Understanding the Welcome message for Concierge SMS
The Welcome message template is a Concierge SMS flow that automatically sends a personalized welcome text to customers after Recharge processes their first subscription checkout.
This guide explains how the template works, when it triggers, and how to customize it.
- Shopify Checkout Integration
- Migrated Shopify Checkout Integration
How the template works
After a customer completes their first subscription checkout, the Welcome message template triggers a flow that confirms the order, introduces your SMS channel, and can optionally invite the customer to opt in to promotional messages.
This is the foundational Concierge SMS template for building a subscriber relationship from the first order.
Use this template to:
- Confirm a customer’s first subscription order
- Introduce the SMS channel early in the customer lifecycle
- Invite eligible customers to opt in for promotional SMS messages
The flow triggers when the following conditions are met:
| Condition | Value |
|---|---|
| Charge type | Checkout |
| Customer orders count | 1 |
This means the flow sends once per customer, after Recharge processes a customer's first subscription checkout order. Returning customers and recurring charges do not trigger this template.
The template uses branching logic to handle transactional and marketing consent.
The template creates a flow with the following steps:
| Step | Condition / Action | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Trigger: Charge Processed | Checkout + first order | Entry point |
| Branch: Transactional consent? | If yes: Send Welcome SMS If no: No communication sent |
Consent gate |
| Send Welcome SMS | Transactional message | Confirms order and introduces the SMS channel |
| Branch: Marketing consent? |
If no: Send Promotional Opt-In SMS If yes: No communication sent |
Marketing gate |
| Send Promotional Opt-In SMS | Marketing opt-in request | Invites the customer to opt in |
Default message
The default Welcome SMS confirms the order and introduces the SMS channel:
Hi {{customer.first_name}}, welcome to {{store.name}}! Your order of {{line_items_excerpt}} is confirmed! To manage your future orders, save this number and reply at any time. Reply STOP to opt out.
If the customer does not already have marketing SMS consent, the flow can also send a follow-up promotional opt-in message:
Want to manage your subscription by SMS with a personalized experience that gives you helpful tips, reminders, and product updates? Consent is not a condition of future purchase. Reply YES to opt in.
Only the Welcome SMS is editable. The promotional opt-in SMS cannot be edited due to compliance requirements.
Customization options
You can customize the following aspects of this template:
Message content
- Edit the welcome SMS body text to match your brand voice
- Add or remove personalization variables
- Keep or remove the promotional opt-in step from the flow
Flow structure
- Add SMS nodes
- Add promotional opt-in nodes
- Add SMS cross-sell nodes to recommend one-time and subscription products
- Add conditional branches based on customer attributes
- Add delay or wait nodes
- Remove the promotional opt-in branch if it is not needed
Set up the Welcome message flow
Before using this template, make sure your store has Concierge SMS enabled, a verified Twilio phone number, and global SMS sending turned on.
To set up the template:
- In your Recharge merchant portal, click SMS and select Concierge.
- Click Create from template on the Concierge SMS Overview page.
- Select Welcome message and click Get started.
- Click the SMS node to update the default welcome message.
- Decide whether to keep the promotional opt-in step. If you keep the promotional opt-in step, review the flow timing and placement.
- Optional - Drag any additional nodes from the Add a node menu to customize the flow structure.
- Save and activate the flow.
Personalization variables
Use these template variables to personalize your messages:
| Variable | Description |
|---|---|
| {{customer.first_name}} | Customer’s first name |
| {{customer.last_name}} | Customer’s last name |
| {{store.name}} | Your store’s name |
| {{line_items_excerpt}} | Summary of the items in the order |
Best practices for building a welcome message
- Keep the message short to improve readability and manage SMS cost.
- Set the tone early by making the message feel personal and on-brand.
- Keep the
STOPinstruction or equivalent compliance language in the message. - Use the promotional opt-in branch to grow your marketing SMS audience from transactional customers.
- Avoid duplicate welcome flows when migrating from another SMS provider.
- Test the flow before activation to review how messages render with customer data.
Considerations
Consider the following when using the Welcome message template:
| Consideration | Details |
|---|---|
| Trigger frequency | The flow sends once per customer after Recharge processes their first subscription checkout order. |
| Transactional consent | The flow checks for transactional SMS consent before sending the welcome message. If the customer does not have consent, Recharge does not send a message. |
| Marketing consent | The promotional opt-in message is sent only if the customer does not already have marketing SMS consent. |
| Promotional opt-in message | The promotional opt-in SMS cannot be edited because it must comply with compliance requirements. |
| Message timing | Messages are sent immediately by default, but you can add a delay node if needed. |
| Template updates | Changes apply to future triggers only. Customers who have already received the welcome message will not receive it again. |
| Multiple welcome flows | Use only one active Welcome message flow at a time to avoid duplicate sends. |
| SMS Cross-Sell | Subscription cross-sells do not yet reflect in the Performance tab. Metrics and exports for subscription cross-sells are not yet available. |
