Picture yourself as an online seller, putting your heart and soul into crafting the perfect virtual store. Your products are fantastic, your website looks stunning, and your marketing efforts are attracting customers. You feel excited as shoppers visit your store, adding items to their shopping carts. But just as you’re about to celebrate, something unexpected happens – cart abandonment strikes!
Cart abandonment occurs when customers visit your online store, add products to their carts, but leave without completing the purchase. It’s like when someone picks up items in a physical store but decides not to buy them and leaves the cart behind.
As a seller, cart abandonment can be frustrating and puzzling. You wonder why customers showed interest but didn’t follow through with the purchase. But fear not! In this article, we’ll demystify the reasons behind cart abandonment and give you valuable insights from a seller’s perspective. We’ll explore the thoughts and hesitations that customers might have, and most importantly, we’ll equip you with powerful strategies to tackle cart abandonment head-on.
So get ready to uncover the secrets behind cart abandonment and learn how to make your online store a shopper’s favorite destination!”
Table of Contents
Definition
Cart Abandonment is a common occurrence in online shopping, and it happens when a customer adds items to their virtual shopping cart on a website but leaves the site without completing the purchase. It’s like putting things into a physical shopping cart at a store and then deciding not to buy them and leaving the cart behind. When a customer browses a website, selects products they like, and adds them to their virtual cart, it shows their interest in buying those items. However, for various reasons, they decide not to proceed with the purchase and leave the website without completing the checkout process. As a result, the items they selected stay in the virtual cart, and the retailer misses out on the opportunity to make a sale.
Cart abandonment can happen at different stages of the checkout process, such as after filling out the shipping information, before entering payment details, or even after clicking the “Buy Now” button. There are various reasons why customers abandon their carts, including unexpected costs, a complicated checkout process, security concerns, or simply changing their mind about the purchase.
For online businesses, cart abandonment is a significant concern as it directly affects their sales and revenue. It also indicates that there might be issues with the website or shopping experience that need to be addressed to encourage more customers to complete their purchases.
Calculating Cart Abandonment Rates
Ecommerce cart abandonment rate can be calculated and monitored by ecommerce retailers to understand specific reasons for increase/decrease in revenue. This helps in understanding the percentage of purchase intent showcased by the visitors of the site, who don’t buy even after having items in the cart.
Shopping cart abandonment rate = [ 1- (total no. of completed purchases/number of carts created) ] x 100%
Cart Abandonment Rate is calculated by dividing the total number of completed purchases by the number of shopping carts created. Subtract the result from one and then multiply by 100 for the abandonment rate.
Cart Abandonment Statistics
According to Baymard Institute, 69.57% of online shopping carts are abandoned. Think about that. For every 100 potential customers, 70 of them will leave without purchasing. How much would your revenues increase if you were capturing those sales instead of losing them?
Let’s look at a quick example. If you’re currently making $15,000/mo in online revenue and could turn just 25% of those abandoned orders into sales, you’d make an extra $45,000 each year.
Research by Baymard Institute also shows the average cart abandonment rate differs by device, with mobile and tablet devices having the highest percentage of shoppers hitting the exit button on a checkout page:
- Desktop: 69.75%
- Mobile: 85.65%
- Tablets: 80.74%
The location of your customers also plays a role in how likely they are to abandon their online shopping carts, too. Some 86.15% of Spanish shopping baskets are abandoned midway through. On the other side of the scale, shoppers in the Netherlands have the lowest abandonment rate at 65.49%.
Certain items also have bigger drop-offs. Items in women’s knitwear, leather goods, and lingerie categories are most prone to “website window-shoppers”.
Unsurprisingly, December is the month where cart abandonment is at its highest. Black Friday and holiday sales mean more people are shopping (hence the increase in cart abandonment).
Lots of factors play a role in online store cart abandonment, so it’s safe to say that the vast majority of people adding items to their online cart won’t complete a purchase—for some reason or another. But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing you can do about it. Keep reading to understand the main drivers of shopping cart abandonment.
