When customers add items to their online shopping carts but fail to complete the purchase, cart abandonment emails are sent to remind them about the items left behind and encourage them to proceed with the transaction.
The average cart abandonment rate hovers at around 70%. Regaining just a fraction of these lost sales can have a significant impact on your business. It’s the reason why cart abandonment emails have become an essential marketing tool for businesses aiming to increase their conversion rates and recover lost sales.
In this guide, we’ll go over everything to know about cart abandonment emails as well as share some guidelines for drafting a cart email template for your business.
What is a Cart Abandonment Email?
A cart abandonment email refers to a follow-up email sent to customers who have added items to their online shopping cart but have not completed the purchase. It’s a targeted marketing email or campaign aimed at nudging customers to complete their purchase. Plus, it’s triggered automatically when a customer leaves the website without finalizing the transaction.
Cart abandonment emails typically include personalized product recommendations, enticing offers, and a sense of urgency to encourage customers to return to the website and complete their purchase. They can be highly effective in recovering potentially lost sales and improving conversion rates.
Reasons Behind Cart Abandonment
Reasons for cart abandonment vary, but a few common factors contribute to it. By addressing these key reasons for cart abandonment, eCommerce businesses may be able to significantly reduce the number of lost sales and improve their overall conversion rates.
High Shipping Costs
As much as 48% of consumers cite costs of shipping as the top reason for abandoning their cart. Many shoppers today expect free or low-cost shipping, and when they encounter high shipping fees at the checkout stage, they may reconsider their purchase and abandon their cart. To reduce cart abandonment due to shipping costs, it’s important for e-commerce businesses to consider offering free or discounted shipping options, or clearly communicate shipping costs upfront to manage customer expectations.
Unexpected Additional Charges
Customers may feel deceived or frustrated when they discover unexpected fees such as taxes, handling charges, or other hidden costs added to their total at checkout. To avoid this, businesses should clearly communicate all costs upfront, including any potential additional charges, allowing customers to make informed decisions without surprises.
Overly Complicated Checkout Process
If the checkout process involves too many steps or requires too much time and effort, customers may become impatient and abandon their carts. To combat this, businesses should prioritize simplicity and streamline the checkout process, making it easy and quick for customers to complete their purchases.
Reducing the number of required fields, offering guest checkout options, and implementing a progress indicator can all help to enhance the checkout experience.
Lack of Trust or Security
Online shoppers are increasingly cautious about sharing their personal and financial information due to the rise in data breaches and cybercrime. To build trust, e-commerce businesses must invest in reliable and secure payment platforms, display trust seals or security badges prominently, and clearly communicate their privacy policies to assure customers that their information is safe.
Comparison Shopping or Browsing Behavior
Many customers use online shopping carts as a way to compare prices, keep track of items they are interested in, or gather information before making a purchase decision. However, they may abandon their cart if they find better deals or options elsewhere. To address this, businesses can consider implementing features such as price matching, offering personalized discounts or incentives, or sending follow-up emails to remind customers about their abandoned carts.
21 Cart Abandonment Email Subject Lines
Take a look at these cart abandonment email subject lines for some ideas on crafting your email.
- “Oops, did you forget something in your cart?”
- “Complete your purchase and enjoy 10% off!”
- “Your items are waiting for you!”
- “Don’t let your cart feel lonely!”
- “Finish what you started!”
- “Hurry back! Your items are still available!”
- “Did something go wrong with your order?”
- “Your cart deserves some attention.”
- “Last chance to grab your favorites!”
- “We saved your cart for you!”
- “Unlock exclusive deals by checking out now!”
- “Your dream items are one click away!”
- “We miss you! Your cart is still here.”
- “Time’s running out on your cart items!”
- “Complete your purchase and get free shipping!”
- “Your cart items are selling out fast!”
- “Act now to secure your cart items!”
- “Limited stock alert: Grab your cart items!”
- “Your cart’s not going anywhere!”
- “Your cart is full of surprises!”
- “Final call to claim your cart items!”
21 Cart Abandonment Content Ideas
Need some more ideas for your cart abandonment email? We’ve got you covered. Take a look at these email marketing campaign content ideas.
- Remind the customer of the items left in their cart with images, names, and prices.
- Highlight any discounts, promotions, or free shipping offers.
- Create a sense of urgency by mentioning limited stock or expiring discounts.
- Provide easy links or buttons for customers to return to their cart.
- Include customer reviews or testimonials for added trust.
