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What is shopping cart abandonment? 13 strategies to get started

Reading Time: 12 minutes

Shopping cart abandonment is one of the most critical issues affecting online retailers today. It represents potential lost sales that significantly impact revenue and growth. Understanding and addressing this challenge is vital for retailers looking to improve their online sales performance.

In this article, we’ll explore the root causes of cart abandonment. We’ll also provide practical cart abandonment solutions to help you recover lost sales.

From optimizing your checkout process to implementing recovery strategies, you’ll learn how to reduce shopping cart abandonment and boost your conversion rates.

What is shopping cart abandonment?

Online shopping cart abandonment occurs when a potential customer adds products to their virtual shopping cart but exits the website before completing the purchase. This metric serves as a critical indicator of ecommerce performance, highlighting barriers to purchase that need targeted improvements.

The abandonment rate is calculated by dividing the number of completed purchases by the total number of shopping carts created. The result is then subtracted from one and multiplied by 100 to get the abandonment rate. For instance, if a store has 200 initiated transactions and 50 completed transactions, the cart abandonment rate would be 75%.

shopping cart abandonment rate

Tracking this metric helps ecommerce store owners pinpoint inefficiencies and improve customer experience. High abandonment rates often signal issues like complicated checkout processes or unexpected costs.

“Shopping cart abandonment isn’t just a metric — it’s a direct indicator of friction in your customer journey,” explains Sadie Arnold, Senior Customer Success Manager at Omnisend. 

“Each abandoned cart provides valuable data on customer behavior and where your customer experience needs improvement. By analyzing these patterns, businesses can develop targeted strategies to re-engage customers and recover lost revenue.” 

Arnold emphasizes the importance of understanding abandonment reasons: “Identifying when and why customers abandon their carts allows for tailored solutions like recovery emails and streamlined checkout processes to complete the purchase.”

Main reasons for shopping cart abandonment

Understanding why customers abandon their online shopping carts is crucial for developing effective strategies to combat this challenge. Cart abandonment statistics for 2024 compiled by Statista reveal several key factors that contribute to lost sales during the checkout process:

  • Extra costs: High shipping charges, taxes, and additional fees remain the leading cause of shopping cart abandonment. Indeed, 48% of US shoppers cite these unexpected costs as their primary reason for leaving items behind in their carts. When customers encounter substantial added expenses at checkout, they often feel blindsided and seek alternatives with more transparent pricing.
  • Forced account creation: Approximately 26% of shoppers abandon their purchases when faced with mandatory account creation. While collecting customer data is valuable for businesses, forcing registration during checkout creates an unnecessary barrier. This is because customers often prefer a quick guest checkout option. It also discourages impulse purchases.
  • Lack of payment security: Trust is paramount in online transactions, with 25% of customers abandoning their carts due to security concerns about sharing credit card information. This highlights the critical importance of displaying security badges, SSL certificates, and other trust signals throughout the checkout process. Offering trusted payment options can also encourage purchases.
  • Slow delivery times: 23% of shoppers abandon their carts when delivery times don’t meet their needs. Extended shipping periods can discourage purchases, especially when competitors offer faster delivery options or when customers need items by specific dates. Fast and reliable shipping will keep your customers engaged.
  • Complicated checkout process: A lengthy and convoluted checkout process can be a major turn-off for shoppers. 22% of US consumers abandon their carts for this reason. Streamlining the checkout process by minimizing the number of steps, reducing form fields, and fixing confusing navigation can significantly improve conversion rates.
  • Hidden costs at checkout: Transparency in pricing is crucial, with 21% of shoppers abandoning their purchase when they can’t calculate the total cost upfront. Unexpected fees or charges revealed late in the checkout process can erode trust and prompt customers to shop elsewhere. Meanwhile, displaying full costs early displays transparency and signals trust.
  • Unclear return policies: A vague or unsatisfactory return policy deters 18% of buyers who prefer the assurance of easy returns. A well-communicated, customer-friendly return policy can provide the necessary assurance to complete a purchase. Clearly state your return terms to build customer trust. 
  • Website errors or crashes: Technical issues, such as site crashes or glitches, account for 17% of cart abandonments. These issues frustrate online shoppers, causing them to lose confidence when encountering website malfunctions during checkout. Regular website maintenance and optimization are essential for a smooth and reliable shopping experience.
  • Not enough payment options: Limited payment options can restrict customer choice and lead to cart abandonment. 13% of US consumers abandoned their carts because there weren’t enough payment methods available. Offering a variety of payment options, such as credit cards, debit cards, PayPal, and digital wallets, can improve customer satisfaction and increase conversion rates.

By understanding these common causes of online shopping cart abandonment, you can make targeted improvements. Prioritizing transparency, convenience, and trust will not only help reduce cart abandonment rates but also improve customer satisfaction and pave the way for greater ecommerce success.