So, what happens after customers leave your site?
Research from Statista found that when UK shoppers abandon carts, less than a third return to buy it. A quarter of them buy the same product from a competitor.
Statistics regarding the reasons for users abandoning their carts:
To be fair to the e-commerce industry, a significant portion of cart abandonments are simply a natural outcome of how users browse e-commerce sites. Many users may be window shopping, comparing prices, saving items for later, exploring gift options, and so on. These cart and checkout abandonments are largely unavoidable.
In fact, our latest quantitative study on reasons for abandonment found that 58.6% of US online shoppers abandoned a cart within the last 3 months because they were “just browsing/not ready to buy.” In most cases, they abandoned even before initiating the checkout flow. However, if we segment out this “just browsing” group and look at the remaining reasons for abandonments, we get the following distribution:
48% Extra costs too high (shipping, tax, fees)
24% The site wanted me to create an account
22% Delivery was too slow
18% I didn’t trust the site with my credit card information
17% Too long / complicated checkout process
16% I couldn’t see / calculate total order cost up-front
13% Website had errors / crashed
12% Returns policy wasn’t satisfactory
9% There weren’t enough payment methods
4% The credit card was declined
Unlike the “just browsing” segment, a lot of these issues can be resolved. In fact, many of them can be fixed purely through design changes. Which will be discussed later in this article.
Impact on Retailers
As you’ve seen, there are more shoppers who start but don’t finish the transaction process than those who finish it. Any business owner who understands the nature and severity of this abandoned cart recovery wants to resolve it quickly.
It’s much easier to prompt someone who started checking out to finish buying the products than it is to convince brand new visitors. At the very least, someone who already placed products in their cart sees value in what you offer. Still, the problem needs to be addressed.
You’re Losing Sales and Customers
The most significant impact of cart abandonment is the loss of potential sales and revenue. Customers who abandon their shopping carts have shown strong interest in products, and their decision not to complete the purchase translates to missed opportunities for the retailer to generate revenue.
Retailers invest time and resources in marketing campaigns to attract customers to their websites. When customers abandon their carts, it means that the marketing efforts to get them to the site were successful, but the conversion did not occur, resulting in wasted marketing spend.
Cart abandonment not only impacts revenue but also affects profit margins. Retailers incur various costs associated with attracting customers, handling inventory, and managing the checkout process. When customers abandon their carts, these costs do not translate into revenue, leading to reduced profitability.
Cart abandonment can lead to a decline in customer loyalty and retention. When customers face frustrations during the checkout process or encounter unexpected costs, they may lose trust in the brand and choose to shop elsewhere in the future. These customers are often potential repeat buyers. When they don’t complete their purchases, it reduces the potential for a long-term relationship with the customer, resulting in a lower customer lifetime value for the retailer.
Cart abandonment can hinder a retailer’s growth potential. When significant numbers of potential customers leave without purchasing, it becomes challenging to scale the business and achieve sustainable growth.
Reasons for Cart Abandonments
There are a bunch of different reasons why people abandon their carts, and it’s important for online retailers to figure out why so they can fix it. Here are some of the main reasons why people abandon their carts:
Unexpected Extra Costs:
When customers encounter hidden costs, such as high shipping fees, taxes, or unexpected additional charges during checkout, it can be a nasty surprise that leads to cart abandonment, significantly impacting the success of an online store. Such hidden costs can create feelings of deception and frustration among customers, ultimately eroding trust and causing them to reconsider their purchase decisions.
During the initial stages of shopping, customers typically focus on the base price of the products they are interested in. They calculate their budget and make purchasing decisions based on this perceived cost. However, when they progress to the checkout page and discover additional charges that were not clearly communicated earlier in the shopping process, it can feel like a bait-and-switch tactic. This sense of deception can cause customers to question the store’s integrity and diminish their willingness to complete the transaction.
