Must-Have Email Campaigns: The Abandoned Cart Email

How many people visit your site, add an item or items to their cart, perhaps even begin the checkout process, but never actually complete their purchase? What is holding them back from transacting?

Sometimes, all it takes is a friendly reminder－or a deal!－to get people to cross that line. Abandoned cart emails – the next piece in our “Must-Have Email Campaigns” – are a type of triggered email where a message is sent automatically once a person adds products to their cart without purchasing, or abandons the checkout process.

Keep reading to learn more about abandon cart email campaigns and how to execute them effectively.

Why do you need abandoned cart emails?

Online cart abandonment is more common than you may think. In fact the average documented cart abandonment rate for online shopping is just under 70 percent. It could be due to distraction, or that the customer is hesitant because of costs or added shipping and handling fees. However, a nudge or incentive is quite effective in easing that skepticism. Consumers agree that cart abandonment emails make them more likely to return.

How to get a customer to convert with an abandoned cart email

Follow these best practices for your emails:

1. Send emails in a timely manner

Don’t send an abandoned cart email immediately, as something may have interrupted the process and the customer may complete it soon. At the same time, don’t wait too long; you want to send it when your brand is still top of mind. Convince and Convert found that cart abandonment emails sent within an hour boosted conversions by 6.3 percent.

Additionally, abandoned cart emails should not be a “one and done” process. If the customer doesn’t respond to the first email, send another within 24 hours, then another in the following three to five days. Don’t send more than three, as this could become irritating, but don’t assume the first email is going to get the job done.

2. It’s all in the subject line

Recipients won’t have the opportunity to engage with your email and purchase if they don’t even open it. Capture their attention right away with a compelling subject line. Consider the reasons they may be reluctant to purchase and address it right away. It could be something as simple as, “Your items are lonely!,” an offer on free shipping or a discount on the purchase total. A quarter of people abandon carts because of unexpected costs, including shipping. Make the subject line clear and purposeful; the email has a very specific purpose－to get the person to purchase－so unclear, fluffy words aren’t aggressive enough.

3. General emails won’t do

Just like with other marketing channels, personalizing abandoned cart emails make the recipient far more interested and likely to engage. Include information about the product or products sitting in their cart, as well as the color and size of the item, as well as an image. It will remind the customer of what they’re missing out on.

4. Provide support

A customer may have given up on their purchase because the checkout process was too complicated or confusing, or because they still have questions about the products in their cart. With this in mind, give them options to reach out with their concerns and get help with completing their purchase. Feature your phone number and email address explicitly.

Sometimes all your customers need is a little push to incite a purchase. Increase website conversions through your website with an abandoned cart email strategy.