Abandoned cart email can be the simple solution to a common problem for eCommerce businesses. In the bustling world of online shopping, abandoned carts have become a recurring challenge. Customers browse and add items to their carts. And then mysteriously vanish without completing the purchase. This phenomenon leaves businesses grappling with lost sales and revenue.

Tale of the Haunted Shopping Trolley

Imagine strolling through a virtual store, filling your shopping cart with items that caught your eye. You are moments away from completing the purchase. Suddenly, distractions arise, and you abandon your cart without a second thought. This familiar scenario is the tale of the haunted shopping trolley. A challenge that plagues eCommerce businesses worldwide. The phenomenon of abandoned carts has become a recurring nightmare for online retailers. It leads to lost sales and unrealized revenue.

Amid the spooky world of abandoned carts lies an effective solution. It can breathe life back into those forsaken purchases: Abandoned cart email. This marketing strategy has proven to be an effective method for businesses seeking to:

  • Recover lost sales
  • Engage with hesitant customers

In this blog, we embark on a journey into the eerie realm of abandoned carts. We explore the reasons behind this phenomenon. And also shed light on the power of email campaigns as a compelling solution.

We will unravel the mystery behind the effectiveness of Abandoned Carts Email. We will also unveil strategies to craft persuasive and personalized messages. That communication entices customers back to their abandoned carts.

Join us as we decipher the secrets of reclaiming sales. And turning ghosts of abandoned carts into happy, satisfied customers.

Let us dive into the heart of this eCommerce mystery horror story. We will discover how a well-crafted email can be the ultimate key to unlocking the door of opportunity!

 

Reasons behind the abandoned cart

The reasons behind the abandoned carts littering our virtual checkout queues can be distilled into a handful of key questions:

  • Why are customers losing their nerve at the checkout?
  • What can you do to prevent this from happening?
  • What can you do to win back those lost customers?

Customers lose their nerve at the checkout due to various factors. They create friction and uncertainty in the buying process. Some common reasons include:

  • Unexpected Costs: Costs such as shipping fees or taxes are sometimes hidden. They are only revealed at the checkout can catch customers off guard. This leads to cart abandonment.
  • Complicated Checkout Process: Lengthy or complex checkout processes with many form fields, lead to customer frustration. Mandatory account creation during checkout can contribute to cart abandonment. Accordingly, customers seek smoother experiences.
  • Security Concerns: Customers may hesitate to provide personal and payment information. Especially if they feel the website lacks proper security measures or trust signals.
  • Lack of Payment Options: Limited payment options can be a barrier for customers. Because some prefer alternative payment methods that suit their preferences.
  • Technical Glitches: The checkout process can be also disrupted by some technical issues. For example, slow loading times and website errors. This leads customers to abandon their carts in frustration.

 

How do you deal with abandoned carts?

Dealing with abandoned carts is crucial for maximizing sales and improving customer experience. Two effective strategies to address this issue are:

  1. Abandoned Cart Email
    Customers often leave items in their carts without completing the purchase. Thus, sending abandoned cart emails is an effective way to re-engage with them.
  2. Optimization Suggestions for Checkout
    Streamlining the checkout process can significantly reduce cart abandonment rates.

Here are some optimization suggestions:

  • Simplified and User-Friendly Interface: Ensure a clean and intuitive checkout page. Provide clear navigation and minimal steps to complete the purchase.
  • Guest Checkout Option: Provide a guest checkout option to avoid forcing customers to create an account. It can be a deterrent for some.
  • Visible Progress Indicators: Display progress indicators during checkout. Show customers how far along they are in the process.
  • Mobile Responsiveness: Optimize the checkout process for mobile devices. Cater to the increasing number of mobile shoppers.
  • Clear and Transparent Pricing: Display all costs upfront to avoid surprises at the end of the process. For example, include shipping fees and taxes.
  • Many Payment Options: Offer various payment methods to accommodate different customer preferences.
  • Security and Trust Signals: Display security badges and trust signals. Instill confidence in customers about the safety of their personal and payment information. Make sure your SSL certification is crisp and shiny (i.e., implement SSL monitoring to check its validity), and that your page looks and feels the real deal at all times, with no missing images, no broken links.
  • Abandonment Recovery Pop-ups: Use exit-intent pop-ups. Offer a last-minute incentive or help to customers before they leave the site.
  • Email Capture Early in the Process: Capture customer emails early in the checkout process. So, you can send abandoned cart emails even if they don’t complete the process.

 

What is an abandoned cart email?

An abandoned cart email is a strategic email marketing tactic. It is aimed at re-engaging customers who have left items in their online shopping carts. And they didn’t complete the purchase in the process. These automated emails are triggered when a customer abandons their cart. The emails remind customers of the items they left behind. Furthermore, encourage them to return and complete the transaction. To entice customers back to the website and recover potentially lost sales, abandoned cart emails often include:

  • Personalized content
  • Incentives such as discounts or free shipping
  • Clear call to action
Abandoned cart email that shows the customer 3 products that they have left unpurchased.

Getting started with abandoned cart email

Setting up abandoned cart email campaigns with MarketingPlatform is a seamless and effective way to tackle the challenge of cart abandonment and boost sales in your eCommerce business. MarketingPlatform offers a user-friendly and feature-rich platform. It empowers companies to craft personalized and persuasive abandoned cart emails with ease.

