This article covers how to recover lost sales from abandoned carts online. Keep in mind, it isn’t always easy to recover these sales; there might be a variety of influencing factors that come into play. Details on why cart abandonment is usually the retailer’s responsibility and what you can do about it are discussed below.
Many times, online shoppers will add items to their shopping baskets and leave without completing their purchase. According to a study, less than a third of UK online shoppers return to make a purchase when they abandon carts thanks to cart recovery strategies.
Since these shoppers are often one step away from making a purchase, it can be a valuable opportunity to reach out to them and remind them of the items they left behind. You can either reach this audience through retargeting ads or abandoned cart emails.
1. Send Abandoned Cart Emails
If you run an online store, you’ve probably experienced the frustration of losing a sale because a customer abandoned their shopping cart. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to recover lost sales from abandoned carts. One option is to send abandoned cart emails.
Abandoned cart emails are a type of marketing email that is sent to customers who have left items in their shopping cart without completing the purchase. These emails typically contain a special offer or discount to encourage the customer to come back and finish their purchase.
Abandoned cart emails can be highly effective in recovering lost sales. In fact, according to one study, abandoned cart email campaigns have an average open rate of 45%. According to the study, one in five recipients of an abandoned cart email clicks it. As a result, 11% will purchase something.
To set up an abandoned cart email campaign, you’ll need to use an email marketing service like MailChimp. Once you’ve signed up for an account, you’ll need to create a list of customers who have abandoned their shopping carts. You can do this by exporting your customer data from your eCommerce platform.
Once you have your customer list, you’ll need to create an automated email campaign that will be sent out to customers who abandon their shopping carts. Be sure to write a great abandoned cart email subject line and include a strong call-to-action. Furthermore, make sure you include a discount or special offer to encourage customers to come back and finish their purchase.
Cart recovery email Sequence
If you’re looking to recover some lost sales from abandoned carts, one tactic you can use is to send a sequence of abandoned cart emails. By sending a series of emails, you can increase the chances that the recipient will take action and make a purchase. Here’s how to set up an abandoned cart email sequence:
Send the first email within 24 hours of cart abandonment. This email should serve as a reminder that the item is still in their cart and encourage them to complete their purchase.
Send the second email a few days later. This follow-up email can provide additional information about the product or offer a discount to incentivize the purchase.
Send the third email a week later. At this point, the customer has likely forgotten about their initial purchase. This email should highlight the urgency of completing the purchase before the item goes out of stock or the deal expires.
According to a study, sensing a series of abandoned cart emails works 63% better than a single email.
Examples of abandoned cart emails
An effective abandoned cart email should have several key components in order to maximize the chances of recovering lost sales. First, it’s important to have a clear and attention-grabbing subject line. For example, “Don’t forget your cart!” or “Your items are waiting for you!” This will ensure that your email stands out in the recipient’s inbox and entices them to open it.
Once the email is opened, it’s important to have a strong opening sentence or two that reiterate the urgency of the situation. For example, “Don’t miss out on this incredible deal!” or “We noticed you left some items in your shopping cart…”
Then, it’s critical to list the items that were left in the cart, so the customer can easily remember what they were interested in. For example, “You had 1 item in your cart:
- “Green Shirt“
After that, it’s a good idea to include a short sentence or two about why these items are great and how they will benefit the customer. For example, “This shirt is perfect for a day out in the sun! It’s made with our special UV-protected fabric and is sure to keep you cool and comfortable all day long.”
The body of the email should be brief but informative, providing all of the relevant details about the product(s) that were left in the cart as well as any special deals or discounts that may be applicable.
Finally, it’s important to include a call-to-action (CTA) that urges the recipient to complete their purchase. This could be something like, “Click here to finish your purchase now!” or “Complete your order today and save 10%!“
Check out the examples below:
Here is another good example of an abandoned cart email offering the user a discount and free shipping:
2. Leverage the Power of Retargeting Ads
Retargeting is a form of online advertising that lets you show ads to people who have already visited your website. With these types of ads, you can recover a lot of lost sales from people who have abandoned their shopping carts.
For example, let’s say you’re an online retailer selling shoes. A customer visits your website and puts a pair of shoes in their shopping cart, but doesn’t complete the purchase. With retargeting, you can serve them ads for those same shoes as they surf the web, reminding them of your product and giving them a nudge to come back and buy it.
According to Google, retargeting ads have high click-through rates and conversion rates. In addition, they can increase your brand awareness. Your online window shoppers will begin to recognize your brand and your products every time they see your ad. As a result, they will likely return and make a purchase.
Understand how Retargeting Ads Work
Retargeting ads use simple code placed on your website to follow users around the internet and serve them targeted ads from the business. These ads are served through ad networks, which use cookies to track a person’s web activity and show them relevant ads.
The goal is to bring the user back to the website to convert them into a customer. For example, if you’re looking at a pair of shoes on a website but don’t buy them, you might see ads for those same shoes following you around for a few days.
There are a few key reasons why retargeting is an important tool for digital marketers. First, it allows you to reach people who have already shown an interest in your product or service. Second, it allows you to customize your messages to those individuals based on their specific interests. Finally, retargeting provides an excellent way to stay top-of-mind with your target audience and keep them coming back for more. Here are the most popular ad networks you can use for your retargeting ad campaigns.
- Google Retargeting Ads
- Facebook Retargeting Ads
- LinkedIn Retargeting Ads
- Twitter Retargeting Ads
- Taboola Retargeting Ads
Recover your lost sales from abandoned carts
These are two ways to recover lost sales from abandoned carts online. However, the most important thing is to identify the reasons why your customers are abandoning their carts in the first place. Once you know the reasons, you can put together a strategy to address those issues and reduce your online store’s cart abandonment rate.