BigCommerce | SMS opt-in consent

When sending messages, whether for campaigns, abandoned cart recovery, or other notifications - it's key to ensure only customers and guests who have opted in to receive SMS marketing will be sent these messages. You can do this by selecting the correct consent option for your region when syncing contacts during installation. 

Opt-in consent

When you install the BigCommerce integration, you'll be prompted to add an opt-in checkbox at checkout. This checkbox gives customers the choice to receive SMS marketing messages from your store. Our integration uses this checkbox to check for customer consent before sending any SMS marketing messages.

The correct option depends on regional regulations. It's your responsibility as the merchant to understand and comply with the rules in your region. If you're unsure, consult legal guidance or your local regulatory authority before enabling SMS marketing.

• SMS marketing opt-in: Your region may require you to only send SMS marketing to recipients that have opted-in specifically to SMS marketing.
• General marketing opt-in: Your region may allow you to send SMS marketing to recipients that have opted-in to marketing in general, without the need to specify that it'll be SMS marketing.
• Inferred consent: Your region may allow you to send SMS marketing to recipients that have provided inferred (or implied) consent, without the need for them to specifically opt-in to any marketing correspondents.

SMS marketing opt-in

If your region requires explicit SMS marketing consent, you’ll need to create a dedicated opt-in checkbox at checkout. To enable SMS opt-in:

1. During the BigCommerce integration setup, toggle SMS marketing opt-in.
2. Enter the URLs for your Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
   • These links are mandatory.
   • These links appear in the consent text shown to customers at checkout.
3. Click on Connect to complete setup.

4. At checkout, customers will see a checkbox with SMS marketing consent terms. By ticking this box, they agree to receive SMS marketing messages from your store under the terms you've provided. 

   

   

General marketing opt-in

If your region allows SMS marketing under a general marketing opt-in, you can collect customer consent at checkout without needing a dedicated SMS checkbox. To enable general marketing opt-in:

1. Log in to your BigCommerce store in a new tab or window.
2. In the navigation menu, go to Settings.
3. Under the General heading, click on Miscellaneous.

4. In the Email Settings section, find Require Consent and tick the checkbox. Click Save.

   • This creates a marketing opt-in checkbox at checkout that applies to multiple channels, including email and SMS.

   

5. Go back to the tab or window where you're setting up the integration.
6. Toggle General marketing opt-in.
7. Check the box to confirm that you've activated the opt-in in your BigCommerce store.
8. Click Connect to complete setup.

9. At checkout, your customers will see a general marketing checkbox. When they tick this box, they consent to receiving marketing messages from your store, including SMS. 

   

Inferred consent

If your regional legislation allows, you can automatically opt in customers using inferred consent. This means that when a customer willingly provides their phone number, it is considered reasonable to expect that they may receive SMS marketing messages - without explicitly ticking a marketing checkbox. To enable inferred consent:

1. In the integration setup, toggle the option for None.
2. Click Connect to complete setup.

We recommend checking the guidelines for the locations that you operate/send within.

• Check regional laws first: Only use inferred consent if it’s allowed in your region. Regulations vary, and you are responsible for ensuring compliance.

• Always provide opt-out: Every SMS marketing message must include a clear unsubscribe option so customers can easily opt out if they choose.