Shopping cart abandonment is a major pain point for ecommerce businesses.
After investing resources to attract visitors and guide them through the sales funnel, seeing potential customers bail at the final step is incredibly frustrating.
Fortunately, there are proven strategies you can implement to recapture those almost-customers and boost conversion rates.
Introduction
Cart abandonment occurs when online shoppers add items to their virtual cart but leave before completing the purchase.
The average abandonment rate across industries hovers around 70%, meaning the majority of potential sales slip through the cracks.
While some abandonment is unavoidable, even small reductions can lead to significant revenue gains for merchants.
This post outlines effective strategies to decrease cart abandonment and provides tips for implementing them.
1. Streamline the Checkout Process
The checkout experience is critical – if it’s too complicated or riddled with friction, many shoppers will abandon their cart.
Streamlining this process should be a top priority. Consider the following:
- Reduce form fields and pages to a minimum, only asking for essential information.
- Use smart form-filling to auto-populate known details like shipping addresses.
- Offer guest checkout to eliminate account creation hassles.
- Be upfront about costs from the start. Unexpected fees like shipping or taxes drive abandonment. Use a progress tracker to set expectations and ensure transparency around the total order amount.
Above all, make the flow fast, simple, and mobile-friendly.
2. Implement Exit-Intent Pop-ups
Sometimes a gentle nudge prevents an abandoning visitor.
Exit-intent pop-ups detect cursor movement patterns signaling a user is about to leave.
They can display a targeted message or offer to keep the shopper engaged, like a limited-time discount code for completing the purchase, free shipping on orders over a certain amount, or the ability to save their cart for later abandoned cart email reminders.
While pop-ups can be annoying when overused, exit-intent versions appear only when someone is headed for the exit, making them less disruptive. A/B test different offers and designs to maximize effectiveness.
3. Leverage Retargeting Campaigns
Some visitors may need more than a one-time nudge. Retargeting displays personalized ads across other websites and platforms to re-engage high-intent shoppers who abandoned their cart.
Facebook and Google are major ad networks for retargeting. Upload a list of cart abandoners to reconnect with on Facebook or create similar audiences on Google based on website visitors. Then serve dynamic ads featuring the specific products they left behind.
Retargeting requires more effort than exit pop-ups but can effectively reactivate lost sales opportunities. Just cap frequency to avoid seeming overly aggressive or annoying.
4. Abandoned Cart Emails
Personalized email reminders are another powerful tool for recovering abandoned carts.
Trigger automated emails after a visitor exits with items in their cart.
Include product images, delivery timelines, and a call-to-action to complete checkout. Consider offering an incentive like free shipping to sweeten the deal.
You can also set up email sequences with additional reminders if the shopper doesn’t convert after the initial message. Just be mindful of how many emails you send to avoid overcrowding their inbox.
Key Takeaways
Decreasing cart abandonment doesn’t have to mean lost revenue. By streamlining checkout, deploying exit-intent pop-ups, running retargeting campaigns, and sending abandoned cart emails, you can recapture many would-be abandoners.
Reduce friction during checkout while gently nudging undecided shoppers to complete their purchase. Combine these tactics, and you’ll have a powerful arsenal for maximizing conversions.
Optimizing to decrease abandonment is an ongoing process of testing and iteration.
But the potential payoff makes it worthwhile. Start implementing these solutions, and you’ll boost revenue in no time.
FAQs
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What is the average cart abandonment rate?
The average cart abandonment rate across all industries is around 70%, meaning most potential sales are being lost. -
How can I reduce cart abandonment on my ecommerce store?
Key strategies include streamlining the checkout process, using exit-intent popups, and running retargeting ad campaigns. -
Why should I streamline the checkout process?
A complicated or lengthy checkout flow is a major driver of cart abandonment. Simplifying it reduces friction and boosts conversions. -
What are exit-intent popups and how do they help?
Exit-intent popups detect when visitors are about to leave. They can display targeted offers to keep shoppers engaged. -
How do retargeting campaigns decrease cart abandonment?
Retargeting displays ads across other sites to reconnect with high-intent shoppers who abandoned their cart on your store. -
What are some good exit-intent popup offers?
Common offers include limited-time discount codes, free shipping thresholds, and options to save carts for later. -
How can I run a retargeting campaign for abandoned carts?
Upload your cart abandoner list to Facebook or create similar audiences on Google to serve dynamic product ads. -
Should I send abandoned cart email reminders too?
Yes, personalized abandoned cart emails can further re-engage shoppers when combined with other tactics like popups and retargeting. -
Why is decreasing cart abandonment rates important?
Even small reductions in abandonment rates can lead to major revenue gains and reclaimed sales for ecommerce businesses.