The Power of Abandoned Cart Email: The Only Guide to Recovering Lost Sales You’ll Ever Need
An abandoned cart email is sent to subscribers who add products to their online shopping cart but still need to check out.
Customers often browse products, add them to the cart, and leave them there, resulting in lost sales opportunities. Maybe these prospects were waiting for better pricing, or they got distracted during the checkout process. Either way, you got ghosted, which is terrible for your business and balance of mind (we know how it feels).
On average, 70.19% of shopping carts are abandoned. This means for every 10 people who add items to the cart, 7 leave without purchasing.
Still, you can bring back as many as possible with this comprehensive guide — learn the best strategies and tips with examples.
What Is an Abandoned Cart Email?
An abandoned cart email is sent to prospects who have added items to their online shopping carts but still need to complete the purchase. These emails gently remind potential buyers to complete their purchases.
Typically, abandoned cart emails include details of the items in the cart along with a compelling call-to-action and email coupon codes to win back clients. The goal is to re-engage recipients, recover lost sales, and ultimately boost revenue.
You can always use email reminders to maximize the chances of purchases. But can you send them without getting into trouble legally? Let’s find out!
Is It Legal to Send an Abandoned Cart Email?
Yes, abandoned cart emails are legal if they follow the privacy protocols set by GDPR and the CAN-SPAM Act. Ensure you have proper consent from customers to send them marketing communications and include a prominent unsubscribe option in every email.
All our clients’ emails at Campaign Refinery include an unsubscribe link by default, as we believe in super-easy unsubscribe options. We built this feature to safeguard their email deliverability and, eventually, sender reputation.
Although the legal pathway might be clear, you will need to know why people abandon carts in the first place to be able to send effective emails.
Why Do People Abandon Carts?
People leave carts because of a poor checkout process, mandatory account creation, or technical glitches. Here are the main factors that could create friction and cause them to give up on a purchase.
1. Complicated Checkout Process
Imagine a prospect scrolling through your accurately targeted Facebook ad and is convinced to buy the item. After a few clicks, they are ready to check out, only to notice the ‘create an account’ message.
Shoppers don’t want to spend an eternity filling out forms and creating accounts — mandatory account creation slows down the process and smudges people’s interests, causing them to leave.
These additional factors contribute to your abandoned cart rate:
- A confusing checkout page,
- A lengthy checkout process,
- There is too much form filling.
2. Comparison Shopping
Recipients concerned about prices may use shopping carts to compare items, shipping costs, and promotions to determine a budget-friendly find. Some may wait to add to the cart as they research different products under a different category.
3. High Shipping Costs
Customers may feel surprised by additional pricing, such as shipping costs, taxes, or handling fees at the checkout. This may lead them to reconsider their purchase and look for better alternatives.
In a study conducted by Baymard Institute, 55% of the survey respondents confirmed that higher shipping costs were the main reason for cart abandonments. People are more willing to consider free or discounted shipping costs rather than paying full price.
4. Technical Problems
Website issues, slow loading time, or glitches can frustrate prospects, causing them to quit mid-way through purchasing. They may also encounter technical errors when entering details or credit card errors and restrictions on item quantities, increasing their frustration.
5. The Customer Isn’t Ready to Buy
Not all problems lead back to the retailer. Perhaps your buyers wanted to just window shop and are still deciding whether to commit to a purchase. Almost 47.8% of U.S online shoppers have abandoned a cart because of the ‘I was just browsing/not ready to buy’ attitude.
Customers may also change their minds due to budget constraints or simply because they need help to make decisions at that time.
6. Trust Issues
Poor website design, lack of credibility, and negative reviews can prevent clients from completing their purchases. The lack of SSL seals and other visual trust factors are common triggers for not believing in your business.
If buyers doubt your website’s payment security measures or the lack of trustworthy payment services, they will walk away.
While we caught a glimpse of why people abandon carts, we recommend knowing other critical factors related to cart recovery.
Read on for an in-depth analysis of shopping cart abandonments.
Abandoned Cart Email Statistics
An abandoned cart email may have better open rates than most email campaigns. This happens because customers love reminders that guide them toward a specific interest.
Look at this inspiring data collected from various sources.
| Component/Metric | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Average Open rate | 39.07% |
| Average click-through rate | 21% |
| Average conversion rate | 50% |
Further, emails with product recommendations notice an increase in CTR by 7.2%.
