Abandoned carts plague e-commerce businesses, with a staggering 69.8% cart abandonment rate across industries.
After investing time and money into attracting visitors and guiding them through the sales funnel, seeing them bail at the final hurdle is incredibly frustrating. B
ut don’t despair!
There are plenty of innovative strategies beyond the standard abandoned cart email that can help recover those lost sales.
The Abandoned Cart Challenge
Getting customers all the way to the checkout page only for them to not complete their purchase is an all-too-common scenario. Extra costs like shipping, taxes, and fees are major deterrents, as is the requirement to create an account and long or complicated checkout processes. Sometimes shoppers simply get distracted.
Whatever the reason, it results in a massive amount of lost revenue.
While abandoned cart emails can recover around 10-20% of lost sales, they don’t work for everyone. Some shoppers tune them out as just more marketing noise. To truly tackle cart abandonment, you need innovative solutions.
Innovative On-Site Strategies
One of the best ways to reduce abandoned carts is addressing issues directly on your website and checkout flow:
- Exit-Intent Popups grab attention when someone is about to leave, offering an incentive like free shipping or a discount code to keep them engaged.
- Progress Indicators clearly show how far along the checkout process is. Knowing there are only 2-3 short steps left can encourage completion.
- Guest Checkout streamlines the process by not forcing account creation upfront, eliminating a major friction point.
- Persistent Carts allow seamless purchasing across devices and browser sessions so shoppers don’t have to start over if interrupted.
Retargeting Reminders
Even with a seamless experience, some will still abandon. That’s where retargeting across other channels comes in:
- Facebook & Instagram Ads leverage detailed tracking to show dynamic product ads featuring the specific abandoned cart items.
- Google Remarketing Ads serve tailored reminders on websites across the internet using the Google Ads network.
- Cart Reminder Ads take it further by allowing checkout directly within the ad unit with a “Buy Now” button.
While retargeting requires ad spend, it can recover lost sales at a relatively low cost compared to initial acquisition costs.
SMS & Mobile Wallet Tactics
With consumer attention shifting to mobile, cart recovery strategies need to go mobile too:
- SMS Cart Reminders are simple text messages incentivizing shoppers to complete their purchase.
- Mobile Wallet Passes keep cart contents and purchase reminders front and center on shoppers’ devices.
- QR Code Reminders in emails/SMS take shoppers directly to checkout when scanned, reducing friction.
Reaching shoppers on their mobile devices in engaging ways can powerfully recover abandoned carts.
Don’t resign yourself to rampant cart abandonment. By implementing creative strategies beyond basic emails – optimizing your on-site experience, retargeting across channels, and leveraging mobile tactics – you can recover more lost sales and revenue.
Abandoned carts are challenging, but there are solutions.
While abandoned cart emails are a start, implementing innovative on-site enhancements, retargeting ads, SMS reminders, mobile wallet passes, and QR codes can take your recovery efforts to the next level.
Test different tactics and find the right mix to maximize recovered revenue for your e-commerce business.
FAQs
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What is the average cart abandonment rate?
The average cart abandonment rate across industries is a staggering 69.8%, meaning over two-thirds of potential sales are lost. -
Why do shoppers abandon their carts?
Common reasons include extra costs like shipping fees, being required to create an account, complicated checkout processes, and getting distracted. -
What is an exit-intent popup?
An exit-intent popup is a modal window that appears when a shopper’s cursor movement indicates they are about to leave the site, allowing you to grab their attention with an incentive. -
What are persistent carts?
Persistent carts enable shoppers to return to their cart seamlessly across devices and browser sessions without having to start over. -
How can retargeting help recover abandoned carts?
Retargeting displays ads across the web and social media featuring the specific items in a shopper’s abandoned cart, reminding them to complete their purchase. -
What is a cart reminder ad?
A cart reminder ad not only showcases abandoned items but allows checkout directly within the ad unit itself with a “Buy Now” button. -
How can SMS reminders help?
SMS cart reminders send a text message to shoppers’ mobile devices about their abandoned items, with an incentive to purchase. -
What are mobile wallet passes?
Mobile wallet passes keep abandoned cart contents and purchase reminders front and center in shoppers’ mobile wallets like Apple Wallet or Google Pay. -
How can QR codes aid abandoned cart recovery?
Including QR codes in cart reminder emails/SMSs allows shoppers to scan and go directly to the checkout flow with fewer clicks needed.