RCS marketing for your Shopify store: the rich SMS
The product photo, its price, a button to buy it: RCS turns a text into a message customers can tap, signed with your brand name. Kanal brings it to Shopify stores, alongside WhatsApp.
As an SMS
Atelier Nova: the linen collection is back. See it here: atelier-nova.com/linen
What RCS adds
- The brand name and logo, with a verification check mark
- One card per product: image, title, price
- A carousel to swipe through
- Buttons to act without leaving the conversation
As an RCS message
The linen collection is back, Sarah. Three pieces to discover:
What RCS changes compared with SMS
RCS (Rich Communication Services) is the standard that modernizes SMS. The GSMA publishes it as the Universal Profile, and Google documents the version made for brands, RCS for Business. For the customer, four things change.
Your brand at the top of the conversation
The business name and logo show in place of a phone number, with a verification check mark once Google, the carrier or a third-party provider has confirmed its identity.
Sources: Google Messages HelpRich cards
A card combines media (an image, a GIF or a video), a title, a description and buttons in one message.
Sources: Google for DevelopersCarousels
Several cards to swipe through in the same message, up to ten according to Google’s documentation: room for a selection of products.
Sources: Google for DevelopersSuggested replies and actions
Buttons to tap in the card or under the message, up to four per card. Google gives tracking an order as an example, without leaving the conversation.
Sources: Google for Developers, Google Messages Help
A campaign with a product carousel
New collection, private sale, restock: you pick a customer segment and Kanal sends an RCS message with one card per product. The customer swipes, taps the piece they like and lands on its product page.
- Recipients
- A segment of customers who opted in
- Content
- A text, a product carousel, buttons
- Measure
- Orders and revenue per campaign
Private sale until Sunday, Sarah: 15% off the linen collection.
A cart reminder with a “Resume my cart” button
The customer filled a cart, then left. The automated message shows the item they left behind, with its image and price, and a button that takes them back to where they stopped.
- Trigger
- Checkout not completed on the store
- Recipients
- Customers who opted in
- Measure
- Orders and revenue recovered
Your cart is waiting for you, Sarah.
Order tracking with a “Track my parcel” button
Confirmation, shipping, delivery: the message leaves when the order status changes. The customer finds their order number and taps a button to track the parcel, instead of writing to your support team.
- Trigger
- Order status in Shopify
- Recipients
- The customer who placed the order
- Type
- Service message, no commercial offer
Good news, Sarah: your order is on its way.
A back-in-stock alert that shows the product
The customer asked to be told. As soon as the product is restocked, they receive its card, available again, and the button that leads to its page.
- Trigger
- Product available again
- Recipients
- Customers who signed up for the alert
- Measure
- Orders attributed to the alert
They are back, Sarah.
A message to tap, not only to read.
The image, the price, the button: everything needed to decide sits in the conversation, under your brand name.
Which phones receive an RCS message?
RCS has no app of its own: it lives in the phone’s messaging app. Its availability depends on the device and the carrier.
On Android
RCS messages from businesses show in Google Messages. Google states that RCS availability on Android varies by region and carrier.
Sources: Google Messages HelpOn iPhone
RCS needs iOS 18 and a carrier that supports it on iPhone. Apple says some businesses can send alerts and information about orders through RCS, and that users can turn these messages off in Settings.
Sources: Apple Support, supported carriersWhen RCS is not available
If the phone does not support RCS, if RCS is turned off or if the carrier’s network is not open to the sender, Google’s platform does not deliver the message and returns an error. It is up to the sender to plan another channel to reach that customer.
Sources: Google for Developers
Pages read on October 12, 2026. Support changes over time: check it for the countries you sell to.
RCS, SMS or WhatsApp: when to choose which
All three channels reach your customers’ phones. They do not show the same thing and they do not reach the same people.
| Criterion | RCS | SMS | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where the customer reads it | RCSIn the phone’s messaging app: Google Messages on Android, Messages on iPhone | SMSIn the phone’s messaging app | WhatsAppIn the WhatsApp app |
| What the message shows | RCSThe brand name and logo, cards, carousels, buttons | SMSText and a link | WhatsAppText, images and buttons, in a thread where the customer can reply |
| Who can receive it | RCSCustomers whose phone and carrier support RCS | SMSAny mobile number | WhatsAppCustomers who use WhatsApp |
| When to choose it | RCSTo show products and prompt an action in one tap, when your customers can be reached over RCS | SMSFor a short message that has to reach every mobile | WhatsAppTo sell and answer in the same conversation, where your customers use WhatsApp |
On all three channels, the customer’s agreement comes before the first marketing message.
