promos are not.
Keywords: text message, unsubscribe, 10DLC
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