7 Shopify abandoned cart email examples + how to create your own

Reading Time: 11 minutes

A Shopify abandoned cart email retargets shoppers who add items to their cart but leave without buying.

These are automated emails that require no configuration beyond their initial setup. Your customers enter the flow when they abandon their cart and exit after meeting a condition you set (such as placing an order or exiting a segment).

Alongside welcome series and browse abandonment emails, abandoned carts are your most lucrative source of automated order revenue.

Join us below to discover how to set up an abandoned cart email on Shopify, plus examples and best practices to make them highly effective.

Why send abandoned cart emails on Shopify?

Shopify abandoned cart email automations recover lost revenue and reduce customer acquisition costs by converting visitors you’ve already spent money attracting.

Because these emails target those with purchase intent, they are more likely to convert than cold outreach campaigns. Omnisend research shows that abandoned cart emails are among the top three automations, driving 87% of all automated orders.

And it doesn’t end there — compared to manual campaigns, automated messages deliver 332% higher click rates and 2,361% better conversion rates.

Abandoned carts also reveal patterns about which products cause hesitation and where your sales process might need improvement. Top Shopify stores use this data (such as which pages have high abandonment rates) to refine their user experience.

Setup takes minimal effort, and once configured, your emails are automated, delivering ongoing returns without constant management from your team.

How to set up Shopify abandoned cart emails

Shopify’s native abandoned cart email automation helps recover lost sales by automatically reaching out to customers who added items but didn’t complete their purchases. The setup process takes just a few minutes and starts working immediately once activated.

Here’s how to set up abandoned cart emails on Shopify:

Step 1: Install the Shopify Email and Shopify Flow apps

• You need two free apps to build email automations on Shopify — Shopify Email and Shopify Flow. You can find them in your dashboard by searching for email and flow in the top search box:

• It doesn’t matter in which order you install the apps. Click the result to be taken to the app page, then select Install.

Step 2: Navigate to marketing automations

• Go to Marketing > Automations from your Shopify admin to access the automation templates section. The dashboard looks like this:

Step 3: Select the abandoned checkout template

• Click View templates on the Automations page. Then, select the Recover abandoned cart automation template from the available options:

• After selecting it, a popup box with options to Edit and Turn on automation will appear. Click Edit to load the editor.

Step 4: Customize your email content

• After clicking Edit, you can modify the stock email template and see the automation workflow builder. Here, you can add your logo, adjust colors, and personalize the message to match your brand voice:

• Review the timing settings, trigger conditions, and exit rules. Ensure the automation fits your customer journey and business needs.

Step 5: Activate the automation

• Once you’re happy with your automation, click Turn on workflow to activate it. A small dialogue box will open with a workflow summary link. Click the link to access this page:

• That’s it! You’ve successfully built a Shopify abandoned cart email.

How to customize Shopify abandoned cart emails with Omnisend

Shopify’s abandoned cart email templates look identical across thousands of stores with little customization potential, limiting your ability to stand out in crowded inboxes.

The default setup also lacks advanced layout features that drive higher conversion rates. Here’s the default template as an example:

Omnisend is a superior email marketing app that lets you design emails that match your brand, segment audiences based on purchase behavior, and create dynamic product recommendations for each customer’s browsing history.

Check out this video for a crash course:

Here’s how to create and edit abandoned cart emails for Shopify with Omnisend:

Step 1: Install the Omnisend app and register for an account

• Head over to the Omnisend app page on Shopify. Click Install:

• Alternatively, search for Omnisend in the top search bar of your Shopify dashboard. You’ll be taken to the app page:

• After installation, you will see a permissions page detailing how Omnisend will access your data. Click Install to complete the installation.
• Completing the installation will open a new tab in your web browser, directing you to the Omnisend registration page. Complete the registration steps:

• Follow the steps to link Omnisend to your Shopify store, then set up your brand assets by accessing Store settings in the sidebar and clicking Brand Assets. You can set logos, colors, social links, and fonts here. Click Manage brand assets:

• Click Save brand assets when you’re happy with your branding. Proceed to step 2.

Step 2: Create your abandoned cart flow

• Click Automation in the Omnisend sidebar to access the Automation dashboard. From here, click + Create workflow:

• Find the Abandoned Cart flow. Click Customize workflow:

• You will now see the Abandoned Cart workflow builder. It has a drag-and-drop interface with options for messages and flow actions:

Step 3: Configure the automation’s settings

• Customize the trigger settings for inactivity delay (the default is one hour). Add filters for cart value, product collections, or customer segments.
• Set exit conditions to automatically stop the sequence when customers complete their purchase. This prevents unnecessary follow-up emails.

Step 4: Design your email

• Select the Email item in your workflow builder to load the settings for its subject line, preheader, sender’s name, and template. Click Edit content under the template to open the visual email editor:

• You can now modify the template to look the way you want. Here are a few tips:
  • The email editor has drag-and-drop items in the sidebar
  • Omnisend’s Abandoned products item has multiple layouts and lets you change the number of products and columns 
  • Another item worth considering is the Product recommender, which shows related items to increase conversion opportunities
• Click Finish editing once you’re happy with your email and proceed to step 5

Step 5: Start the workflow

The last step is activating your cart abandonment email by clicking Start workflow at the top of the page. Once activated, you will get redirected to your automations page, where you can see its status (Enabled):

• That’s it! You can modify your flow by clicking its name or the three-dot icons to edit, disable, view reports, copy, and delete.

7 Shopify abandoned cart email examples you can copy

Check out these Shopify abandoned cart email examples to inspire your own:

1. A playful nudge with product focus

Subject line: Hey! You left this behind

Oral care retailer Bite creates a friendly, personal tone for its Shopify cart abandonment email with the subject line “Hey! You left this behind.”