Here is the most important thing you need to focus on when building your abandoned cart email:

  • Timing is everything
    Timing plays a crucial role in the success of abandoned cart emails. Set up an email automation strategy that triggers messages shortly after cart abandonment. Strike a balance between sending gentle reminders and being too aggressive. Respect the customer’s journey while gently encouraging them to return.
  • Crafting Compelling Subject Lines
    Capture your audience’s attention with captivating subject lines. Use a combination of personalization and urgency. Thus, entice recipients to open the email and revisit their abandoned carts. Avoid generic subject lines and instead create curiosity and excitement.
  • Personalization
    Tailor each email to the individual customer by incorporating personalization elements. For example, use their name, abandoned items, and relevant product recommendations. The more personalized and relevant the email, the higher the chances of re-engaging the customer.
  • Clear and Concise Call-to-Action (CTA)
    Design your email with a clear and prominent CTA. It should direct customers back to their abandoned carts. Use persuasive language and visually appealing buttons to encourage action.
  • Incentives and Offers
    Consider offering incentives to entice customers to complete their purchases. For example, you can use discounts, free shipping, or exclusive deals. Experiment with various offers to see what works best for your audience.
  • Social Proof and Trust-Building Elements
    Build trust and credibility by including social proof. For instance, customer reviews, ratings testimonials, or endorsements. Highlight your return policy and customer support to reduce any concerns.
  • Split Testing for Optimization
    Optimize your abandoned cart email through split testing. Test different subject lines, CTAs, offers, and email designs. This will help you to identify what drives the highest conversions.
  • Post-Purchase Follow-ups
    Do not forget to follow up with customers who have completed their purchases. Show appreciation and gather feedback. Encourage them to become repeating buyers via marketing automation flows.
  • Analyze and optimize
    Regularly analyze the performance of your abandoned cart email campaigns. Observe open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates. Use this data to make data-driven improvements. Optimize your abandoned cart email strategy for continuous success.

 

What is the average abandoned cart rate?

According to extensive research encompassing various studies on eCommerce:

  • the average documented online shopping cart abandonment rate stands at 70.19%.

This significant figure represents the proportion of customers who start the checkout process by adding items to their virtual carts but eventually abandon the purchase before completion.

The cart abandonment rate is a crucial metric for online businesses. It highlights the prevalent challenge of customer drop-offs during the purchasing journey. Understanding and addressing the underlying reasons for cart abandonment is essential. This helps with optimizing the shopping experience and maximizing sales conversions.

This average rate serves as a wake-up call for eCommerce companies. It urges them to focus on enhancing their website’s usability and checkout process. They can use abandoned cart email and customer support. As a result, they will reduce abandonment rates and win more potential customers.

Staying attuned to the cart abandonment rate and taking proactive steps to address this challenge can lead to:

  • Increased conversions
  • Improved customer satisfaction
  • More thriving eCommerce venture

 

Never underestimate the value of research

The abandonment cart rate is higher on mobile devices than on computers.

It is critical that your checkout processes on mobile devices need to be as seamless and obstacle-free as possible. And your offering needs to be tailored to suit the parameters of mobile devices.

The rate of completed eCommerce transactions is expected to rise in the next few years. A notable amount of shoppers, however, acknowledge utilizing mobile devices for purchase research. Later, many of these shoppers return to complete their purchases on other devices. For example desktop or tablet devices.

Some of you may have mixed retail operations with both online and bricks and mortar outlets. In this case, an abandoned online cart may well end up converting into a very real, very full offline cart.

What matters then is being able to track all this, and to communicate around these trends. Try encouraging your customers to remain engaged in the purchasing process. Regardless of how they want to, motivate them to complete it.

Companies need to give their customers the ability to create wish lists or shopping lists. They can then save the lists for later purchase completion. Or even convert them into physical purchases in a bricks and mortar location.

Understanding the trends and their meaning for your business is key. High cart abandonment rates might not mean what they appear to at first glance.

 

Are abandoned cart emails legal in Europe?

Abandoned cart email setups are legal in Europe. But they need to follow the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) guidelines. The GDPR governs the processing and protection of personal data of individuals. That is only within the European Union (EU).

To ensure legality, businesses must get explicit consent from users before sending abandoned cart emails. Additionally, they need to provide an option to opt-out at any time. Yet, the emails must not contain any unsolicited marketing material. They should only focus on recovering abandoned carts and providing customer support. Adhering to GDPR regulations ensures that businesses can use abandoned cart email as a legitimate and effective email marketing strategy in Europe.

 

Abandoned Cart Email Marketing Strategies Drive Conversions and Customer Loyalty

By incorporating abandoned cart strategies, businesses can effectively:

  • Lower cart abandonment rates
  • Enhance the shopping experience
  • Re-engage with potentially lost customers

Utilizing insights into customer behavior and preferences is essential. It helps in optimizing the checkout process and driving higher conversions. This fosters stronger customer loyalty and paves the way for long-term business success. Email marketing holds a crucial role in executing abandoned cart strategies. Automated and personalized abandoned cart emails can be used here. They serve to remind customers about the items they left behind. These emails also provide incentives and encourage customers to complete their purchases. By implementing a seamless and user-friendly approach, businesses can create a winning formula. When combined with strategic email marketing, this approach effectively reduces cart abandonment. Additionally, it contributes to a notable boost in sales performance.

 

This blog post has also appeared in a MarketingPlatform Newsletter.

Author: Theodor Nørgaard, head of marketing & digital