Cart abandonment: 11 proven strategies for eCommerce success

Cart abandonment is one of the biggest challenges online retailers face. You’ve attracted potential customers, engaged them to explore, and persuaded them to add products to their cart. 

But just before they complete a purchase, they disappear. What drives this behavior, and more importantly, what measures can help prevent it? 

This guide explores the key causes of shopping cart abandonment. It also presents 11 proven strategies to reduce abandonment, recover lost revenue, and improve your eCommerce checkout experience. 

What is cart abandonment? 

According to cart abandonment statistics, the average cart abandonment rate is 70.19%. That means 7 out of 10 customers leave an eCommerce store without buying. 

Why do online shoppers abandon carts?

Understanding the why helps you fix the problem. The top reasons customers abandon their carts include: 

• Unexpected extra costs (like taxes and shipping fees) 
• Being forced to create an account to check out 
• Long or confusing checkout flows 
• Limited payment methods 
• Concerns over entering personal information 
• Slow load times on the checkout page 

Even minor friction at checkout can cause a potential customer to back out. 

How to calculate your shopping cart abandonment rate 

To calculate your cart abandonment rate, use this simple formula: 

Compare your rate with industry benchmarks and track it regularly. It serves as a baseline for identifying issues within your checkout process and enhancing overall eCommerce performance.

11 ways to reduce cart abandonment and recover lost sales 

Now that you know why shoppers leave their carts, here’s how to win them back: 

1. Simplify your checkout flow 

A smooth checkout flow is critical. Reduce the number of steps needed to complete a purchase. Add a progress indicator so shoppers know how close they are to the finish line. Keep all necessary actions on a single checkout page if possible. 

Include a clear breakdown of costs, including taxes and shipping. Let users easily remove items or change quantities without leaving the page. 

Pro tip: Ensure your site loads quickly, as page speed can significantly influence conversion rates. 

2. Don’t force customers to create an account 

One of the top reasons for cart abandonment is requiring customers to create an account. Enable guest checkout functionality and request only the essential information required to complete the transaction. You can invite users to create an account after the purchase is complete. 

3. Offer free shipping or be transparent about costs 

Unexpected additional charges often lead customers to abandon their purchases. Be upfront about shipping and taxes before the customer reaches the payment screen. Better yet, offer free shipping for orders over a certain amount. That is one of the most effective ways to lower abandonment rates.

4. Provide multiple payment methods 

Online shoppers use various payment methods. Accept major credit cards, and ensure entering credit card information is secure and user-friendly. Also support digital wallets like Apple Pay or Google Pay, PayPal, and even Buy Now, Pay Later options. If you limit payment options, you limit your customer base. 

5. Optimize for mobile 

Shoppers frequently exit the checkout process when mobile functionality is lacking. Make sure your eCommerce site and checkout page work smoothly on mobile devices. Keep input fields short, use autofill where possible, and ensure buttons are easy to tap. 

6. Use abandoned cart emails 

Sending a timely abandoned cart email is one of the best ways to recover lost sales. These emails remind users what they left behind and encourage them to finish their purchase. 

Best practices for cart abandonment emails: 

• Include product images 
• Personalize with the customer’s name 
• Add a clear CTA (e.g., “Complete your purchase”) 
• Offer a discount or incentive 
  Include reviews for social proof 
• Include reviews for social proof 

7. Use SMS and messaging apps for recovery 

Beyond email, use SMS and messaging channels like WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger to send cart abandonment reminders. These messages can contain direct links back to the customer’s cart and even support in-chat shopping. 

8. Add social proof to the checkout page 

Encourage quicker decisions by adding live indicators such as “selling fast,“ “popular item,“ or “10 people are viewing this now.“ Real-time activity can motivate hesitant buyers to act quickly. 

9. Create a favorites or wish list feature 

Customers may not always be ready to purchase immediately. Providing them with the option to save products to a favorites list can help. This allows you to re-engage them later with targeted messages or retargeting ads featuring the products from their list. 

10. Offer a discount or loyalty reward 

When a reminder doesn’t work, consider providing an incentive. Try a small discount (5–10%) or double loyalty points to nudge customers toward completing the purchase. Additionally, consider offering free returns or promotional gifts with purchases. 

11. Use retargeting ads 

Use retargeting ads on social media to re-engage users who abandoned their carts. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram allow you to show dynamic ads featuring the exact items left in their carts. 

Pro tip: Improve customer support by implementing a “Click to chat” feature for direct interaction through WhatsApp or Messenger. Check out our guide on how to build a web chatbot all on your own and try it out yourself for free. 

Best practices for abandoned cart messaging 

Here’s how to make your cart abandonment messages more effective: 

Use compelling subject lines (for emails)

• “Forget something?” 
• “Still thinking about those shoes?” 
• “Last chance: 10% off your cart!” 

Personalize messages 

Use the shopper’s name, show items from their cart, and mention important dates (like birthdays or upcoming holidays). 

Include a strong call-to-action 

Use buttons like: 

• “Return to cart” 
• “Complete purchase now” 
• “View saved items” 

Add product images 

Visual reminders make it easier for customers to remember why they wanted the item in the first place.

Create urgency

Create a sense of urgency by adding deadlines like: “Hurry! The items in your cart will only be reserved for 1 more hour!” 

Tools for automating cart recovery 

Recovering abandoned carts at scale requires more than just sending a reminder email. Most eCommerce brands need a mix of tools to make it work, typically including: 

• A Customer Data Platform (CDP) or CRM to collect and manage customer data 
• An email marketing platform to build and schedule campaigns 
• Analytics tools to understand behavior and optimize timing 
• Access to channels like SMS or WhatsApp 
• Chatbots or automated workflows to trigger the right message 

It all has to be perfectly integrated into the eCommerce platform in order to collect data, track history, and target the right people. That’s easier said than done. Most retail brands only partially integrate these tools. 

As a result, customer data is scattered, workflows are manual, and opportunities are missed. In fact, only 22% of retail brands currently automate cart abandonment messages. 

Instead of trying to manage multiple tools, brands can use a single solution like Conversational Experience Orchestration Platform (CXOP) to manage the entire recovery process, from segmentation to messaging. 

CXOP allows eCommerce teams to: 

Optimizing your checkout for better results 

Reducing online shopping cart abandonment is a challenge every eCommerce business faces. By improving your checkout flow, offering the right payment methods, personalizing your outreach, and using smart automation tools, you can recover more carts and increase your revenue. 

Remember: every abandoned cart is a chance to learn and win the customer back. 

Cart abandonment FAQs