High shipping fees are one of the most common culprits for cart abandonment. While free shipping has become a customer expectation, many online stores still impose substantial shipping charges. When these fees are only revealed at checkout, customers may feel frustrated, especially if they have already invested time in selecting items and adding them to their cart. The perceived value of the purchase can be significantly diminished, leading customers to abandon their carts, especially if the total cost ends up exceeding what they initially anticipated.
Taxes and other additional charges are also factors that can contribute to cart abandonment. If these costs are not explicitly disclosed or estimated early in the shopping process, customers may be taken aback by the sudden increase in the final price. This can be particularly discouraging if the additional charges push the total cost beyond the customer’s budget or comfort zone.
Complicated Checkout Process:
If the checkout process takes too long and is difficult to go through, it can frustrate customers and make them give up on buying something. When online stores ask customers to fill out lots of long forms, create an account, or go through many pages before finishing their purchase, it creates unnecessary obstacles that stop them from completing the buying process.
Imagine going to an online store and finding the perfect item you want to buy. You happily add it to your cart and proceed to checkout. But then, you’re asked to fill out a bunch of long forms with your personal information, like name, address, and phone number. On top of that, the store insists that you create an account with a username and password. And to make matters worse, you have to click through multiple pages to finally complete your purchase. It can be really frustrating and time-consuming!
As a customer, you just want to buy the product quickly and easily. But when the checkout process becomes too complicated and takes forever, you might start to feel annoyed and lose interest. Some people might even give up and leave the website without buying anything.
Payment Security Concerns:
With more and more cyber threats and data breaches happening these days, customers are being careful about giving their payment information online. If a website doesn’t show clear signs that it can be trusted or lacks secure payment options, customers may get worried about their safety and decide not to complete their purchase. This can lead to them leaving their shopping cart behind because they are concerned about their personal information being at risk.
When you’re shopping online, you want to be sure that your payment details are safe and won’t end up in the wrong hands. If a website doesn’t have visible trust indicators, like security badges or seals, it might make you question if it’s a legitimate and secure place to make a purchase. Similarly, if the website doesn’t offer secure payment options, like using trusted payment processors or encrypted connections, you might feel uneasy about entering your credit card or other sensitive details.
In such situations, you might decide to leave the website without buying anything, even if you really wanted the products in your cart. It’s natural to be cautious and protect your personal information from potential hackers or identity thieves.
Lack of Trust on the Website:
In e-commerce, trust is really important. If customers have any doubts about whether a website is credible or if the products or services they’re offering are legit, they might decide not to buy anything and leave their shopping cart behind. There are a few things that can make customers unsure and not trust the website.
One thing that can be confusing is the return policy. If it’s not clear or easy to understand how you can return something if you don’t like it or if there’s a problem with it, customers might be hesitant to make a purchase. They don’t want to get stuck with something they don’t want or can’t use, and not knowing the return policy can make them feel uneasy.
Another thing that can make customers unsure is the absence of customer reviews and testimonials. When you’re shopping online, it’s helpful to see what other people have said about the products or services. If there are no reviews or feedback from other customers, it’s hard to know if the products are good quality or if the services are reliable.
When customers don’t trust a website, they might worry that they could get scammed or receive something different from what was advertised. They want to be sure that the website is trustworthy and that they’ll get what they paid for.
Comparison Shopping:
When customers shop online, they sometimes use shopping carts as a way to compare prices, products, and deals on different websites. They might add items to their cart on one website but then leave it without buying anything to keep researching on other sites. This helps them make a better decision by gathering more information before making a purchase.
Imagine you’re shopping for a new pair of shoes online. You find a pair you like on one website and add them to your cart. But instead of immediately buying them, you decide to check other websites to see if you can find the same shoes at a better price or if there are any special offers or discounts available. So, you go to another website and add the same shoes to that cart as well. This way, you can compare the prices and deals between the two websites before deciding where to make the purchase.
Using shopping carts as a tool for comparing allows customers to be more informed shoppers. They can take their time to browse different websites, see what each one offers, and find the best deal or the product that suits them the most. By doing this, they can feel more confident about their decision and make sure they’re getting the best value for their money.
