How Important are Abandoned Cart Emails?

Luckily, cart abandonment emails are there to remind you that you forgot something – so you can return and complete your shopping. Today, we’ll tell you all you need to know about cart abandonment emails and how to use them for your store.

And as an added bonus, we have some abandoned cart email templates at the very end, so stick around with us.

What is an Abandoned Cart Email?

An abandoned cart email is an automated email that a customer gets if they added something to their shopping cart but never made it to the checkout or payment stage. This email goes out automatically after a certain time period to remind the customer to complete their purchase.

You can design a workflow that automatically sends a message to a customer who has bounced off your store without completing the purchase of a product or products they have added to their basket with abandoned cart emails.

This can be a simple message to remind customers that they have left something behind, or you can design it to display the cart’s contents to remind them of what they wanted to buy. An abandoned cart email is often a beneficial method of reducing incomplete order numbers and will ultimately boost sales by encouraging customers to come back and buy the products that they have shown interest in.

While there are lots of different things you can do to maximize conversion rates by optimizing your eCommerce store, there are always going to be certain customers that don’t finish their purchases and leave their carts with the items inside; it’s normal with the industry and something that will not be possible to avoid completely.

Sending these transactional emails allows you to use a strategy that increases conversions by recovering lost sales.

Why Send an Abandoned Cart Email?

If you’re running an online shop and are concerned about the number of lost sales shopping baskets being abandoned, there is a list of reasons why abandoned cart messages are worth considering. 

Statistics show that abandoned cart emails are behind some 28% of eCommerce revenue, so they are worth sending. Besides making it easier for you to increase sales and revenue, abandoned cart messages offer further advantages for your business.

Save time and money

With an automated email workflow to address abandoned carts, you’ll have more time to focus on other business marketing tasks. Once abandoned cart emails have been set up, you can use them to not only encourage potential new customers to come back and make the purchase but also for helping to retain your existing customers, ultimately saving time and money on acquiring new customers.

When set up right, you can use these emails to push product recommendations, ask for customer testimonials, collect more reviews, and much more.

Offer a better customer experience

Even when your customer decides not to return to your store to finish their purchase after abandoning the cart, sending an email can be an excellent way to collect important information that you can use to improve the customer experience further down the line. 

For example, sending an email can allow you to collect information on why the customer didn’t complete the purchase. The shipping cost may have been too high, or they faced a technical issue, or maybe there were extra costs at checkout that they were not expecting. This will help you make any needed changes to improve the future customer experience, reducing the number of abandoned baskets.

Create better customer relationships

An abandoned cart is often something very relevant to customers, as they’re often personal to the actions that they have taken and their shopping habits. Because of this, abandoned cart emails not only remind the customer to come back and purchase the item they are interested in, but they can also demonstrate that your brand values them and understands their needs, helping you build stronger customer relationships.

This can not only help you reduce your shopping cart abandonment rate but also turn first time buyers into evangelists. Who knows, one email could lead to amazing customer reviews and repeat purchases.

How to set up effective abandoned cart emails

With 69.57% of online shopping baskets being abandoned by customers before a sale is completed, your sales stats might be much lower than what they might be if you aren’t using abandoned cart messages to encourage customers to return and finalize the purchase.

Although an abandoned cart email may not be able to encourage all the customers who have abandoned their baskets to return and make the purchase, it’s definitely worth putting in the time and effort to deal with as many abandoned carts as possible.

To do this, keep the following tips in mind with your cart abandonment campaigns:

Offer a reminder

Many carts are left before purchase, not because the customer is on the fence about making a purchase, but simply because they were distracted and forgot to go back to it. With more and more of us using our smartphones to make purchases online these days, it’s not uncommon for something to distract us in the middle of shopping, put our phones down, and then forget what we were doing before the distraction happens. 

In other instances, shoppers might add something to their cart so that it’s easier to find later on, but they might simply need some time to consider it before they decide whether it is worth it for them.

While there are lots of different reasons why customers might end up abandoning their carts, saving the cart and sending an email to remind them of the item that they were interested in purchasing, along with a handy link that they can use to simply continue from the last step, is the simplest way to encourage your customer to complete the purchase.