How Do You Calculate the Shopping Cart Abandonment Rate?
The shopping cart abandonment rate is calculated by:
Total number of completed transactions / The number of initiated sales (adds to basket).
Then subtract the result from 1 and multiply it by 100 to the percentage.
For example, if you had 150 shopping carts completed in a week and 70 of them resulted in completed transactions, your abandonment rate would be:
- 70 / 150 = 0.46
- 1 – 0.46 = 0.54
- 0.54 * 100 = 54%
A high abandonment rate could indicate issues with your checkout process, such as a confusing user interface or high shipping costs.
While you can always send cart reminder emails, targeting the root cause will help you save time and resources through the process. Follow these steps to reduce your abandonment cart rate.
6 Ways to Decrease Your Shopping Cart Abandonment Rate
A seamless checkout flow is an excellent way to decrease your abandonment cart rate.
Here are 6 more ways to do that:
- Provide a guest check-out option: A guest check-out option means purchasers don’t have to store their credit card and personal information to make a purchase. You remove additional steps that might annoy users who are in a hurry.
- Include progress bars on the checkout page: Progress bars show buyers how far they have come. This visual reinforcement will help them gauge the process quickly.
- Include product image: Customers may accidentally delete their carts and forget to add the items back. Providing an image and product details motivates them to continue the checkout process.
- Show total savings: If you offer discounts or time-limited sales, mention the total savings on the checkout page. This can assure prospects that they are getting a good deal.
- Offer free shipping: 47% abandon their carts due to higher shipping costs. With free shipping, shoppers are less likely to reconsider, especially with impulse buys.
- Offer different payment options: Make it more convenient for shoppers to use their preferred mode of payment. Consider their purchase options and figure out the right payment integrations.
As you adapt to these strategies, you’ll notice a significant difference in your abandonment cart rates. However, they may have different email metrics depending on the industry type.
Average Shopping Cart Abandonment Rate By Industry
The average shopping cart abandonment rate is 69.57%, but it can vary according to your industry.
Optimize your abandoned cart emails with the following data.
| Industry type | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Finance | 83.6% |
| Non-profit | 83.1% |
| Travel | 81.7% |
| Retail | 72.8% |
| Fashion | 68.3% |
| Gaming | 64.2% |
The abandonment rates further vary with product importance level — clothes and fitness products are less likely to be left behind than gadgets or similar items. Continue to optimize your abandoned cart email based on your product necessity and customer behavior.
Cart Abandonment Rate by Device Type
The Shopping cart abandonment rate is higher on mobile devices than on desktops.
Let’s take a closer look at what these numbers mean on different devices.
| Device Type | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Mobiles | 69.02% |
| Desktops | 62.11% |
| Tablet | 80.74% |
Smaller devices have higher abandoned cart rates — this could be because clients want to see product details on a bigger screen before making a commitment.
How to Improve Your Abandoned Cart Email Analytics
Improving your abandoned cart email analytics involves optimizing your email campaigns, tracking relevant metrics, and leveraging data-driven insights.
Follow these steps to improve email analytics further:
- Set clear goals: Every abandoned cart email must have an end goal — do you wish to recover lost sales, improve customer engagement, or increase conversion rates? Set one goal for each campaign you send out.
- Track relevant metrics: Identify key metrics to track, such as open rate, conversion rate, recovery rate, and revenue generated.
- Optimize email content: Create visually appealing emails that state product benefits and offer incentives where applicable.
Even though you know the reason for cart abandonment, you will require customers’ email addresses to communicate with them, especially from prospects that aren’t logged in yet. You can get their email addresses through surveys and guest checkout options.
How to Get Email Addresses From People Who Abandon Their Carts
An effective way to capture the email addresses of e-commerce visitors is to:
- Offer guest checkout: When you enable guest checkout, it makes it easier for customers to purchase without creating an account, which is often why they abandon carts.
- Use polls and surveys: Use polls and surveys on your website to gather user feedback and important data such as their email address. You can encourage more people to participate in your surveys by providing discounts and coupons.
You may wonder why you should send out so many emails despite the apparent disinterest from your prospects. There are reasons behind it; keep reading to discover their purpose.