So, when customers abandon their shopping carts temporarily during this research process, it doesn’t mean they won’t come back to complete the purchase later. It’s just a way for them to do their homework and make sure they’re making the right choice before finalizing the transaction.
Unplanned Purchase Decisions:
Sometimes, customers add things to their shopping cart without being completely sure if they want to buy them. It’s like when you see something interesting in a store and pick it up, but you’re not entirely sure if you want to buy it yet.
When these customers start the checkout process and see the total price they have to pay, they might stop and think more carefully about whether they really need or want those items. They might realize that they don’t have enough money, or they may remember that they already have something similar at home. As a result, they decide not to go ahead with the purchase and leave the items in the cart without buying them.
It’s kind of like window shopping online. You add things to your cart, but you’re not fully committed to buying them. The checkout process is like the moment when you’re at the cashier, and you start thinking about whether you really want to spend your money on those items.
This is a common behavior in online shopping, and it doesn’t mean the customers are unhappy with the store or the products. It’s just that sometimes, they get a bit impulsive and add things to the cart without thinking it through. And that’s okay because it gives them time to reconsider and make sure they’re making the right choices before spending their money.
Shipping and Delivery Concerns:
When customers are unsure about how long it will take for their order to arrive, what delivery options are available, or if the shipping process is unclear, it can make them hesitant about completing their purchase. Additionally, if their preferred shipping choice is not available or costs too much, they may decide not to go through with the purchase and leave their shopping cart behind.
Imagine you’re shopping online and you find something you really want to buy. But when you get to the checkout page, you can’t find any information about how long it will take for the item to be delivered to you. Or maybe you’re not sure if they offer the delivery option you prefer, like express shipping or free shipping. This uncertainty might make you worried about when you’ll receive the item or how much the shipping will cost, and it could lead you to leave the website without buying anything.
Sometimes, a website might not offer the shipping option you want, like fast delivery or free shipping, or the available choices might be too expensive for your budget. In such cases, you might decide that it’s not worth it to pay the extra money for shipping, and you might abandon your cart because of that. Customers like to know when they can expect their purchases to arrive and what delivery choices they have. If this information is not clear or if the shipping options are not suitable for their needs, they may feel uncertain and prefer not to proceed with the purchase.
Technical Glitches and Errors:
Technical issues can be a significant source of frustration for customers and are a common cause of cart abandonment in online shopping. When customers encounter problems like slow page loading times, website crashes, or payment processing errors, it can disrupt their shopping experience and discourage them from completing their purchases. Similarly, website crashes can be very frustrating. Just when you’re about to add an item to your cart or proceed to checkout, the website suddenly crashes, and you have to start all over again. It can feel like a waste of time and might make you think twice about continuing to shop on that particular website.
Technical issues like these can undermine the trust and confidence customers have in an online store. They might feel like the website is unreliable or poorly maintained, leading them to question the overall quality of the products or services offered. In some cases, customers may also worry about the security of their personal and financial information if they encounter technical glitches during the checkout process.
High Price Points:
When customers feel that the prices of products are higher than they expected or don’t seem justified by the value they would receive, they might choose to leave their shopping carts and look for alternatives elsewhere. This perception of high prices can significantly impact their decision-making process and lead to cart abandonment. Customers want to feel like they’re getting a fair deal for the products they buy. If they perceive that the prices are too high or don’t match the quality or features of the items, they may feel reluctant to proceed with the purchase. This perception can arise from various factors, such as comparison shopping on different websites, reading customer reviews to gauge the product’s worth, or being influenced by discounts or promotional offers on competing platforms.
Out of Stock Items:
Customers may add products to their carts, only to find out later that some of the items are out of stock or unavailable for purchase, leading them to abandon the cart in frustration and disappointment. This scenario can significantly impact the customer’s shopping experience and create negative perceptions of the online store or brand.
When customers browse an e-commerce website and select products they are interested in, they do so with the expectation that those items will be available for purchase. However, upon reaching the checkout stage, they may be met with the disheartening news that certain products are no longer in stock. This can happen for several reasons, such as a delay in updating the inventory system, a sudden surge in demand that exhausts the available stock, or a technical glitch that inaccurately displayed the product’s availability.
