What is Abandoned Carting digital marketing

Abandoned Cart in Digital Marketing: Winning Back Lost Sales

What is an Abandoned Cart?

In the world of ecommerce, an abandoned cart refers to a scenario where a potential customer adds items to their online shopping cart but leaves the website without completing the purchase. 1 It's a frustratingly common occurrence for online retailers, representing a significant loss of potential revenue.

Why Do Shoppers Abandon Their Carts?

Understanding the reasons behind cart abandonment is key to developing effective recovery strategies. Here are some of the most common culprits:

• Unexpected Costs: High shipping fees, taxes, or other unexpected charges at checkout can deter shoppers.
• Complicated Checkout Process: A lengthy or confusing checkout process with multiple steps can lead to frustration and abandonment.
• Website Issues: Technical glitches, slow loading times, or security concerns can cause shoppers to abandon their carts.
• Comparison Shopping: Some shoppers may add items to their cart to compare prices or save them for later, with no immediate intent to purchase.
• Simply Browsing: Not all shoppers who add items to their cart are ready to buy; they may be just browsing or researching.

What is the Average Abandoned Cart Rate?

While it varies across industries, the average abandoned cart rate hovers around a staggering 70%! This means that for every 10 customers who add items to their cart, roughly 7 leave without completing the purchase.

How Can I Recover Abandoned Carts?

Fortunately, there are proven strategies to recover abandoned carts and win back those lost sales:

• Exit-Intent Popups: These popups appear when a user is about to leave your site, offering incentives like discounts or free shipping to encourage them to complete their purchase.
• Abandoned Cart Emails: Sending automated emails to remind shoppers of their forgotten items is a highly effective tactic.

Abandoned Cart Email Best Practices:

• Timing is Key: Send the first email within an hour of cart abandonment, while the items are still fresh in the shopper's mind.
• Compelling Subject Lines: Use enticing subject lines that create a sense of urgency or curiosity (e.g., "Did you forget something?", "Your items are waiting!").
• Personalization: Address the shopper by name and include images of the abandoned items.
• Clear Call to Action: Make it easy for the shopper to return to their cart and complete the purchase with a prominent "Complete Your Order" button.
• Incentives: Offer discounts, free shipping, or other perks to sweeten the deal.

How Many Abandoned Cart Emails Should I Send?

A series of 3 emails is generally recommended:

1. Reminder Email: Sent within an hour, reminding the shopper of their cart and the items they left behind.
2. Incentive Email: Sent within 24 hours, offering a discount or free shipping to encourage completion.
3. Final Attempt Email: Sent within 72 hours, creating a sense of urgency (e.g., "Your cart is expiring").

Are Abandoned Cart Emails Effective?

Yes! Abandoned cart emails boast impressive open and click-through rates, with an average recovery rate of around 10%. This means you can potentially recover 1 out of every 10 abandoned carts.

Abandoned Cart Best Practices:

• Optimize Your Checkout Process: Make it as streamlined and user-friendly as possible.
• Offer Multiple Payment Options: Provide various payment gateways to cater to different preferences.
• Build Trust and Security: Display security badges and customer testimonials to build confidence.
• Offer Guest Checkout: Allow customers to checkout without creating an account.
• Provide Clear Product Information: Include detailed descriptions, images, and customer reviews.
• Monitor Your Abandoned Cart Rate: Track your abandonment rate regularly to identify areas for improvement.

Conclusion:

Abandoned carts are an inevitable part of ecommerce, but they don't have to be a lost cause. By implementing effective recovery strategies like exit-intent popups and abandoned cart emails, you can significantly reduce your cart abandonment rate and boost your bottom line.