What Is the Purpose of Abandoned Cart Emails?
The primary goals of abandoned cart emails are:
- Re-engage clients: Cart emails help re-engage distracted or hesitant buyers to complete their purchases.
- Recover lost sales: By reminding clients about their favorites in the cart, businesses aim to recover their lost revenue.
- Conversion rate optimization: Abandoned cart emails improve conversion rates, maximizing marketing efforts and overall revenue.
- Data collection: Cart emails help you understand user preferences and pain points. By analyzing responses, you can alter your marketing strategies and create a positive shopping experience for them.
Overall, abandoned cart emails are used to re-engage customers, foster loyalty, and increase business revenue.
Benefits of Using Abandoned Cart Emails in Ecommerce Marketing
Personalized abandoned cart emails help you solve buyer pain points and instill trust. They also help you build a positive relationship with your customers in the long run.
| Benefit | How it works |
|---|---|
| Improves customer engagement | Through tailored product recommendations and assistance. |
| Enhances client experience | Provides a positive customer experience through helpful information and incentives. |
| Generates revenue growth | Maximizes your marketing efforts and contributes to higher ROI. |
| Optimizes marketing spend | Offers a cost-effective way to re-engage shoppers and recover potential sales. |
Knowing the purpose of abandoned cart emails opens the door to more questions, such as: when should you send an email? And where should you bring people back to? The answers lie in your abandoned cart email workflow.
Best Abandoned Cart Email Sequence
An abandoned cart email sequence is a series of automated emails sent to users to convince them to complete their purchase.
Your abandoned cart workflow could be structured like this.
| Abandoned Cart Email Sequence | Timing | Core Content | Core CTA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial email | Send an email 2-3 hours after cart abandonment | Send reminders about the products left behind in carts | Return to cart |
| Follow-up email | Send email 24 – 48 hours after the initial email | Offer a discount or free shipping | Complete your purchase |
| Final email | Send the last email 2-3 days after the first two emails | Offer help with products and encourage questions or concerns | Connect with our customer care |
Send the final email only when you know the first two didn’t work. The key to landing more sales depends on the timing and relevance of this sequence. Using three emails in a cart abandonment email sequence increases your revenue by 56%.
However, if you notice constant low conversions and higher abandonment rates, it’s time to refine your abandoned cart email strategies.
Abandoned Cart Email Strategy: Crafting Effective Content
Your strategy must motivate user action. For example, if you figure out that customers left their carts because they didn’t find something they liked, include additional products in your reminder emails.
Of course, there are more marketing strategies to convince people to return to their carts, like the ones below.
1. Personalization Techniques
Address recipients by name and encourage them to return through personalized product recommendations in emails.
Here are 5 ways to do that:
- Use the recipient’s name: Address the recipient by their name in the subject line and greeting. This simple personalization technique can make them feel remembered and increase the likelihood of engagement.
- Mention their abandoned products: Populate your abandoned cart emails with product images that customers left behind in their carts. Visual cues can create a loss aversion attitude and encourage them to continue the purchase.
- Recommend related products: Use browsing history and purchase behavior to send complementary product recommendations and enhance relevance.
- Tailor message based on behavior: Determine if the recipient is new or old, how often they browse products, and in which category. This level of personalization gives buyers a solid reason to return to their carts.
- Send follow-up emails: Personalize follow-up emails based on shoppers’ previous purchase behavior or their response to your abandoned cart email. Understand their reason for not moving ahead with the purchase and send relevant email content.
2. Use Compelling Subject Lines
Abandoned cart email subject lines must contain critical information at a glance. If you offer incentives, email coupons, or limited-time offers, mention them in the subject line.
Experiment with different subject line types, such as funny, cheery, etc, to understand what resonates best with your audience. Most importantly, create an emotional connection with your brand.
Here’s an example of a compelling abandoned cart email subject line:
“Oops, did you forget something? Get your [Product name] before it’s gone.”
This subject line works well for several reasons:
- The word ‘Oops, did you forget something’ catches the buyers’s attention and promotes urgency.
- Including the product name creates a personalized statement, making it more relevant to the recipient.
- ”Get your product now” promotes urgency and scarcity, encouraging immediate action from customers.
- The subject line also increases curiosity, prompting the recipients to open the email and check what they have forgotten.