Sources: Google Messages Help, Apple SupportCompare in more detail
Consent and rules for RCS marketing
An RCS message that carries an offer is still direct marketing. Three rules to know before you send.
Agreement before the first message
In France, the CNIL states that electronic direct marketing to consumers requires their prior consent, except when they are already customers for similar products or services. Its page names email, SMS and MMS, not RCS by name.
Sources: CNIL (in French)A simple way out
The RCS for Business acceptable use policy requires a simple way to withdraw consent, for example replying STOP. In Google Messages, customers can also unsubscribe from a business’s non-essential messages.
Sources: Google for Developers, Google Messages HelpAn identified brand
Every message must let the person know which organisation sends it, the CNIL states. In RCS, a verified sender shows its name and logo at the top of the conversation.
Sources: CNIL (in French), Google Messages Help
General information, not legal advice. Rules depend on the countries you send to.
How to get started with RCS on Kanal
Three steps, from the first conversation to the first send.
Book a demo or install Kanal
The demo reviews your store, the countries you sell to and how RCS is set up for your brand. The app installs from the Shopify App Store.
Connect your store
Kanal syncs your customers, orders and carts. Consent is attached to each contact’s profile.
Send your first message
Pick a segment or a store event, build your card, then follow the orders and revenue of the send.
Frequently asked questions about RCS marketing
What is RCS marketing?
RCS marketing is a brand sending rich messages to the messaging app on its customers’ phones: cards with an image, product carousels and action buttons, under its name and logo. RCS (Rich Communication Services) is the standard that modernizes SMS, which is why it is also called rich SMS.
What is the difference between RCS and SMS?
An SMS carries text and a link. A branded RCS message shows the business name and logo with a verification check mark, and can contain images, cards, carousels and reply or action buttons, according to Google’s documentation. SMS reaches any mobile number, while RCS depends on the phone and the carrier.
Does RCS work on iPhone?
Yes, under conditions. According to Apple Support, RCS on iPhone needs iOS 18 and a plan from a carrier that supports it. Apple also says some businesses can send alerts and information about orders through RCS, and that users can turn these messages off in Settings. Availability varies by region and carrier.
How much does an RCS message cost?
There is no single public price. Google’s documentation says RCS for Business traffic is billable according to each carrier’s rate card, so the price depends on the carrier, the country and the provider. For Kanal, RCS pricing is given during the demo, based on your store and the countries you send to.
Does the customer need an app to receive an RCS message?
No dedicated app: the RCS message arrives in the phone’s messaging app, Google Messages on Android or Messages on iPhone. RCS does need to be turned on on the device and supported by the carrier.
What happens if the customer cannot receive RCS?
The RCS message is not delivered. Google’s documentation says its platform then returns an error to the sender, who can reach the person through another channel it has planned. It is a point to settle before you start sending.
Are RCS business messages encrypted?
Not end to end. Google states that RCS for Business does not offer end-to-end encryption: messages are encrypted between the user’s phone and Google’s servers, then between those servers and the messaging provider.
Do you need the customer’s consent for an RCS marketing message?
Yes. The RCS for Business rules require getting people’s agreement and giving them a simple way to withdraw it. In France, the CNIL requires prior consent for electronic direct marketing to consumers, with an exception for existing customers and similar products. In Kanal, consent is attached to each contact.
Go further
- RCS business messaging: the guide
Access, formats, billing: RCS for brands, from Google’s documentation.
- SMS software for online stores
SMS campaigns and automated texts for your store.
- WhatsApp for Shopify
Campaigns, cart reminders and notifications on WhatsApp.
Show your products in your customers’ messaging app
Book a demo to see RCS on your store, or install Kanal from the Shopify App Store.