Why Shoppers Abandon Their Carts
Cart abandonment is one of the most common challenges in e-commerce. A shopper adds products to their cart, gets distracted, and never completes the purchase.
Nearly 70% of online carts are abandoned, meaning the majority of customers leave before checking out.
But here’s the upside: with a well-timed and well-crafted cart abandonment email, you can recover 10–15% of those lost sales. That’s a major win - especially considering how easy it is to automate.
What Is a Cart Abandonment Email?
A cart abandonment email is a message automatically sent to shoppers who added products to their cart but didn’t complete checkout.
It’s a gentle reminder that their items are still waiting, and often includes:
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A preview of what’s in the cart
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A call-to-action to complete the purchase
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Optional incentives like free shipping or a discount code
You can send one email or set up a short sequence to follow up a few times.
Why They Work
Shoppers abandon carts for all sorts of reasons: distractions, second thoughts, unexpected shipping costs, or simply forgetting.
Cart recovery emails work because they:
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Bring customers back when they're most likely to reconsider
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Reinforce value by showing the product benefits again
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Add urgency with limited-time offers or low stock warnings
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Remove obstacles by addressing common hesitations (like shipping)
It’s personalized, timely, and focused on getting the customer over the finish line.
Best Practices for Cart Recovery Emails
To make your abandoned cart emails truly effective, keep these tips in mind:
1. Send the first email quickly
Strike while the interest is still high. Send the first email within an hour of abandonment.
2. Show the product(s)
Include clear images and descriptions of what was left in the cart - it helps jog the customer’s memory and reignites desire.
3. Include a strong CTA
Use clear, action-driven buttons like “Complete Your Purchase” or “Return to Your Cart.”
4. Offer a small incentive (optional)
Consider a discount or free shipping if the customer needs an extra nudge. Be careful not to train customers to expect it every time, though.
5. Use a follow-up sequence
Set up a second (or third) reminder 24–48 hours later to give them another chance.
Automating Cart Recovery in Shopify
Shopify makes it easy to automate your cart abandonment flow with built-in marketing automation tools. You can:
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Use pre-built templates
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Customize the content and timing
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Track performance and tweak as needed
Want to take your design to the next level? Tools like Orderly Emails let you match your cart recovery emails to your brand perfectly - no coding required.
Final Thought: Don't Let Good Carts Go to Waste
Cart abandonment happens, but with the correct email strategy, it doesn’t have to mean lost revenue.
Set up your automated cart recovery flow once, and let it quietly boost your conversion rate in the background. It's one of the easiest and most impactful things you can do for your Shopify store.