Use a combination of motivating factors to grab purchasers’ attention and land more opens and click-throughs to your emails.
3. Provide Value Through Limited Time Offers and Incentives
The highest abandonment rate happens because of increased shipping costs and taxes. How can you reduce this number without it hurting your profits? You could optimize your packaging dimensions and warehouse locations, outsource shipping to 3rd party providers, or use a minimum order value for free shipping option. Another way is to include incentives and offers to get those lost customers back.
You could also entice potential buyers to complete their purchase with these ideas:
- Offer exclusive discounts: An exclusive discount code or percentage off their order shows that you value their business. Combine this discount strategy with our Evergreen Flash Sale feature, and you will see the numbers rise quickly.
- Provide free shipping or expedited delivery: For people on the fence about completing the purchase, free shipping or fast delivery can motivate them to finish their checkout.
- Include a gift with the purchase: Nobody wants to miss out on the free stuff. Include a small gift, a bonus item, or a sample product in your abandoned cart email.
Find the right balance between gifts and profitability — a little experimentation goes a long way in finding a perfect fit for your budget.
4. Optimize Your CTA
Your CTA is like the lighthouse beacon guiding lost ships safely back to shore. In the e-commerce world, it guides hesitant users back to their carts to complete their purchase.
The first step is to make those CTA links pop — balance them with colors against a white or contrasting background and place them in a clearly visible, central area. The key is highlighting your CTA to tell customers what they need to do next.
Use these strategies to optimize your CTA further:
- Use clear and compelling language: Include action-oriented language that tells buyers what to do. For example, “Complete your purchase” or “Return to your cart.”
- Visually appealing CTA: Ensure your CTA is highlighted from the rest of the text and images in the email. Use contrasting colors, bold fonts, and ample white space to draw attention to the CTA.
- Focus on a single CTA: Avoid overwhelming shoppers with multiple CTAs and focus on a single action.
- Create a sense of urgency: Motivate recipients with phrases like “Act now” or “Limited time offer” for immediate action.
Always test your CTA variations to see how people react to them. Analyze results and refine your CTAs according to the performance data.
5. Use Social Proof
Social proof builds trust in your business — it is a psychological concept that people who can’t make decisions follow the actions of others.
If many customers rate your e-commerce business with 5 stars and reviews, your potential buyers will also want to invest in your products.
Here are 6 ways to incorporate social proof in emails:
- Include customer reviews and testimonials: Highlight positive reviews from previous customers about the product in the cart. This assures potential buyers that the product is worthy of holding on to.
- Mention product ratings: Include star ratings to show that other shoppers have well regarded the product. Also include aggregated ratings and review snippets to increase trust in your potential buyers.
- Showcase UGC: Reveal how your products have added value to the users’ lives. Include review or demonstration videos to build confidence in your potential buyers.
- Use social media mentions and shares: Show product endorsements by celebrities, influencers, or ordinary people. Include links to social media posts and share positive sentiments about your products.
- Display trust badges and certifications: Showcase seals and badges from reputable organizations to signify that the products meet the proper standards and qualifications. Trust badges can alleviate concerns about legitimacy.
- Use success stories: Share stories of how users have benefitted from your products. By highlighting real-life examples, you can instill confidence in potential customers.
Social proof also creates FOMO (Fear of missing out) — when people see others enjoying and benefitting from your products, they may want to try it too.
6. Mobile Optimization is Mandatory
A significant number of subscribers likely open your emails on mobile devices and expect readability and better user experience.
Follow these tips to create user-friendly mobile emails:
- Utilize responsive design: Ensure your abandoned cart email automatically renders differently for mobile devices. This gives users a seamless experience across devices.
- Use single-column layout: Use single columns to accommodate smaller screen sizes. This makes it easier for recipients to scroll through and find products.
- Employ large fonts and buttons: Use appropriate font sizes to increase readability across mobiles. We recommend 18px but feel free to experiment to see what best fits your brand.
- Choose scalable images: Product images are the main source of motivation; use high-resolution and scalable images. You may have to compress the image size to fit the mobile device.
Your abandoned cart flow must be optimized for both desktop and mobile users. Finally, test your emails against different email clients to ensure they render correctly.
