An abandoned cart email is an automated message sent to customers who add items to their online shopping cart but leave the website without completing the purchase. Its goal is to remind users of their incomplete transaction and encourage them to complete it.
What Is an Abandoned Cart Email?
An abandoned cart email is part of a remarketing strategy that targets shoppers who demonstrated purchase intent but did not finalize their order. These emails serve as a gentle nudge, often combined with incentives or reassurance about the buying process.
Typical elements in an abandoned cart email include:
- A reminder of the items left in the cart, often with product images
- A clear call to action (CTA) linking back to the cart
- Incentives such as discounts, free shipping, or limited-time offers
- Customer support options for assistance in case of issues
These emails are highly effective because they target users who are already interested in the products.
How Does an Abandoned Cart Email Work?
The process typically includes:
- Cart abandonment detected: The e-commerce platform identifies that a user added items to the cart but did not complete the checkout within a set timeframe.
- Trigger event: The system triggers an automated email workflow through the email service provider (ESP).
- Email content: The email highlights the abandoned products, includes a CTA, and may offer an incentive to finalize the purchase.
- Follow-up sequence: Some workflows include multiple emails, such as an initial reminder, a second with an offer, and a final urgency-based message.
Authentication protocols such as SPF (Sender Policy Framework), DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail), and DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) ensure these emails are delivered securely.
Why Is an Abandoned Cart Email Important?
Abandoned cart emails matter because they:
- Recover lost revenue: Convert potential sales that might otherwise be lost.
- Improve customer experience: Provide an easy path back to checkout.
- Increase engagement: Keep customers interested and connected with the brand.
- Deliver a high ROI: They consistently outperform standard promotional emails in conversion rates.
Without abandoned cart emails, businesses miss a significant opportunity to convert warm leads into paying customers.
Common Use Cases
Abandoned cart emails are widely used for:
- E-commerce stores: Recovering sales from incomplete checkouts.
- Subscription businesses: Reminding users to complete sign-up after selecting a plan.
- Digital product platforms: Nudging customers who left before completing payment for software or downloads.
- Travel and hospitality sites: Encouraging users to finalize bookings for flights or accommodations.
Example scenario: An online clothing retailer sends an abandoned cart email one hour after a shopper leaves the site, featuring the items left behind and offering free shipping if they complete the purchase within 24 hours.
FAQs About Abandoned Cart Email
When should the first abandoned cart email be sent?
Usually, sending an abandoned cart email within one to three hours after abandonment offers the best chance of recovering the sale.
Can I include a discount in an abandoned cart email?
Yes, many businesses include incentives, but some start with a simple reminder and only add offers in follow-up emails.
How many emails should be in an abandoned cart sequence?
Typically, two to three emails: an initial reminder, a follow-up with an incentive, and a final urgency-driven message.