The experience of discovering unavailable items in the cart can evoke feelings of frustration, as customers have already invested time and effort in selecting their desired products. This disappointment may be exacerbated if the customers had specific plans or events in mind for which they needed the items. The inconvenience of having to start the shopping process over again, searching for alternatives, or even choosing to shop at a different store can lead to a negative perception of the initial online store and may discourage customers from returning in the future.
Inadequate Product Information:
Insufficient or unclear product descriptions, images, or specifications can leave customers unsure about the product’s suitability, prompting them to abandon the cart and seek alternative options from competitors. When potential buyers encounter a lack of essential information or visuals that fail to showcase the product’s features, benefits, and intended use, they may become hesitant about making a purchase. Without a comprehensive understanding of what the product offers and how it aligns with their needs, doubts may arise, leading customers to second-guess their decision and ultimately abandon the shopping process.
Furthermore, inadequate product descriptions or ambiguous specifications can contribute to a lack of trust and credibility for the online store or brand. Customers may perceive the incomplete information as a sign of carelessness or unprofessionalism, raising concerns about the quality of both the product and the service they can expect to receive. As a result, they may lose confidence in the business’s ability to deliver on its promises, making them more likely to abandon the cart and search for a more reliable vendor
Requirement for Account Creation:
Requiring customers to create an account before they can make a purchase on an online store can be a significant deterrent, especially for first-time visitors. Many customers prefer a quick and hassle-free checkout process, and having to go through the extra step of creating an account can feel time-consuming and unnecessary. This inconvenience can lead to cart abandonment as customers may decide not to proceed with the purchase due to the perceived hassle.
When customers encounter a website for the first time, they might not be familiar with the brand or have fully decided to commit to becoming a registered member. They may be exploring different options and want to see how the shopping experience is before deciding to share their personal information and create an account.
Need to Improve Cart Abandonment Rates
The need to improve cart abandonment rates is essential for online retailers, as there are various reasons like:
Revenue Loss Prevention:
Cart abandonment directly results in lost sales and revenue. Customers who abandon their carts were genuinely interested in the products, but they didn’t complete the purchase. By reducing cart abandonment, retailers can keep a significant portion of these potential sales, leading to increased revenue.
Enhanced Customer Retention:
Reducing cart abandonment leads to happier customers and improved loyalty. A smooth and hassle-free checkout process leaves a positive impression, encouraging customers to return for future purchases. Happy and loyal customers become brand advocates, attracting new customers through word-of-mouth.
Increased Conversion Rates:
Addressing the factors that contribute to cart abandonment can lead to higher conversion rates. Streamlining the checkout process, providing transparent pricing, and building trust with customers can motivate them to finalize their purchases.
Competitive Advantage:
Successfully combatting cart abandonment gives retailers a competitive edge in the crowded e-commerce market. When customers have a positive experience and face fewer barriers during checkout, they are more likely to choose that retailer over competitors.
Strengthened Brand Reputation:
A high cart abandonment rate can harm a retailer’s reputation. Eliminating cart abandonment reinforces a positive brand image and fosters trust among customers, signaling reliability and meeting customer expectations.
Customer Insights and Improvements:
Analyzing the reasons behind cart abandonment provides valuable customer insights. Retailers can use this data to make informed improvements to their website, products, and checkout process, enhancing the overall customer experience.
Increased Customer Lifetime Value:
Reducing cart abandonment improves customer retention, increasing the potential for repeat business. Satisfied customers who complete their purchases are more likely to become loyal, long-term patrons, increasing their lifetime value to the retailer.
Business Sustainability and Growth:
To thrive in the long term, online retailers must address cart abandonment. By retaining more customers and generating higher revenues, retailers can ensure business sustainability and create opportunities for growth and expansion.
Positive Impact on Industry:
Eliminating cart abandonment benefits the e-commerce industry as a whole. It promotes best practices, encourages a customer-centric approach, and raises the overall standard of online shopping experiences, benefiting all players in the market.