How to reduce shopping cart abandonment

To decrease shopping cart abandonment and boost sales, you must focus on removing barriers that cause customers to leave mid-purchase. The following strategies can enhance your customers’ shopping experience and boost sales:

1. Offer transparent pricing

You find the perfect item — just what you’ve been looking for. You hurry to the checkout, where, suddenly, you’re hit by an unexpected surprise: extra costs. These shipping fees and taxes now inflate the cost of your item, and you no longer feel like you’ve grabbed a good deal. You abandon your cart. 

Unexpected costs are one of the main reasons customers abandon their shopping carts. To combat this, ensure all prices, fees, and shipping costs are clearly displayed upfront. 

For example, including an estimated shipping calculator on the product page can help set expectations early. Use clear labels for any additional fees to avoid surprises at checkout. If free shipping is available, highlight it prominently to encourage purchases. 

Display a breakdown of costs on the cart page to reassure customers about what they’re paying for. 

2. Simplify the checkout process

Imagine a customer has browsed through your store, added items to their cart, and is excited to make a purchase. However, as they proceed to checkout, they encounter several form fields and multiple pages to navigate through. 

This is a common scenario that can lead to shopping cart abandonment. To avoid this, consider streamlining the steps required to complete a purchase. This makes it easy for customers to proceed. 

You can use a single-page checkout format, if possible, where you combine all necessary fields on one page. Also, include progress indicators for multi-step checkouts so customers are informed about how far along they are. 

Another great practice would be to display a summary of the purchase before customers finalize their order. This summary should include product details, quantities, prices, and delivery costs. 

3. Provide multiple payment options

Customers often have varying payment preferences. As such, you should consider providing diverse payment methods to cater to a broader audience.

Include traditional methods like credit and debit cards. Still, don’t forget modern options like digital wallets. Popular choices include PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and buy-now-pay-later options like Klarna and Afterpay. When customers see their preferred payment method, they’re more likely to complete their purchase.

4. Optimize for mobile devices

How often do you shop on your phone compared to on your computer? For most people, shopping from their phone is quick and easy compared to websites. However, if the mobile page isn’t responsive, it can ruin the shopping experience. You could risk losing a good percentage of your audience. 

To keep hold of your mobile shoppers, you need to optimize your site for smaller screens, ensuring buttons and links are easily clickable.

Ensure your mobile site mirrors the desktop version in terms of functionality and visual appeal. The smoother the mobile experience, the more likely customers are to follow through with their purchase on the go.

5. Show delivery times clearly

Everyone wants to know when their package will arrive. If the delivery date is unclear, customers may start to doubt their purchase. To prevent shopping cart abandonment, you should clearly display estimated delivery times for every product. 

This information should be visible on the product page, in the cart, and during checkout. Also, include options for faster delivery where possible to cater to urgent needs. 

You can go the extra mile by offering real-time tracking of shipped products. Customers would appreciate knowing where their package is at any given time. If delays are expected, notify customers promptly to manage expectations.

6. Highlight a strong return policy

A clear, customer-friendly return policy can be the deciding factor between a completed purchase and an abandoned cart. 

Highlight your return policy prominently on product pages and during checkout to reduce hesitation. Consider offering free returns, extended return windows, or hassle-free exchanges to give shoppers the confidence they need to complete their purchases. 

When customers know they can easily return items that don’t meet their expectations, they’re more likely to follow through with their purchase.

7. Build trust with security features

Customers hesitate to provide sensitive information like payment details or card numbers if there’s even the slightest security concern. 

To build trust, prominently display trust badges from reputable providers like McAfee or Norton. Ensure secure payment icons like Visa, Mastercard, and PayPal are clearly visible, and maintain a valid SSL certificate. 

These visual cues reassure customers that their personal and financial information is safe. This reduces their anxiety and encourages them to proceed with their purchase.

8. Reduce page load times

Every second counts when it comes to keeping customers engaged during checkout. Therefore, you want to optimize your page load times by compressing images, leveraging browser caching, and minimizing HTTP requests. 

Slow-loading websites often frustrate shoppers. This can lead to cart abandonment, especially on mobile devices where users expect instant responsiveness. 

Regular performance monitoring and optimization can help identify and eliminate bottlenecks that might lead to shopping cart abandonment.

9. Enable save-for-later features

Not every shopper is ready to buy immediately. However, that doesn’t mean you should lose the sale entirely. 

Implement a “save for later” or wishlist feature that allows customers to preserve their cart contents for future visits. This feature is particularly valuable for customers who need time to compare prices, consult with others, or wait for payday. 

Send gentle reminders about saved items to keep your store top of mind and bring customers back when they’re ready to purchase.

10. Show product reviews and ratings

If you’re on the fence about buying a product, reading about other customers’ real experiences can be the deciding factor. Social proof is a powerful psychological driver that influences purchase decisions. Leverage it to build customer confidence by prominently showcasing authentic reviews and ratings on your product pages. 

Include detailed feedback, photos from real customers, and verified purchase badges to add credibility. Positive feedback from other shoppers can reassure potential buyers and encourage them to complete their purchase.