Key Tips to Write an Effective Abandoned Cart Email
Writing a compelling abandoned cart email involves strategic planning — nail your subject line, include persuasive content, and use an exclusive CTA.
It could be hard to get it right the first time, but these 4 tips will help your emails stand out:
- Add a dynamic section: Include a dynamic product image section that shows abandoned products to remind customers what they added to their carts. Tailor product size and color and maintain transparency throughout.
- Use an eye-catching CTA button: The CTA button should stand out in your email; use contrast colors and a different typeface if needed.
- Provide a support email address: Include support details for buyers to use in case of technical problems. Mention the person handling support queries and include their email address.
- Keep it precise: Don’t make your abandoned cart emails a sales pitch. Only mention the major benefits of your products and user reviews if applicable.
The significant aspect is to address customer objections — why did they object to purchasing initially, and how can you provide solutions for them?
These email templates will inspire and help you address basic buyer dissent.
Abandoned Cart Email Templates
If you need extra help on the creative side, check out the following abandoned cart email templates.
Template #1: General Reminder
Use this template as a friendly and professional nudge to encourage potential customers to complete their purchase.
Subject Line: Did you forget something?
Hi [Recipient name],
We noticed you left some items in the cart and wanted to remind you about them. We’re keeping the following items in your cart for when you come back and finish your order.
[Insert picture and/or description of the item(s) in the cart]
Remember, when you place an order with [Company name], you’ll get [Benefit or exclusive offering].
Click here to get back to your cart and complete the order. Your items are waiting for you!
[Insert CTA to your E-commerce store]
See you soon,
The [Company name] team
Template #2: Special Offer or Price Drop
If you find there’s price hesitancy with your products, use this template to secure that sale. The suggested discount is a placeholder — include whatever is logical and comfortable for your business.
Subject Line: 15% off on your favorite mug
Hi [Recipient name],
We’ve got some good news for you! The item in your cart is eligible for a 15% discount.
[Insert design for the discount]
We noticed you left the Green Carper Mug in your cart, and we’d like to make the offer more tempting through [explain discount].
Simply click here to complete your purchase; we’ve already applied the discount to the product. Hurry, the offer stays valid only until [Length of offer].
Happy shopping!
[Team member], [Company Name]
Template #3: Reasons to Reconsider
You can use this template to provide additional incentives when you cannot offer price discounts.
Subject Line: 3 reasons to place your [product name] order
Hi [Recipient Name],
Need a reason to buy the duvet you were eyeing? We’ll give you 3:
- [Insert Reason #1] – [Elaborate on Reason #1]
- [Insert Reason #2] – [Elaborate on Reason #1]
- [Insert Reason #3] – [Elaborate on Reason #1]
Still unconvinced? Head over to our customer testimonial page to see why more than [number of people] have trusted [company name] for their product needs.
Or head back to our website to complete the order.
[Insert CTA]
[The company team]
You can use these templates in your abandoned cart email sequence to gently remind customers about the items in their carts. Or even better, replicate these email examples and see the results pile up.
7 Best Abandoned Cart Email Examples
With a little help from these real-world examples, you can create effective abandoned emails, too.
- Rael
Subject Line: We noticed you, noticing us
We like how ‘Free shipping’ is the first thing people see in this email — it eliminates doubts when shipping costs are the biggest concern. The emoji adds fun while the arrow guides customers to the desired product.
Primarily, we like the CTA — Take another look, which touches upon customer concerns and reassures them that their purchase is the right decision.
- Loftie
Subject Line: Still not sure?
Loftie uses unique and engaging copy to entice customers to complete their purchase. The brand ensures a 60-night money-back guarantee and free shipping that draws attention. They also mention a trust badge before the CTA, urging people to return to their carts.
- Something Navy
Subject Line: We shopped for you
The best part about Something Navy’s email is the personalization level. We like how they included links to different related items to increase the chances of a purchase. Their abandoned cart email is simple and does not take forever to navigate.
- AWAY
Subject Line: Did you forget something?
AWAY includes an unconventional email copy, giving customers a reason to think. Their heading immediately conveys the message and strikes the right balance between casual and fun.
The brand creates an engaging email without overwhelming buyers.
- ADIDAS
Subject Line: Sorry to hear about your wi-fi
”Is your wi-fi okay?” is a playful way to gain customer attention. Adidas targets its customers with the right elements — customization options for their differing needs. Finally, they use customer reviews with images to increase customer trust.