To summarize, online retailers must urgently prioritize the elimination of cart abandonment. By taking proactive measures to tackle the factors that lead to abandonment and implementing successful strategies, retailers can boost their revenue, retain more customers, and enhance their brand reputation. Additionally, this approach allows them to gain a competitive edge in the ever-evolving e-commerce industry.
Strategies to Combat Cart Abandonment
Strategies to combat cart abandonment are essential for online businesses seeking to retain potential customers and increase their conversion rates. Let’s delve into these strategies in detail:
Streamline the Checkout Process:
One of the primary reasons for cart abandonment is a complicated and lengthy checkout process. Retailers must focus on simplifying the entire process to minimize friction and encourage customers to complete their purchases. Here’s how:
- Guest Checkout: Offer a guest checkout option, allowing customers to complete their purchase without creating an account. This reduces the barriers to entry and speeds up the process.
- One-Page Checkout: Condense the checkout process into a single page, eliminating the need for customers to navigate through multiple steps.
- Autofill and Progress Indicators: Implement autofill features for customer information and display progress indicators to show customers how far they are in the checkout process.
- Clear Call-to-Action: Use a prominent and visually appealing “Checkout Now” button to guide customers towards completing their purchase.
Transparency in Pricing:
Unexpected additional costs during checkout are a major turn-off for customers. To combat this, retailers should provide transparency in pricing and display all costs upfront. Here’s how:
- Shipping and Tax Calculators: Include shipping calculators on product pages or in the shopping cart to give customers an estimate of the total cost before proceeding to checkout.
- Free Shipping Threshold: Consider offering free shipping above a certain order value to incentivize customers to add more items to their carts.
- Clear Return Policies: Clearly communicate return policies to instill confidence in customers, reducing their hesitation to complete the purchase.
Optimize Website Performance:
Slow-loading websites frustrate customers and increase the likelihood of cart abandonment. Optimize website performance to ensure a seamless shopping experience:
- Image Optimization: Compress images to reduce page load times without compromising on visual quality.
- Caching: Implement caching to store frequently accessed data, improving loading times for returning visitors.
- Content Delivery Network (CDN): Utilize a CDN to serve website content from servers closer to the customer’s location, reducing latency.
Mobile-Friendly Design:
With the increasing number of mobile shoppers, it’s crucial to offer a mobile-friendly website and checkout process:
- Responsive Design: Ensure that the website adapts to different screen sizes and devices for a user-friendly experience.
- Mobile Payment Options: Incorporate mobile payment methods like digital wallets and one-click payments for a smooth checkout process on mobile devices.
Build Trust and Security:
Addressing customer concerns about payment security and building trust are vital to combat cart abandonment:
- SSL Certificate: Secure the website with an SSL certificate to encrypt data transmission and assure customers of a secure checkout process.
- Trust Seals: Display trust seals from reputable security providers to instill confidence in customers.
- Secure Payment Gateways: Partner with trusted and secure payment gateways to safeguard customer information.
Exit-Intent Popups:
Implement exit-intent popups to intercept users who are about to leave the website without completing their purchase:
- Incentives: Offer a discount or a special deal through the popup to encourage customers to reconsider their decision to leave.
- Email Collection: Request customers’ email addresses through the popup to enable follow-up communication and remarketing efforts.
Social Proof and Reviews:
Incorporate social proof elements, such as customer reviews and testimonials, to build trust and credibility:
- Customer Reviews: Showcase positive reviews and ratings to reassure customers about the quality of products and services.
- Testimonials: Display testimonials from satisfied customers, highlighting their positive experiences with the brand.
Abandoned Cart Surveys:
Implement surveys for customers who abandon their carts to gain insights into the reasons behind their decision:
- Feedback Collection: Ask customers about the factors that led to their abandonment, such as pricing concerns or usability issues.
- Improvement Measures: Use the feedback to make data-driven improvements to the website and checkout process.
