You walk into a store, fill up your shopping cart with all the stuff you want, and then suddenly decide to leave it behind without buying anything. That might sound a little odd, right?
Well, the same thing happens when people shop online. It's called "cart abandonment," and it's a common challenge for online stores.
We get it; it can be frustrating for businesses when customers fill their carts but don't make a purchase. That's why we've put together this handy guide.
In this article, we'll explain why cart abandonment occurs and, more importantly, how to prevent it. We'll also introduce you to some tools and strategies that can make your online store a better place for customers.
Before diving deep, first learn what are the benefits of recovering abandoned carts.
Skip to:
- Benefits of Recovering Abandoned Carts from Industry Experts
- Why Do Shoppers Abandon Their Carts?
- 9 Best Plugins to Reduce Cart Abandonment
- Simple Strategies to Combat Cart Abandonment
Benefits of Recovering Abandoned Carts from Industry Experts
Recovering abandoned carts can bring several significant advantages to an online business. Here are some benefits from the industry experts:
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Maximizing revenue
When shoppers abandon their carts, it's a sign of interest with a hint of hesitation.
"Capitalizing on this almost-sale moment can be the bridge between browsing and buying.”
says Edward Mellett, Co-founder of Wikijob.
By recovering these abandoned carts, you give them a gentle nudge to come back and complete their purchase, leading to a direct increase in revenue by capturing sales that might have otherwise slipped away.
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Improved customer retention
Robert Smith, Head of Marketing at Psychometric Success says,
“Reaching out to those who left their carts behind is more than just a sales tactic; it's a gesture that says, "We noticed, and we care.”
This kind of personalized attention not only reminds them of their initial interest but can also sow the seeds of loyalty, ensuring they keep coming back for more.
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Enhanced customer insights
Diving deep into abandoned cart data is akin to peeling back the layers of your customers' decision-making process.
By understanding which products often remain in carts and discerning the reasons shoppers might walk away, you're equipped with insights that are invaluable.
As Tiffany Parra, Owner of FirePitSurplus.com puts it,
"It's like having a window into the shopper's soul, helping you make informed decisions about your products, pricing, and website design."
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Cost efficiency
Every visitor to your website is an investment, and when they leave items in their cart, it's an opportunity hanging in the balance.
"Recovering an abandoned cart isn't just a sale; it's maximizing the ROI of your initial marketing efforts.”
says Graham Grieve, Scottish Travel Blogger at My Voyage Scotland.
Compared to the costs of acquiring new customers, this recovery process is a more efficient way to get more value from the resources you've already committed.
Now let's explore why shoppers do this.
Why Do Shoppers Abandon Their Carts?
When people are shopping online, sometimes they put things in their cart but don't finish buying them. But why does this happen?
There are various reasons behind it. Below, we've covered some common reasons why shoppers abandon their carts:
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Unexpected costs
Imagine the excitement of finding that perfect toy, the one you've been searching for.
You swiftly move to checkout, only to be met with unexpected fees or exorbitant shipping costs. It's like being handed a surprise bill at the end of a meal.
As Claire Jill Parker, Director of Business Management at GoVisaFree, says,
"Hidden costs can quickly turn a joyous shopping experience into a moment of hesitation."
Such unexpected additions can deter many from completing their purchase, leading them to abandon their cart.
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Lengthy checkout process
We've all been there: standing in a long checkout line at a store, glancing at our watches, and feeling the weight of impatience. The digital realm is no different.
"A tedious checkout is like a road with too many stop signs.”
says Christine Evans, Sr. Director, Marketing Communications at FICTIV - CNC Machining Services.
If the online checkout process is cumbersome, asks for redundant information, or simply takes too long, it can mirror that in-store frustration.
Shoppers might decide it's not worth the wait and move on.
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Security concerns
Steve Elliott, the Franchise Owner of Restoration1, says,
“Online shopping requires a leap of faith, entrusting personal and financial information to a virtual store. It's akin to sharing secrets; you'd only do it if you trust the listener."
