Every store has shoppers who add products to their cart, start checkout and then disappear. Sometimes they were just browsing. Often they were interrupted, unsure about shipping costs, or comparing options.
A reminder sent at the right moment is one of the simplest ways to recover some of those sales, and once it's set up, it works around the clock.
Abandoned checkout or abandoned cart?
The two terms get mixed up, but they're different:
- Abandoned checkout: the shopper started checkout and entered their email address, then left. Shopify can email these shoppers with its built in abandoned checkout automation.
- Abandoned cart: the shopper added products but never reached checkout. You can only email them if you already know who they are, for example because they're subscribed or logged in. Email tools such as Shopify Email or Klaviyo can handle this.
Start with abandoned checkout emails. They reach the shoppers who were closest to buying.
Timing: a three email sequence
One email is better than none, but a short sequence usually works better. A good starting point:
- Within a few hours: a friendly reminder while the product is still on their mind.
- The next day: answer the doubts that stop people buying, such as delivery times, returns and reviews.
- Two to three days later: a final nudge. This is where some stores add an incentive.
Stop the sequence as soon as someone buys, so nobody gets a reminder for an order they've already placed.
What to put in each email
Keep each email short and focused on getting the shopper back to their cart.
- Show what they left behind: product image, name and price, pulled in automatically.
- Use one clear button that takes them straight back to their cart or checkout.
- Remove friction: mention free shipping thresholds, easy returns or secure payment if they apply.
- Add social proof: a short review of the product works well in the second email.
- Make it easy to get help: a reply address or a link to contact you catches questions that would otherwise lose the sale.
Subject lines that get opened
Write subject lines that sound like they came from a person, not a marketing department. For example:
- "Did you forget something?"
- "Your cart is saved for you"
- "Still thinking it over? Here's what customers say"
Test one change at a time, such as the subject line of the first email, so you know what made the difference.
Be careful with discounts
A discount in every reminder teaches regular customers to abandon their cart on purpose. If you offer one, save it for the last email, keep it modest, and consider only sending it to first time customers.
Stay on the right side of email rules
Only email people in line with consent rules where your customers live, such as Canada's anti spam legislation (CASL), and always include a clear unsubscribe link. If you're not sure what applies to your store, check with a legal professional.
Measure what matters
Track more than opens. Look at how many people return to checkout, how many place an order, and the revenue the sequence brings in each month. Compare it with the month before you launched it, and keep improving one email at a time.
Want this set up for you?
Abandoned cart emails are part of the email automations we build for every marketing client, along with welcome, after purchase and win back flows. Get in touch if you'd like help setting them up.