Retargeting Ads:
Utilize retargeting ads to re-engage customers who left without completing their purchase:
- Targeted Ads: Display targeted ads featuring the abandoned products to remind customers about their initial interest.
- Incentives: Offer personalized incentives, such as discounts or free shipping, to encourage customers to return and complete their purchase.
Cart Abandonment Recovery Emails:
Automated cart abandonment recovery emails can be highly effective in re-engaging customers and prompting them to complete their purchase:
- Personalization: Use customer data to personalize the emails with the abandoned items and offer incentives, such as discounts or free shipping, to entice customers back.
- Urgency and Scarcity: Create a sense of urgency by including limited time offers or notifying customers about low stock levels of their chosen items.
Later in this article we’re going to show you some effective examples of Recovery Emails that actually win back Abandoned Carts!
Implementing effective strategies to combat cart abandonment is vital for online businesses to improve their conversion rates and overall profitability. By streamlining the checkout process, providing transparent pricing, optimizing website performance, and building trust with customers, retailers can reduce cart abandonment rates significantly. Additionally, leveraging automated cart abandonment recovery emails, exit-intent popups, and retargeting ads can help re-engage customers and encourage them to complete their purchases. By prioritizing the customer’s shopping experience and addressing the factors that contribute to cart abandonment, online retailers can create a more user-friendly and conversion-focused e-commerce environment.
[Bonus] 10 Email Examples to win back the abandoned carts!
1. Madewell (The pick up line approach)
If you’re like us and love a good play on words, this email would delight you to no bounds.
This abandoned cart recovery email from Madewell, the fashion eCommerce brand, kills it with their headline “These Look Good in Your Bag”, but takes it a step further by giving the subheading kicker as “but they would look even better on you.”
Boom! Below the crop, Madewell shows you the items you left in your cart to help remind you of what you wanted to buy. It’s a clean, sleek email that works on multiple levels, and how.
What works in this abandoned cart email template:
- Nails aspirational copy with the words but they would look even better on you
- Keeps the CTA creative: Go for it
- Keeps the email distraction-free along with a large-sized product
2. Puma (Design draws the eye)
Puma turns up the urgency button pretty heavily here, and it works. The contrasting call to action button stands out, and the geometric design draws the eye to it almost instantly.
We really like the thought that went into the design of this email, and ups the ante of cart abandonment emails we’ve come across while curating this list.
Notice how one call to action takes the buyer to find a nearby store, as Puma is primarily a retail shopping brand. This cart abandonment email really takes the cake in terms of creativity and uniqueness of thought.
What works in this cart abandonment email:
- Creates a design that’s very on-brand with the logo and brand colors
- Plays on the scarcity effect by mentioning that products will be out of stock
- The option to find a store on top adds another layer to the conversion funnel
3. Google Store (Hitting it out of the park)
Ah, talk of great emails and Google wouldn’t make the cut? Not possible.
This is a perfect example of an abandoned cart email because it includes every element: Great copywriting, clear call to action button, personalization by showing the customer’s cart details, and urgency through creative copywriting.
With text like “Going, going, (almost) gone” and “Our popular items sell out fast” customers are engaged with the email. They also feel compelled to complete their purchase so they don’t miss out.
This email closes with a call to action to answer questions and subscribe to their product updates. Again, Google focuses on ensuring the customer feels like they don’t want to miss out on anything. And do it well.
What works in this abandoned cart email template:
- Nails good copy in the catchy title: Going, going (almost) gone
- The minimalist design helps customers stay distraction-free
- Highlights benefits for the customer such as Free shipping
4. Nordstrom (Thinking it through)
By including a question in their abandoned cart recovery email headline, Nordstrom, the fashion eCommerce store is making the shopper think about their decision of having abandoned the cart. Also, the line “… our looks go fast.” gives them a hint that they better hurry checking out or risk leaving their beloved items, and not be able to purchase them.