Moreover, you can and should send a follow-up email to the first one that goes out. Most cart workflows have at least a few emails in the series. No worries, your favorite email marketing tool should do the heavy lifting for you here.

Have a clear call to action

A CTA button is used in email messages to direct viewers back to their abandoned basket, where they can enter the required information and complete the purchase of the product that they are interested in.

The style of the CTA button can vary based on your visual brand. However, while they might all look different, they all have the same objective of encouraging the customer to return to their abandoned basket and complete the full checkout process. 

While there are lots of different styles and options to consider when it comes to the wording and visuals you use, the main thing is that it stands out from the rest of the email and is easy to find. This can make a massive difference in the results of your abandoned cart strategy.

Get the email copy just right

The best marketers and business owners will see an abandoned cart email as just another opportunity for marketing to their customers. If you have been putting a lot of effort into ensuring that all the marketing materials for your company are very compelling, then this should continue with your abandoned cart emails.

Just like any other marketing email, it’s worth focusing on the copy and making sure that you are including an attention-grabbing subject line, interesting visuals, and compelling copywriting. Consider personalizing the email and using bold, stand-out subject lines to encourage the recipient to go back and check their cart.

Time it right

Various studies have suggested that the earlier you send out a shopping cart abandonment email, the better your results are going to be. 

Rejoiner, an email marketing company, found that clients who sent an abandoned cart email within the hour of the cart being abandoned saw an average 16% conversion rate. In fact, around an hour after the cart has been abandoned seems to be the best cart flow timing for businesses, with marketers who sent both sooner and later seeing worse results.

However, this is just the starting point. It can be useful to test out follow-up cart recovery emails as well as these can get even more powerful results. The second email should go out about 24 hours after the first one and the rest of the flow depends on what you’re selling and how spammy you want to go.

Offer an incentive

Sometimes people abandon their shopping baskets because they get cold feet about spending a certain amount of money on a product right at the last minute. Or they might be interested in shopping around to see if there is a possibility that they can find the same or a similar product available for cheaper elsewhere. 

Offering a discount code in your abandoned cart email is an easy yet very effective way to encourage potential customers to return if they weren’t willing to pay the final price previously. You might want to offer an overall percentage off the total price if they return or give the option of free shipping.

If you run an eCommerce store, then abandoned cart emails are arguably some of the most important you’ll send. Since they account for thirty percent of eCommerce revenue on average, it’s no surprise that they can make all the difference to online store success. Some of your most popular items could be sitting in online shopping carts, just waiting for a small nudge from your end.

All the more reasons to send a limited time coupon code that can help indecisive buyers to make a call.

Wrapping up

Creating an abandoned cart email strategy may seem like an afterthought if you’re running an online store. However, the initial time investment spent on setting up abandoned cart recovery emails pays dividends once those cart abandoners complete their purchases and new revenue comes in.

By the way, Bouncer is an amazing addition to your email marketing strategy. If you send out a large volume of emails to various email lists, you need to validate and verify those addresses first. Otherwise, your bounce rate will be the thing going through the roof – and not your revenue.

Sign up today for your free trial of Bouncer!

Abandoned cart email templates you can try today

Here are some abandoned cart email examples and templates that you can grab today and say goodbye to your cart abandonment issues for good.

The Friendly Nudge

Subject Line: Psst! You left something behind…

Hey [Customer Name],

We couldn’t help but notice you left a few items in your cart. Just in case you forgot, we saved them for you.

🛒 [Resume Shopping]

Don’t miss out on the fantastic items waiting for you!

Warm regards,

[Your Brand]

FOMO Alert

Subject Line: Don’t miss out on the items in your cart! 🏃‍♂️

Hello [Customer Name],

It’s now or never! Your cart items are in high demand, and we can’t guarantee they’ll be available for long.

⏰ [Complete Your Purchase]

Secure your items today and avoid disappointment!

Best,

[Your Brand]

The Gentle Reminder

Subject Line: A friendly reminder about your cart items

Dear [Customer Name],

We hope this email finds you well. Just a quick reminder that you have some items in your cart waiting for your attention.

🛍️ [Review Your Cart]

We’re here to help if you have any questions or need assistance.