- Offer a personalized recommendation related to the abandoned items.
- Include a clear call-to-action (CTA) to “Complete Your Purchase.”
- Mention any return or exchange policies to address concerns.
- Share links to customer support or FAQs for assistance.
- Use a friendly and empathetic tone to encourage action.
- Offer different payment options for convenience.
- Showcase any additional benefits of shopping with your brand.
- Use storytelling or a brand narrative to engage the customer.
- Include social proof, such as the number of customers who have purchased the same item.
- Address any objections or barriers that might be preventing the purchase.
- Provide a contact email or phone number for inquiries.
- Send a follow-up email if the customer doesn’t respond to the first one.
- Offer a one-time use discount code to sweeten the deal.
- Highlight the security of the checkout process.
- Mention a hassle-free return process to ease concerns.
- Express appreciation for the customer’s interest and remind them of your brand’s value.
Components of an Effective Cart Abandonment Email
When it comes to recovering lost sales from cart abandonment, one of the most effective strategies is to send an email to remind and entice customers to complete their purchases. However, not all cart abandonment emails are created equal. To ensure the highest chance of success, there are several key components to consider.
First and foremost, a well-crafted subject line is crucial in capturing the attention of the recipient. It should be eye-catching and intriguing, enticing them to open the email and continue exploring their abandoned cart. Including personalized details, such as the customer’s name or the items they left behind, can also help create a sense of familiarity and relevance.
Once the customer opens the email, the content should be personalized to their specific needs and preferences. This can include tailored product recommendations based on their browsing history or previous purchases.
To further motivate customers, a clear call to action is essential. This can be a button or link that directs them back to their abandoned cart, making it easy for them to pick up where they left off.
Incentives or discounts can also be effective in persuading customers to finalize their purchases. Offering a special discount or free shipping can create a sense of urgency and incentivize customers to take action immediately.
Similarly, limited-time offers or urgency tactics, such as countdown timers or stock availability notifications, can create a sense of urgency and prevent customers from postponing their purchase.
Lastly, including testimonials or customer reviews in the email can help build trust and address any doubts or concerns the customer may have. Positive reviews from satisfied customers can serve as social proof, assuring the customer of the quality and reliability of your products or services.
Benefits of Cart Abandonment Emails
Cart abandonment emails can help your brand re-engage with potential customers, recapture their interest, and encourage them to complete the checkout process. Take a look at some of the several benefits:
1. Recovery of Lost Sales
By sending a timely reminder about the items left in the cart, businesses can recover potentially lost sales. Customers might have abandoned their carts due to various reasons such as distractions, pricing concerns, or second thoughts. A well-crafted cart abandonment email can address these concerns and entice customers to return and complete their purchases.
2. Personalized Recommendations
Cart abandonment emails provide an opportunity to showcase personalized product recommendations based on the items added to the cart. By analyzing customer preferences and browsing history, businesses can offer tailored recommendations, making the email more relevant and appealing to the recipient. This personal touch increases the chances of conversion.
3. Customer Engagement and Brand Loyalty
Sending a cart abandonment email demonstrates a proactive approach and commitment toward customer satisfaction. It shows that the business values its customers and wants to help them make a purchase decision. This level of engagement can strengthen the customer-business relationship, increase brand loyalty, and encourage repeat purchases in the future.
Mastering Cart Abandonment Emails: Unlocking Revenue and Customer Loyalty
Cart abandonment emails can be a powerful tool in any e-commerce business’s arsenal. They offer a strategic and effective way to re-engage potential customers, recover potentially lost sales, and foster stronger customer relationships.
The key lies in understanding your audience, addressing their concerns, and providing a seamless shopping experience from cart to checkout.
With the right cart abandonment email strategy in place, businesses can turn abandoned carts into valuable opportunities and ensure that no potential sale goes to waste.
FAQ
Cart abandonment emails are crucial for businesses as they help to recover lost sales. By reaching out to customers who have abandoned their carts, businesses can remind them of the products they were interested in and provide incentives to complete the purchase.
A cart abandonment email should include a personalized message, a reminder of the items left in the cart, and a clear call-to-action to encourage customers to complete their purchases. It can also be effective to offer discounts, free shipping, or other incentives to entice customers back.
Ideally, a cart abandonment email should be sent within 24 hours of the cart being abandoned. This is when customers are most likely to still have an intent to purchase, and timely reminder emails can help to recapture their interest.