What works in this abandoned cart email template:
- Adds a distinct style by experimenting with the fonts and compartmentalizing various parts of the email
- Keeps the benefits highlighted: free shipping and free returns
- Answers all possible customer questions with a FAQ section
5. ThredUp (A proposal that gets a “yes”)
This one is really, really funny! Notice the headline: “Your cart is expiring”, and the body copy “I’m having abandonment issues” is quite playful, to say the least.
The image of the abandoned product along with its details is right in front and center, so there is no doubt what was left behind. This email gets a bunch of things on point!
What works in this abandoned cart email example:
- Keeps the copy and CTA fresh and humorous: abandonment issues and it’s meant to be
- Offer multiple incentives with slash pricing, a coupon code, and a referral discount
- Displays the product clearly to create strong product recall
6. The North Face (Use visual cues to drive home the point)
There’s a dearth of cart recovery emails that use visual cues to reinforce their point. The North Face sets a benchmark with its creative cart abandonment email using a man climbing as the visual cue.
A visual cue is a perceptual signal that draws the attention of the users toward important elements.
What works in this abandoned cart email example:
- Use suggestive cues to influence decision making
- An abandoned cart message which makes the effort-to-reward ratio easier guarantees more conversions
- A black-and-white color palette makes the email readable and enables easy decision-making
7. Hayneedle (When a good deal is all you need)
Home furnishings retailer Hayneedle knows how to sweeten the deal for shopping cart abandoners.
The email highlights an incentive discount in the subject line and first image. There’s a reminder of what’s in the cart.
The call to action button highlights the benefit of completing the order.
Their images of related products are on point – exactly what someone considering purchasing this item might want to look at.
What works in this abandoned cart email examples:
- Makes the incentive in the form of discount unmissable
- Also shares the additional benefit of free shipping on top
- Shows the product in use by customers with an image
8. Adidas (Customization is the new customer magnet)
Allowing customers to customize a product is customer centricity. When your product they like but don’t have a color they like, product customization can help convert those customers.
As a matter of fact, customers are willing to pay more for customized products and are more likely to become brand advocates.
What works win back customer email template:
- Using social proof in the cart recovery email is a great persuasion tactic. In fact, 88% of customers consider user reviews on par with personal recommendations.
- Adding the store finder option is smart for winning cart abandonment users. Since the feeling of touch is missing in online shopping, apprehensive customers may want to visit the physical store and buy it. This is great for reducing returns as the return rates for in-store purchases stand at 8.89% compared to online rates at 30%.
9. Rudy’s Barbershop (Build on FOMO)
We all know that FOMO works: customers don’t want to miss out on things they like. Rudy’s understands that and they drive that message home in their email copy.
The entire abandoned cart email template is designed to get customers to move quickly & convert — and sometimes that’s okay — as long as it’s done well.
10. Society 6 (Reserve the cart for a limited time)
Humans like reservations especially when things aren’t easier to get. Society 6 reserves the cart for 48 hours, which conveys a sense of urgency compelling the users to act.
Along with FOMO, this uses the principle of reciprocity. According to this principle, humans feel obligated to reward a kind gesture by doing something in return for them.
What works in this abandoned cart email example:
- Society 6 thanks all its customers for their contribution to support artists all over the world. Gratitude is a value that customers appreciate. 91% of customers say that they’re more likely to buy from companies that appreciate their customers.
- It includes the stamp of authority from prominent publications like The New York Times which is the highest form of social proof. Customers will form a positive perception of the brands that use this social proof.
- Finally, it includes a return using clever messaging Just in Case. This stands out for its uniqueness.
Conclusion
The rising rates of abandoned carts present a concerning challenge for businesses operating in the e-commerce landscape. By acknowledging the alarming statistics, understanding the impact on both retailers and consumers, and considering diverse perspectives, steps can be taken to mitigate the issue. Streamlining the checkout process, enhancing transparency, and improving security measures are crucial factors in reducing abandoned cart rates.
As the e-commerce industry continues to evolve, it is vital for businesses to adapt and prioritize providing an optimized user experience. Together, by addressing abandoned cart rates, we can build a more robust and customer-centric online marketplace.
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