Opening the email reveals an image of a customer actively using Bite’s product and a “Finish what you carted” headline that creates urgency and cleverly references the email’s intent.

Clear value propositions, such as plastic-free and cruelty-free, build confidence, and the prominent abandoned product display reminds customers what they almost purchased with a “FINISH CHECKOUT” CTA button to take the next step.

2. A warm, no-pressure reminder

Subject line: Your tea is right where you left it.

Brew Tea Company uses a helpful tone with “We saved you some tea,” making abandonment feel like a favor rather than a mistake.

Its bright yellow design is striking against the simple product display (image, name, “SHOP” CTA button) and focuses on what customers left behind.

It addresses practical concerns with free shipping thresholds plus same-day dispatch promises that remove common purchase hesitations. Messaging about “distractions and interruptions” acknowledges why customers might have left without making them feel guilty.

3. Product highlight + brand reinforcement

Subject line: Did you see something you liked?

Blueland uses self-aware humor, such as “We love it, too. Then again… we might be biased,” to validate customer choice and stay authentic.

Half the email focuses on brand messaging instead of just showing the product. The “Little tablet, big clean” section reinforces its plastic-free positioning and educates customers about product benefits beyond the initial purchase consideration.

Two identical call to action (“SHOP NOW”) buttons with a contrasting blue background color increase conversion opportunities.

4. Time-sensitive offer to seal the deal

Subject line: Special offer – 15% Off

Pet clothing retailer Little Beast creates urgency with “YOUR CART IS ABOUT TO EXPIRE” and a 15% discount to push hesitant customers toward purchase. The discount code’s 24-hour deadline adds time pressure that encourages immediate action.

Adorable photos of dogs wearing its sweaters show products in real use alongside customer reviews with star ratings that build trust.

Little Beast’s extensive social proof includes testimonials highlighting product benefits and sizing accuracy to overcome common pet clothing concerns.

5. Clever copy with clear value props

Subject line: Did a bug crash your order?

Pestie uses clever wordplay in its abandoned cart email, turning potential tech frustrations into pest control humor. Headlines like “Bugs stickin’ around?” and “Bugs hacked your wifi?” connect technical issues with its product category in memorable ways.

Additionally, saying “Through the magic of cookies” explains how it saved the customer’s progress, alleviating privacy and data collection concerns.

Clear value propositions — saving money, customized treatments, and bug-free guarantees — appear prominently, giving customers concrete reasons to choose Pestie.

6. Re-engagement + feedback collection

Subject line: Oops… What did we do wrong?

Huel flips the typical abandoned cart approach by asking, “What did we do wrong?” instead of pushing for immediate purchase.

The email presents nine clickable abandonment reasons, from shipping costs to product confusion, making customer feedback effortless.

After collecting feedback, Huel offers a product recommendation quiz to help confused customers find their ideal match. It turns cart abandonment into market research and customer service (not just pure sales recovery).

7. Gentle push with a first time discount offer

Subject line: You are so close 🍺

Days Brewing uses motivational language with “You are so close” and highlights convenience with “one tap” ordering and free next-day delivery.

It uses segmentation to target first-time customers with a 10% discount code “FIRSTDAYS” instead of blanket offers for all cart abandoners.

Prominent certification badges for natural ingredients, vegan status, and B-Corp certification build trust with health-conscious beer drinkers. These credentials address potential concerns about craft beer quality and company values.

Best practices for writing Shopify abandoned cart emails

The most effective abandoned cart emails balance urgency with helpfulness. Follow these strategies to maximize recovery rates:

• Personalize with customer data: Add your customer’s name, browsing history, and previous purchase history. Omnisend’s Liquid syntax automatically pulls customer information to make each email feel individually crafted.
• Segment by cart behavior: Use Omnisend’s segmentation tools to target customers based on abandoned cart value, items, and browsing activity. Send exclusive offers to high-value carts and gentle reminders for smaller purchases.
• Display abandoned products visually: Include high-quality product images, descriptions, and pricing to recreate the shopping experience. Visual reminders help customers recall why they wanted the items and reduce friction in returning to purchase.
• Add scarcity and deadline pressure: Time-sensitive messaging creates immediate action triggers. Your customers are more likely to respond to “ends tonight” rather than “sale ends soon.”
• Make buttons impossible to miss: Large, contrasting CTA buttons with clear commands guide customers smoothly back to checkout. Size, color, and placement determine whether customers return to purchase.
• Solve hesitation points upfront: Free shipping thresholds, return policies, and security badges address common concerns before customers can object. Remove barriers that initially prevented the purchase from happening.
• Write like your brand talks: Your abandoned cart voice should match how you usually communicate with customers. Consistency builds recognition and trust across all customer touchpoints and interactions.
• Include social proof elements: Add customer reviews and testimonials for abandoned products. Social validation reduces purchase anxiety and demonstrates product quality from real user experiences.
• Request abandonment feedback: Ask customers why they didn’t complete their purchases to gather insights for future improvements. Present feedback requests as being helpful and consider using incentives to increase responses.
• Time your messages to prevent overload: Send the first email within hours of abandonment and follow-up emails a few days after. For instance, create an immediate reminder, a 24-hour follow-up, and a final attempt for day three.

Recover more sales with abandoned cart emails

Shoppers add items to their carts but leave without buying, costing you daily revenue. Abandoned cart emails give you a second chance to convert these interested customers who already showed purchase intent.

Recovery campaigns work best when you segment customers by cart value and send personalized emails showing their abandoned products alongside relevant incentives rather than sending generic reminders to everyone.

Omnisend automates this process with greater customization potential than Shopify Email. Its intuitive workflow builder and multi-channel targeting across email, SMS, and push notifications ensure your cart abandonment strategy recovers maximum revenue.

Shopify abandoned cart email: FAQs