It’s a tale as old as time — consumers browsing your online store excitedly add products to their carts, only to vanish into the digital ether before sealing the deal. Cart abandonment is a $4 trillion problem, and nearly 70% of shoppers leave their carts without completing their purchases.
But fear not, for this is where the art of abandoned cart recovery comes into play. Today we’re delving into the tried-and-true tactics that savvy e-tailers can employ to rekindle those lost opportunities, boost conversion rates and turn abandoned carts into triumphant transactions. So, if you’re ready to learn how to win back those potential sales and optimize your online store’s success, read on as we explore the strategies that can help you recapture those elusive shoppers and turn them into loyal customers.
Why Shoppers Abandon Their Carts
Here’s the scoop: Shoppers abandon their carts because of unexpected obstacles during the purchase process. It’s a hard truth for some online retailers, but the user experience is more important than collecting data or recouping shipping fees. Here’s a breakdown of why shopping carts get abandoned, according to the Baymard Institute:
- High additional costs, e.g. shipping and fees (47%)
- Website requires an account to check out (25%)
- Delivery options aren’t fast enough (24%)
- Shoppers don’t trust website with credit card information (19%)
- Checkout process is too long and/or complicated (18%)
- Total cost isn’t clear upfront (17%)
Clarity, efficiency and transparency are the name of the game if you want prospective customers to breeze through checkout. But in the inevitable event of cart abandonment, try these recovery tactics.
Tactic #1: Personalized Email Reminders
Never underestimate the power of email. Studies show abandoned cart reminder emails have a 45% open rate, and 10% of recipients end up completing their purchases. This is a stark comparison to the 18% open rate seen in most retail emails, so it’s a low-lift way to boost your conversions.
But a plain text email won’t work the magic you need. To truly optimize these messages, make sure to include product images of the item(s) they left behind and a clear call-to-action to complete the purchase. Adding a touch of urgency, such as limited-time offers or low stock notifications, can also incentivize customers to take action.
Tactic #2: Exit-Intent Pop Ups
While brick-and-mortar stores have associates who can try to stop shoppers from leaving, online retailers have to rely on exit-intent pop ups that appear when a user is about to leave your site. These pop ups can offer discounts, free shipping or other incentives to encourage them to reconsider their decision — and they can work wonders.
Our friends at BigCommerce reported exit-intent pop ups can increase conversions by 20% by offering value to the user in some way. Even if you don’t offer monetary incentives in your pop ups, a quick reminder that shoppers are leaving items in their carts can be the difference between a completed purchase and a lost prospective customer.
Tactic #3: Retargeting Ads
Retargeting ads, also known as remarketing ads, re-engage users who have previously visited your online store or interacted with product pages but left without making a purchase. These ads are designed to “follow” these users as they browse other websites or social media platforms, presenting them with tailored advertisements related to the products or pages they previously viewed.
As you can imagine, these ads are a powerful tool to bring shoppers back to your website to resume their journeys and complete their purchases. These ads display the exact products users left in their carts, reminding them of their interest and encouraging them to return. You can implement these retargeting ads on platforms like Google Ads or social media sites.
Tactic #4: Persistent Shopping Carts
When shopping at a physical store, there can be any number of reasons to step away from your cart: an important phone call, a child who wandered off or a quick trip back to the car to retrieve your wallet. Unless you’ve stepped away for a significant amount of time, your cart is likely just as you left it upon return.
The digital version of this phenomenon is the persistent shopping cart, which holds the items added to it even after a user has left the website. Technically this tactic doesn’t summon shoppers back to your online store, but it does make their purchase journey frictionless when they do return. The average consumer has eight touchpoints with a brand before making a purchase, so chances are these cart abandoners will return of their own accord. And when they do, their items will be waiting.
How to Seal the Deal Before the Cart Is Abandoned
The only thing better than a recovered abandoned cart is a purchase made without having to track down the shopper who left without buying. So, it’s worth optimizing your online store to minimize the number of abandoned carts altogether.
Try making some of these adjustments for best results:
- Add social proof and reviews. Incorporate social proof and verified customer reviews on your cart page. Positive feedback can reassure hesitant customers and give them the confidence to finalize their purchase.
- Simplify the checkout process. A complicated or lengthy checkout process can be a major turn-off for customers. Streamline the process by offering guest checkout options, minimizing form fields, and providing various payment methods.
- Offer free shipping. Unexpected shipping costs cause 49% of abandoned carts. Consider offering free shipping or setting a minimum order value for free shipping to reduce this friction point.
- Create a sense of urgency. Instill a sense of urgency by displaying limited-time offers, countdown timers, or showcasing low stock levels for the items in the cart. This can encourage customers to complete their purchase sooner.
- Use mobile-friendly design. Ensure your ecommerce website is mobile-responsive. Per recent research, 41% of online purchases are made on mobile devices, so having a user-friendly mobile experience is crucial to preventing abandonment.
Remember, the key to successful abandoned cart recovery is a combination of personalized communication, strategic incentives, and a seamless shopping experience. By implementing these tactics, you can effectively reconnect with potential customers and guide them back to completing their purchases.