Let’s combine these examples with abandoned cart email best practices to help you achieve your revenue targets.
- Headspace
Subject Line: Quick heads up
Headspace offers help to encourage the customer to return and complete the sign-up process. Their short email copy clearly explains the next steps. The ”Learn more about Headspace plus” is a revenue-added advantage to convince customers to act.
- Homes Alive
Subject Line: Hey Name Lastname, did you forget something?
Homes Alive Pets does a wonderful job with their abandoned cart email — the image of the pup and the heading puts a smile on the customer’s face. The brand recommends additional products, offers help, and showcases its brand values, increasing credibility in its business.
Abandoned Cart Email Best Practices
Abandoned cart emails have a higher revenue per email than promotional mailings. Emails that show the actual customer cart have 25% higher transaction rates than emails that just link back to the brand’s website. Personalization and promptness are vital to increasing your sales through these emails.
Best Practices to Stay in Tune With Customer Needs
- Time your emails well: Your first email should reach the customer after 24 hours of cart abandonment. The products are fresh in their minds and increase the likelihood of purchasing.
- Keep the email design clean: Your email must emphasize urgency and encourage the customer to act immediately. Add product images and provide a clear CTA.
- Personalize the email: Include product details in your subject lines and email copy. Personalization has 12% higher unique open rates, especially in subject lines.
- Include an incentive: Incentives and offers in the first abandoned cart email boost transaction rates by 54%. Dollar-off incentives perform well, followed by free shipping and percent-off offers.
- Utilize cross-sell and up-sell opportunities: Recommend similar products or offer an upgrade to increase your average order value. Product recommendations can help customers find a better fit and complete their purchase.
- A/B different email templates: Regularly test different email templates regarding subject lines, timing, and other relevant elements. Optimize the template until you find one that generates the highest revenue.
As you bring everything together, you need automation software to send out your abandoned cart emails.
How to Automate Abandoned Cart Emails
You may require two separate software to handle your abandoned cart recovery, as follows:
- An email service provider to create, send, and track emails,
- An ecommerce platform to track cart abandonments.
Step #1: Use Triggers
Set up triggers on your e-commerce platform to automatically send an email when a customer abandons their cart. You can accomplish this by using webhooks, which allow you to track events on your website and notify your email service provider.
Step #2: Configure the Settings
Design an email template for different abandoned cart emails — for example, a discount email or a simple reminder.
Integrate your e-commerce platform to your ESP. This allows the ESP to access abandoned cart data and trigger email sequences accordingly.
Configure the timing and audience segmentation and set up automation workflows in your email service provider. Configure the sequence of emails in the flow, including follow-up emails to remind recipients about their abandoned carts.
Each email should have a different objective — your first email should act as a reminder, your second email must convey a sense of urgency, and so on.
Step #3: Monitor Your Email Metrics
Monitor the workflows and track email marketing metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and conversions. Adjust your trigger rules, email content, and segmentation based on the data from your abandoned cart email sequences.
Using sophisticated email automation software is the best way to improve your shopping cart analytics consistently. You can also use our free gift to increase your inbox placement — read below.
How to Use the Inbox Formula to Reach More Inboxes
While automation is one thing, we recommend following a robust strategy to reach more of your subscriber inboxes. Campaign Refinery is focused on excellent deliverability and innovative tools to help you achieve your email marketing goals.
If you got everything right and are still worried about getting your emails into the primary inbox, we have a solution for it.
Download the Inbox Formula and discover the secret to higher inbox placement and sustainably increasing your open and click rates.
You’ll also learn:
Should you require further assistance, we’re here to do the heavy lifting for you.
Apply to Join Campaign Refinery
Abandoned cart emails are an effective way to re-engage customers and recover lost sales. When you send personalized messages and offers, prospects are more likely to reconsider their decision.
This is where Campaign Refinery can help you with powerful segmentation and tracking based on customer behavior patterns. You can then easily modify your email templates with dynamic content, send highly targeted campaigns, and see your conversion rates increase.
Better yet, you can use the Engagement Gamification feature to enable your subscribers to earn points for every email they open and click on.
Apply today to become a client and achieve higher conversions and email marketing revenue than ever before!
