Unlock Lost Sales: Crafting Effective Abandoned Cart Emails

If you operate a successful online store, like Shopify, there’s a good chance you’re still losing out on a significant number of sales due to customers abandoning their shopping carts. In fact, more than 70% of orders may never be completed. So how can you entice potential customers to finalize their purchase? The answer lies in an often overlooked tool: abandoned cart emails.

Bottom Line: Every eCommerce business should read this article to understand the power that expertly crafted abandoned cart emails hold in recovering lost sales and increasing revenue.

Looking to the future, as online shopping becomes more and more prevalent, mastering tools like abandoned cart emails will only become more important. With advances in personalization and automation, expect to see more sophisticated and targeted approaches to recapture lost sales.

What is an Abandoned Cart Email?

An abandoned cart email is a message sent to customers who added items to their shopping cart but left before completing their purchase. These emails serve as a gentle, friendly reminder of their unfinished transaction and encourage them to return to the site and finalize their purchase. According to a study from Klaviyo, businesses that implement abandoned cart emails can recover 3-14% of lost sales, equating to an average revenue increase of $5.81 per recipient.

Examples of Successful Abandoned Cart Emails

• Casper: Using a compelling subject line like “Did you forget something?” and a catchy reminder “COME BACK TO BED” – captures interest and draws potential customers back.
• Rudy’s: This brand uses humor and relatability in its follow-up emails, with headlines like “Don’t put this off like a software update”. They also offer free shipping to further incentivize customers.
• Whisky Loot: Whisky Loot’s unique email highlights humor as a valuable tool in abandoned cart strategies, using engaging and funny product descriptions to attract readers.
• Nomad: Nomad uses FOMO (fear of missing out) as a tactic, with subject lines like “Nomad Gear is Selling Out Quick” to encourage quick purchasing decisions.
• Dollar Shave Club: Known for blending wit with its marketing campaigns, Dollar Shave Club uses pithy bullet points and well-staged imagery to generate interest.

Best Practices for Crafting Effective Abandoned Cart Emails

Are you ready to create your own abandoned cart emails? Here are some important tips to help you create more compelling messages:

• Timing is Key: Studies reveal that the sooner you send an abandoned cart email, the more effective it is, with the best results achieved when sent one hour after abandonment.
• Offer a Discount Code: Many customers abandon their carts due to higher than expected costs. Offering a discount code can be a great way to lure shoppers back to complete their purchase.
• Use Social Proof: Including customer testimonials and reviews in your abandoned cart email can go a long way in building trust with would-be shoppers, convincing them to finalize their purchase.
• Reserve the Cart: Reserving the items in a customer’s cart for a limited time can create a sense of urgency and encourage buyers to complete their transaction quickly.
• Test Abandoned Cart Texts: Instead of an email, consider sending a text message to a customer’s mobile device. SMS push notifications have a higher visibility rate and can potentially lead to higher conversion rates.
• Remind Them of What They’ve Abandoned: Sometimes, all a customer needs to return and complete their order is a reminder of what exactly they were about to purchase.
• Use Strong Copy: Craft compelling subject lines, engaging copy, and use great images to create a persuasive email that will attract the attention of your potential customers.
• Include a Strong Call-to-Action (CTA): A strong CTA button can guide viewers back to their carts, nudging them to take the desired action.

To begin leveraging the power of abandoned cart emails, Shopify users can utilize the platform’s marketing automation capabilities. Several well-reviewed apps also exist to help streamline the process, even allowing messages to be sent via instant messaging for customers not on Shopify. Use an abandoned cart email template and simply update the copy, images, and any other elements to align with your brand to get started.