Just as you'd be wary of someone lurking over your shoulder in a physical store, online shoppers have concerns about the safety of their data.
If a website gives off even a hint of insecurity, it can be enough for them to retreat and leave their cart behind.
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Comparison shopping
“In the age of information, shoppers are more informed than ever. Placing an item in a cart can sometimes be a bookmark, a way to remember before making a final decision.”
says Martin Seeley, CEO of Mattress Next Day.
It's like tasting samples before buying the whole dish. They might venture to other websites, compare prices, or read reviews.
If they stumble upon a better deal or a more convincing review elsewhere, the initial cart might be left in the digital dust.
These are some common reasons why people abandon their carts. To tackle these issues, below are some plugins that can be helpful.
10 Best Plugins to Reduce Cart Abandonment
- WooCommerce Abandoned Cart Pro
- Sender
- Countdown Timer by POWR
- Klaviyo
- Retainful
- Hubspot for WooCommerce
- CartBounty
- Metorik
- ShopMagic
- Abandoned Cart Lite for WooCommerce
- CartFlows
- ELEX WooCommerce Abandoned Cart Recovery Plugin
If you're struggling with cart abandonment and losing customers day by day, try these plugins for better results — or check out these lead generation strategies.
1. WooCommerce Abandoned Cart Pro
WooCommerce Abandoned Cart Pro is a helpful tool for online stores. It does a few cool things that can make a big difference.
You can use it to share discount codes with your customers and send them personalized messages to remind them about their abandoned carts.
It's also smart enough to know when someone is about to leave your website and can show them a popup to keep them interested. This tool helps you collect customer email addresses, set some rules, and see how well it's working.
But, it might be a bit tricky to set up for some users, and it comes with a high price tag.
2. Sender
Sender is a useful tool for online businesses looking to tackle cart abandonment. It's designed to help you recover abandoned carts by creating smart recovery campaigns.
With Sender, you can automate emails and SMS messages to entice customers back to your store. One standout feature is its ability to customize campaigns based on cart value, customer behavior, and more.
This tool also offers a user-friendly drag-and-drop email builder with ready-made templates — saving you time in campaign creation.
Sender seamlessly integrates with WooCommerce, making it a handy solution for store owners tired of dealing with cart abandonment manually.
Plus, it's free for up to 2500 contacts, making it accessible for businesses of all sizes.
3. Countdown Timer by POWR
POWR offers many plugins for lead and conversion optimization, but none are better for reducing cart abandonment like the Countdown Timer.
You can install a countdown timer on your website or online store with no code in minutes. It uses a customer psychology tactic known as FOMO, or Fear Of Missing Out.
It creates the feeling that they will lose a golden opportunity to save money, or the item will soon be out-of-stock.
The countdown timer is displayed as a banner on your page with a clock counting down to zero. You can customize it to countdown by days, hours, minutes, or even seconds.
The POWR Countdown Timer is completely free, and comes with the option of upgrading to unlock advanced features based on your needs.
4. Klaviyo
Klaviyo is a specialized marketing automation tool designed primarily for eCommerce. It shines in creating personalized and highly targeted cart recovery campaigns.
Its strengths lie in email and SMS marketing, leveraging customer data to deliver tailored and timely messages. Klaviyo also provides robust analytics and data science capabilities, allowing businesses to fine-tune their marketing efforts.
For those in search of a powerful platform to recover abandoned carts and enhance customer engagement, Klaviyo stands out as a reliable choice.
5. Retainful
Retainful is an all-inclusive email marketing automation tool that helps recover abandoned carts, keeping customers engaged throughout their shopping journey and helping retain customers.
The customizable email workflows let you set rules on when and to whom to send the emails. You can also create a series of emails and include Dynamic coupons or Next-order coupons if your customers are hesitant.
To keep your email campaigns laser-precise, you can use the segmentation feature, which lets you divide your email list based on demographics, geographical location, and shopping behavior.