Sincerely,

[Your Brand]

Adding Value with Free Shipping

Subject Line: Free shipping on your cart items – limited time offer!

Hi [Customer Name],

Good news! For a limited time, enjoy free shipping on the items in your cart. Don’t let this exclusive offer pass you by.

🚚 [Complete Your Purchase]

Thanks for choosing [Your Brand]!

Emphasizing Product Exclusivity

Subject Line: Rare finds in your cart – don’t miss out!

Hello [Customer Name],

You’ve got an eye for the unique! The items in your cart are truly one-of-a-kind, so don’t let them slip away.

🌟 [Secure Your Exclusive Items]

Complete your purchase today and treasure these rare finds.

Cheers,

[Your Brand]

Building Trust with a Money-Back Guarantee

Subject Line: Shop with confidence – your cart items are backed by our guarantee

Dear [Customer Name],

At [Your Brand], your satisfaction is our priority. That’s why we back your cart items with our no-hassle money-back guarantee.

💪 [Shop with Confidence]

Complete your purchase, and if you’re not 100% satisfied, we’ll make it right.

Yours truly,

[Your Brand]

The Personal Touch

Subject Line: We saved your cart just for you, [Customer Name]!

Hi [Customer Name],

We hope you’re having a fantastic day! We noticed that you left some amazing items in your cart, and we’ve saved them just for you.

Here’s a quick recap of what you’ve got waiting:

• Item 1
• Item 2
• Item 3

[View Cart and Checkout]

Remember, our dedicated customer support team is here to help with any questions or concerns you may have. Don’t hesitate to reach out.

Happy shopping,

[Your Brand]

Exclusive Discount Offer

Subject Line: Limited time: Get 15% off your cart items!

Hey there, [Customer Name],

We hate to see you go without completing your purchase. So here’s an exclusive 15% discount on the items in your cart!

Use code: SAVE15 at checkout.

[Claim Your Discount]

But act fast – this offer expires in 48 hours!

Cheers,

[Your Brand]

The Social Proof Approach

Subject Line: See what others are saying about your cart items!

Hello [Customer Name],

You’ve got great taste! The items in your cart are getting rave reviews from our customers. Here’s what they’re saying:

• “Item 1 is the best purchase I’ve made this year!”
• “The quality of Item 2 is unmatched!”
• “I can’t live without Item 3!”

[Complete Your Purchase]

Don’t miss out on these highly recommended products. Your satisfaction is our top priority.

Best regards,

[Your Brand]

Example 16: Urgency with Low Stock Warning

Subject Line: Hurry, [Customer Name]! Your cart items are almost sold out!

Hi [Customer Name],

Time is of the essence! The items in your cart are flying off our shelves, and we’re running low on stock. Don’t miss your chance to grab these popular picks.

🔥 [Secure Your Items Now]

We’d hate for you to miss out on these fantastic products. Complete your purchase before they’re gone for good!

Yours truly,

[Your Brand]

The Helpful Resource Approach

Subject Line: Get the most out of your cart items with our helpful tips!

Dear [Customer Name],

We noticed you left some items in your cart, and we’re here to help you make the most of your purchase. Check out our latest blog post, featuring tips and tricks for getting the best experience with your selected products:

[Read Our Blog Post]

Ready to complete your purchase?

[Resume Shopping]

Our customer support team is available to answer any questions and provide assistance. We look forward to serving you!

Warm regards,

[Your Brand]

Frequently asked questions

Do abandoned cart emails work?
Yes. There are various types of research out there on the effectiveness of these email campaigns. According to Klaviyo, abandoned cart email sequences help regain between 3-14% of potentially lost sales.

Is it legal to send abandoned cart emails?
Yes, because the people on the receiving end already expressed interest in purchasing from you so you can send gentle reminders to their email addresses. Moreover, some card reminder systems require the customer to create an account first, and this is where you can ask potential buyers to opt-in to receive emails.

How long should I wait between different abandoned cart emails?
If you have a series of emails, space them apart so that they do not appear spammy. A good practice is waiting 24 hours after the first email to send a second one. Each email after that should be spaced apart a bit further, e.g. 48 hours and then 72 hours. Most email marketing software can do this with the basic abandoned cart automation setup.