RCS Interactive Texts Boost Ecommerce

The quality of an emerging mobile communication can reach a critical mass later this year, which already increases the performance of the residual promotional channel.

Rich Communication Services (RCS) standards can eliminate two mobile message types: Short Message Service (SMS) and Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS).

The RCS enables relatively more Message Interactivity, which makes it possible to share the media -filled media, including buttons, carcels and branding. It allows a mobile device’s ancestral text messaging app to behave like an over -the -top version, such as, WhatsApp, VChat, and Facebook Messenger.

RCS is coming to North American business. Provisions include Taleo, Infobep, and Sanchen, which are shown here.

RCS for traders

RCS Standard has been developing since 2007. It was available in the United States in 2015, but it took a decade to reach smartphone users. Most Android users had access to RCS in 2023, and after some delay, Apple added RCS support in October 2024 with iOS 18.1. Canada and Mexico also had RCS from the United States soon, ie RCS is widely available throughout North America.

However, most of the RCS messages have been personal and they have not taken full advantage of the service upgraded capabilities.

The next important RCS step will be a business messaging. Companies have to register and confirm to send RCS messages. Registration often occurs through a third -party, communication providers such as taleys, infoes, and centuries, and eventually requires individual career approval, which may take time.

Yet all the signs indicate that the RCS will commercially measure the last half of the 2025. For example, Juniper Research, Predictable That about 50 50 billion RCS messages will be presented in 2025. Others believe that RCS enterprise can be popular among retailers during the 2025 Christmas shopping season.

Brand ID

A frequently debated RCS feature is branding. Since the RCS sender is registered and certified, the messages use the brand name instead of the identification of the phone number or the short code. Thus, a text message can be said to “target” instead of “12345”. It can also show the target logo.

Interactivity

RCS supports clicking images. In comparison, an MMS message may contain a photo of up to 500 KB and a separate text link. An e -commerce merchant can send a link to the product image and product page using MMS. But with the RCS, the product images are 100 MB (200 times larger) and able to click.

Therefore, an RCS message can be included in the call -to -action button. A seller directly into the message “track my order,” “buy now”, or even the “order again” button can be added.

Depending on its e -commerce platform and messaging opt -in process, a merchant may contain a touch order button that allows the recipient to order without leaving the messaging app.

Finally, the RCS will potentially include the so -called application -to -personal chat. A shopper can receive an order verification message, respond to the message via AI chat boot, and receive full media link photos, interactive maps, app surveys and more.

Matrix

The RCS also offers better campaign tracking, such as open or viewed prices, clicks, and types of message interaction.

Efficiency

Even without RC, text messaging is a high performance, if challenging, marketing channel.

Forbes, seals, mail champles, and other text messages have open rates above 90 TO rates and click at 40 %. In addition, buyers usually respond quickly in seconds, quickly. And compared to other marketing channels, SMS is cheaper.

If there is a weakness of SMS and MMS, it is relatively SMall of small images and no clicking elements, which the RCS has addressed.

How much RCS can improve on SMS and MMS is uncertain, but it is getting indications. For example, the 2019 RCS test from the subway and the Spirits Network has generated 60 % more clicks from SMS.

Next steps

RCS Business Messaging Prices are sometimes confused or at least in misunderstanding, mainly due to a lak cart model. Some RCS messages can be significantly more expensive than others, partially based on template and abilities.

In this way e -commerce marketers should consider the RC and carefully evaluate the return on investment and consider the blending approach to the campaigns – RCS, MMS, and SMS.

Some traders can choose to avoid RCS altogether. Regardless, trade text messaging is an emerging channel in 2025. Services like the audience’s taps and Matani can help start small traders.