6. HubSpot for WooCommerce
HubSpot for WooCommerce integration allows you to sync WooCommerce data with HubSpot CRM, making it easier to automate cart abandonment sequences and gain valuable insights.
It helps you identify abandoned carts and the most frequently abandoned products, enabling targeted follow-up campaigns.
HubSpot's user-friendly interface and data integration are a boon for WooCommerce users looking to streamline cart recovery efforts.
7. CartBounty
CartBounty is a WooCommerce plugin that focuses on saving and recovering abandoned carts.
It notifies you about newly abandoned carts and enables you to send reminders to customers — helping to minimize cart abandonment.
An important feature is its "remember checkout fields" capability, minimizing friction for customers by retaining their entered information even if they navigate away from the checkout page.
CartBounty offers both free and pro versions, with the pro version integrating with Mailchimp for more robust email capabilities.
8. Metorik
Metorik is a powerful tool designed for WooCommerce store owners to gain deep insights into their customers and automate recovery campaigns for abandoned carts.
It helps businesses understand customer behavior, identify commonly abandoned products, and create detailed customer profiles.
Metorik automatically triggers recovery campaigns when a product is added to the cart, allowing businesses to send personalized emails and offers to encourage purchases.
The platform also provides real-time data on cart abandonment and campaign performance, including the number of recovered carts and revenue growth.
Metorik is an essential tool for WooCommerce stores looking to reduce cart abandonment and improve overall customer engagement.
9. ShopMagic
ShopMagic is a powerful plugin that plays a vital role in recovering abandoned carts. This handy tool is like a guardian angel for e-commerce businesses, ensuring that no potential sale slips through the cracks.
ShopMagic automates the process of sending personalized emails to customers who have left items in their carts.
It gently reminds them of their abandoned cart, offers incentives like discounts, and provides a seamless shopping experience.
With ShopMagic in your toolkit, you can boost your cart recovery efforts and enjoy the benefits of increased revenue and improved customer retention.
10. Abandoned Cart Lite for WooCommerce
Abandoned Cart Lite is a valuable WordPress plugin designed to combat the issue of abandoned shopping carts effectively.
It addresses the challenge by capturing information for both registered customers and guests who abandon their carts.
With a default email template, it offers a quick and hassle-free setup, sending timely reminders to customers about their abandoned orders.
This plugin not only helps recover potentially lost sales but also identifies the specific products in the abandoned carts and provides customer information.
Now, let's explore strategies that can help you convert abandoned carts into successful purchases.
Bonus Tools
CartFlows
CartFlows is a WordPress plugin designed to enhance the e-commerce experience by simplifying the sales funnel creation process.
It streamlines the checkout journey, reducing friction and optimizing conversions. CartFlows helps combat cart abandonment by offering customizable, user-friendly checkout pages and a one-click order bump feature, enticing customers to complete their purchases.
With its intuitive drag-and-drop editor, it enables businesses to create compelling and seamless sales funnels that guide users through the buying process, ultimately minimizing cart abandonment rates and maximizing revenue for online retailers on WordPress platforms.
ELEX WooCommerce Abandoned Cart Recovery Plugin
Tackle cart abandonment effectively with the ELEX WooCommerce Abandoned Cart Recovery Plugin. Recover lost sales by sending automated, customizable email reminders at intervals to prompt customers to complete their abandoned orders.
This highly flexible tool requires minimal configuration, allowing you to create dynamic smart discount coupons that incentivize customers to finalize their purchases. Tailor trigger rules for targeted emails, ensuring a personalized approach to abandoned cart recovery.
The plugin provides clear abandoned cart lists, detailed logs, and comprehensive reports.
With the ability to restrict specific email IDs, IP addresses, and domains, it's a powerful solution to convert potential losses into successful sales.
