Writing Effective Abandoned Checkout Flows

As an ecommerce brand, this means that you are losing the majority of the traffic you paid for, and then you will have to pay for traffic again within your retargeting campaigns and brand awareness campaigns.

This creates a slippery slope to lower profits.

The solution? Email marketing.

Not only is email marketing the highest ROI channel in marketing, but it also helps you get the greatest return on traffic that you either…

Paid for or worked hard to get.

And here is an example of our results just from this process.

$15.8k From One Email…

All from setting up these flows which print money on autopilot.

No extra work…

Just the right message at the right time.

And the good thing is, your welcome emails and abandoned cart emails are the lowest-hanging fruit in the email game.

At least have these 2 firing up if you can’t have the others.

In this specific giveaway, I will show you how to recover one of these abandoned carts.

Before we start, understand the purpose…

When it comes to effective abandoned cart emails, there are two key things to keep in mind.

First, your follow-up emails should aim to get customers to buy or at least consider completing their purchase.

Second, once shoppers are in a purchasing mood, make it as easy as possible for them to buy.

By keeping these fundamentals in mind, you can craft compelling and effective abandoned cart emails that help you recover lost sales and boost your e-commerce profits.

Let’s talk about…

Implementing an Abandoned Cart Sequence

Timing is Key:

Send a Reminder Email One Hour Later.

Timing plays a crucial role in abandoned cart emails.

Studies suggest that waiting for about an hour after cart abandonment is an optimal time to send the first email.

This way, it’s fresh in the customer’s mind, but not too soon to seem intrusive.

Subject Lines That Demand Attention:

Get Creative.

Subject lines are the gatekeepers to your abandoned cart emails.

To capture the recipient’s curiosity and increase open rates, try using attention-grabbing subject lines like:

“We’re ready if you’re ready”

“Is your Wi-Fi okay?”

These phrases pique interest and make people wonder what lies inside the email.

Casper does this subtly well. 👇

And they paired it up with social proof to make it more persuasive.

Simple, Yet Intriguing:

Make the First Email Count

When it comes to the first email, simplicity, and intrigue are key.

Introduce your brand’s personality and add a touch of playfulness.

For example, you can say something like, “You’ve been playing hard to get with the item in your shopping cart.”

Keep the message short and include a clear call-to-action that invites them to return to their cart.

And, sometimes, a touch of humour can do wonders to make your abandoned cart emails more engaging, like Rudy’s. 👇

Creating a Sense of Urgency:

In your second email, 24 hours later, it’s time to create a sense of urgency.

Offer incentives such as limited-time discounts or free shipping to motivate customers to complete their purchases.

Craft subject lines like:

“Only for you: 10% discount”
“What’s happening? Curious to know?”

These subject lines make people feel special and encourage them to take action.

Follow Up Effectively:

Two days after the initial email, it’s time to send a well-timed follow-up.

Give recipients some breathing space to consider the offer from the previous email.

In this follow-up, you can:

Increase the incentive…
Provide an alternative product option
Or remind them of why they came in the first place.

Keep the conversation engaging and give them a nudge to finalise their purchase.

Tailor Emails for Small-Selection Stores:

If your store sells a single product, or just a small selection of products, you have a unique opportunity to emphasise its benefits in a dedicated email.

Answer common questions
Showcase the value of the item
Highlight any unique features

This tailored approach can help potential customers make a more informed decision and increase the chances of conversion.

Segment

Even in cart abandonment, segmenting your customers is useful.

Cart abandonment workflows are triggered by customer behaviour, so it’s important to segment those customers based on the different variables you have access to.

For instance, your approach with a first-time or recent new customer might require an incentive early in your workflow to secure the sale, while a returning loyal customer might not require an incentive at all.

To keep long-time customers from churning, consider rewarding their loyalty by offering a larger or rewards-based incentive. This can help foster a stronger relationship with your brand and increase their likelihood of making future purchases with you.

Always apply some form of segmentation.

Summary of Example Flow:

Here is a step-by-step summary of the email flow we described given:

Send a reminder email one hour later after cart abandonment. This is the first email.
Use attention-grabbing subject lines like “We’re ready if you’re ready” or “Is your Wi-Fi okay?”
Keep the first email simple and intriguing. Add a touch of playfulness and include a clear call-to-action that invites them to return to their cart.
Create a sense of urgency in the second email. Offer incentives such as limited-time discounts or free shipping to motivate customers to complete their purchases.
Follow up effectively with a well-timed third email two days after the initial email. Increase the incentive, provide an alternative product option, or remind them of why they came in the first place.
Tailor emails for small-selection stores by answering common questions, showcasing the value of the item, and highlighting any unique features.

Timing:

Email 1: Sent within 1-2 hours of cart abandonment.
Email 2: Sent within 24-48 hours of cart abandonment.
Email 3: Sent within 72 hours of cart abandonment.

You Don’t Always Need to Offer a Discount.

Don’t pull out the big guns until you have to.

Do not offer incentives if it breaks brand image or if your products are high quality
Avoid giving discounts in the first message of your cart abandonment workflow

Alternatives to Discounts:

Use customer testimonials (e.g. social proof)
Highlight your fast shipping speed
Share your brand story, ethos, or charitable cause missions in a friendly way
Create a sense of urgency, especially if your carts or items sell out quickly
Reinforce the high quality of your products
Let customers know you have a customer-friendly return or satisfaction-guaranteed policy
Remind people of your awesome customer service

Bonus: Test Abandoned Cart Texts

They are similar to abandoned cart emails, but they are sent to a person’s mobile device.

This sales recovery tactic is relatively new, but it works because people are more likely to see an SMS push notification than an email in their inbox.

This can lead to higher click-through rates and sales.

Some of the Best Abandoned Cart Subject Lines from Studies:

Use these for ideas 👇

“Kitchen & Dining Furniture: Come back & see what’s new.”
“Did you forget something?”
“Come back. Complete.”
“Ooops, you forgot [Product].”
“Your Cart’s Loaded & Ready To Go”
“Forget Something?”
“They’re still waiting for you.”
“We’ve held your cart for a limited time.”
“You left something in your cart.”

Continuously Improve Your Strategy:

To make sure your abandoned cart email strategy is a success, you need to keep optimising it.

Keep an eye on important metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates, and use that data to make informed adjustments that will make your emails even more effective.

It’s all about constantly improving and refining your approach to better serve your customers and ultimately drive more sales.