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Import SMS Subscribers 

Use this guide to import your existing SMS subscriber list into Recart so you can start sending them campaigns right away.

Table of Contents

Before You Begin

To comply with SMS marketing regulations, you can only message subscribers who gave explicit consent to receive promotional texts. Make sure every contact in your import has proper opt-in records before proceeding.

For more details on SMS compliance requirements, visit our SMS Compliance and Deliverability article.

CSV File Requirements

Your file must meet these criteria:

  • Format: CSV only
  • Header row: Required
  • Phone number column: Required (must contain valid US or Canadian numbers)
  • File size: Maximum 50MB

Accepted phone formats: Both international (+1) and regional formats work. Numbers from American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico are also supported.

Optional columns you can include:

  • First name
  • Last name
  • Date of birth

Note: If your CSV contains columns beyond those listed above (such as email or address), you can still upload the file, Recart will simply skip those fields during import.

 

How to Import Subscribers

  1. Go to Subscribers in the left-hand menu.
  2. Click Import CSV in the upper right corner.

ImportSubscribers1

  1. Choose whether to add subscribers to an existing list or create a new list.
  2. If creating a new list, enter a name for it.

ImportSubscribers3

  1. Click or drag your CSV file into the upload area.
  2. Match your CSV columns to the correct Recart fields using the dropdown menus. Leave any unsupported columns unmatched.
  3. A compliance declaration appears. Enter your name and email address to confirm you have proper consent to message these subscribers.
  4. Click Continue.

ImportSubscribers2

  1. Review the import summary on the Import Review screen.
  2. Click Import to finalize.

 

Note: Recart does not store your CSV file. It is deleted after the upload completes.

Understanding Import Statuses

Your imports appear on the Subscribers page. Each import displays one of these statuses:

  • Uploading – Import is in progress
  • Uploaded – Import is complete

Once uploaded, you'll see a breakdown of:

  • New subscribers – Contacts added to your list for the first time
  • Updated subscribers – Existing contacts whose information was refreshed
  • Failed imports – Contacts that did not meet the criteria (e.g., non-US/Canadian numbers)

Note: The import name matches your CSV file name. This cannot be edited in Recart.

What Happens to Existing Subscribers

When you import a contact that already exists in your Recart list, here's what happens:

Scenario Result
Phone number or PSID is new New subscriber created
Phone number or PSID matches an existing subscriber Existing subscriber updated
Phone number matches but subscriber has unsubscribed

Subscriber is not updated or re-subscribed

Best Practices

  • Required: Only import contacts with documented opt-in consent.
  • Recommended: Clean your CSV before uploading-remove duplicates, incomplete numbers, and landlines.
  • Recommended: If your file exceeds 50MB, split it into multiple CSVs and upload separately.
  • Avoid: Uploading purchased lists or contacts who haven't explicitly opted in.

Recart is keeping your Subscriber list compliant with our Automated List Cleaning. Learn more about this feature here.


Troubleshooting

If some subscribers weren't imported: Check that all phone numbers are valid. Common issues include:

  • Toll-free numbers with extensions
  • Landlines (not mobile numbers)
  • Incomplete or incorrectly formatted phone numbers

If you need to delete an import: There is no self-serve option to delete imported contacts. Contact our Customer Support team to request removal or unsubscription of an imported list.

What's Next

Once your import is complete, you can:

If you have questions, contact our Customer Support team, we're happy to help.