Simple Strategies to Combat Cart Abandonment
Follow these simple strategies to handle cart abandon issue:
In this section:
- Customize emails
- Offer discounts
- Add a guest checkout option
- Provide clear return & refund policies
- Offer multiple payment options
- Simplify the checkout process
- Offer free shipping
- Optimize loading speed
1. Customize emails
In the vast sea of promotional emails, standing out is essential. Customizing emails is like tailoring a suit – it fits perfectly and feels personal.
As Sam McKay, CEO of Enterprise DNA says, "A personalized touch in emails speaks directly to the customer, making them feel seen and valued.”
By suggesting products that align with their interests and sending gentle reminders about their abandoned cart, businesses can rekindle the shopping spark.
Dive deeper into the nuances of eCommerce email marketing to truly harness its potential. Check out the best ways to excel in eCommerce email marketing.
2. Offer discounts
Everyone loves a good deal. It's the age-old allure of getting more for less.
"A timely discount can be the gentle nudge that transforms contemplation into action”, says Sumeer Kaur, Founder of Lashkaraa.com.
If a shopper is on the fence about a $100 item, slashing even a small percentage can tip the scales in favor of a purchase.
Adding a time constraint, like a 24-hour window, infuses a sense of urgency, making them think twice before walking away from a good deal.
3. Add a guest checkout option
Simplifying the registration process by providing a guest checkout option is a customer-friendly move.
Many shoppers dislike spending extra time creating an account. Guest checkouts streamline the process, reducing friction and cart abandonment.
As Derek Bruce, Operations Director at Skills Training Group, says,
“When customers don't have to create accounts, they're more likely to complete their purchases on the spot, enhancing the overall shopping experience.”
4. Provide clear return & refund policies
Trust is the cornerstone of any transaction.
"Clear return and refund policies are like a safety net, catching any lingering doubts a shopper might have."
says Gerrid Smith, CMO of Joy Organics.
When customers know they have the freedom to change their minds without a fuss, they're more inclined to take the plunge.
Emphasizing these policies not only allays fears but also builds a foundation of trust, which is instrumental in reducing cart abandonment.
5. Offer multiple payment options
Payment is the final frontier in the shopping journey, and flexibility here is paramount.
"Diverse payment options are like multiple doors to the same destination – each catering to a different traveler.”
says Adam Fard, Founder & Head of Design at Adam Fard UX Agency.
Whether someone prefers credit cards, digital wallets, or other methods, offering a range of choices ensures that the final step is as seamless as the rest of the journey, minimizing drop-offs and maximizing conversions.
6. Simplify the checkout process
Enhancing user engagement through gamification is an innovative strategy. Adding elements of fun or rewards to the checkout process can captivate customers and keep them interested.
Gamification can include challenges, discounts, or interactive features that make shopping enjoyable.
An engaged customer is more likely to complete their purchase and less likely to abandon their cart.
7. Offer free shipping
Minimizing surprise costs by offering free shipping is a powerful strategy. Unexpected shipping fees can deter customers from completing their purchases.
Providing free shipping, even if it's built into the product cost, removes this barrier and encourages customers to finalize their orders. It's a straightforward way to enhance the shopping experience and reduce cart abandonment.
8. Optimize loading speed
Optimizing loading speed is crucial for your online store. When your website loads slowly, it can frustrate visitors, causing them to leave before even seeing your products.
A speedy website ensures that customers have a smooth and pleasant shopping experience, which is more likely to lead to completed purchases.
To achieve this, you can compress images, reduce unnecessary scripts, and choose a reliable hosting provider.
Final Words
Addressing cart abandonment is crucial for the success of any online business.
Understanding the reasons behind it can provide valuable insights. By implementing strategies like offering diverse payment options and providing discounts, businesses can effectively reduce cart abandonment rates.
The benefits are clear: increased revenue, winning customer loyalty, and saving on extra costs. Remember, it's a smart investment that not only boosts sales but also strengthens customer relationships and guides future business decisions.
So, follow a proper guide and use plugins to handle cart abandonment issues.