Make the experience even more personalized with a filterable review system. Allow your customers to sort by specific criteria relevant to their needs, such as size, fit, or user experience. This social proof can validate their choice and make them feel confident in their purchase decision.

11. Use clear and descriptive product pages

When considering a purchase online, a whirl of questions flood your mind. Will it fit? How do I take care of it? What does it feel like? This creates overwhelm and purchase hesitation, leading you to close the tab.

By providing comprehensive product information that answers all potential customer questions, this can be avoided. 

Include detailed specifications, high-quality images from multiple angles, size charts, material descriptions, and care instructions. Offer the zoom functionality for product images and consider adding 360-degree views or videos where appropriate. 

The more information you provide upfront, the less likely customers are to abandon their carts due to uncertainty.

12. Offer free shipping when possible

Who doesn’t love free shipping? It often feels like you’re receiving an extra gift. 

By setting a reasonable minimum order value for free shipping, you not only encourage purchases but also increase your average order value as customers add items to qualify. 

Communicate your free shipping threshold clearly throughout the shopping experience. Use banners across your site, product pages, and even checkout reminders to emphasize value.

13. Use personalized recommendations in the cart

Personalized messages can have a huge impact on the customer psyche. Seeing “Pair your new jacket with this matching scarf” makes your shopping experience feel curated just for you, and you’re tempted to explore these recommendations. 

Use customer data and purchase history to suggest complementary items, like accessories, upgrades, or frequently-bought-together items, that enhance their current selection. 

Strategically display these recommendations within the cart view to grab attention without overwhelming. When shoppers feel their experience is tailored and helpful, it can be the extra nudge they need to complete — and even expand — their order.

4 effective solutions to recover abandoned carts

There’s no way to prevent shopping cart abandonment entirely. That said, there are several effective cart abandonment solutions that can help you recover abandoned carts and increase your sales. Here are four such strategies:

1. Send cart abandonment emails

One of the most effective shopping cart abandonment solutions is to send automated emails as a friendly reminder to customers about the items they left behind. Showcasing these exact items, along with a special offer, can make a purchase now feel irresistible. 

By personalizing your shopping cart abandonment emails with the specific products left in their cart, you remind shoppers of their interest while showing you value their choices. To further nudge them toward a purchase, offer incentives like discounts or free shipping. 

Setting up this automated system is simple with tools like Omnisend, which allow you to trigger emails after a set period of inactivity, typically within a few hours of cart abandonment.

Here are the numbers:

creality dashboard
Image via Omnisend

Creality, a 3D printing company, faced challenges with low email engagement and cart recovery rates before using Omnisend. After implementing Omnisend’s automated cart abandonment emails, Creality saw excellent improvements. 

The company achieved a 54% increase in open rates for abandoned cart automation email, and click rates improved by 8.25%.

Read the full Creality success story to find out more.

2. Use exit-intent popups

Another powerful strategy to reduce shopping cart abandonment is using exit-intent popups. These popups appear when a user is about to leave your site and display a message to encourage them to stay.

For instance, you’re browsing through an online store, adding items to your cart, but something stops you from completing the purchase. As you’re about to move your mouse toward the browser’s close button, an exit-intent popup appears: “Don’t miss out! Get 10% off your order if you complete your purchase now.” This feels too good to say no to, so you decide to continue with your purchase. 

This well-designed exit-intent popup by TOMS is a practical example. It offers a 15% discount on your first order if you subscribe to the newsletter, combining immediate value with long-term customer engagement: 

TOMS popup
Image via TOMS

Also, using engaging copy and visually appealing designs can make your popups more effective. Well-designed exit-intent popups can also include social proof elements, such as customer reviews or ratings, which reinforce the value of the products left behind. 

3. Leverage SMS and push notifications

SMS and push notifications are also great tactics you can use to eliminate shopping cart abandonment, especially if they involve a discount. They act as the nudge you need to recapture your attention and remind you of the exciting deal waiting for you. 

Setting up SMS reminders involves collecting phone numbers during the checkout process or through account creation. 

Once you have permission from your customers, you can send them personalized messages to remind them of their abandoned items. You can also include enticing offers like discounts or free shipping. 

Push notifications work similarly. If users have opted in through your app or website, you can send them alerts directly to their devices.

With its user-friendly interface, Omnisend makes it easy for you to tailor messages based on your customers’ behavior and preferences. This helps ensure that your reminders resonate with each shopper. Using these timely and personalized notifications, you can reduce cart abandonment and gently guide your shoppers back to complete their purchases.

abandoned cart
Image via Omnisend

4. Retarget customers with ads

To manage ecommerce cart abandonment, you can implement retargeting techniques. This strategy works by using tracking cookies to display ads to customers who have visited your website. 

A customer could be scrolling through Instagram and notice an ad featuring the exact pair of shoes they left in their shopping cart. This ad reminds them of the products they viewed and tempts them to revisit them. 

Retargeting campaigns can be set up on platforms like Facebook, Google, or Instagram. They can also be tailored to specific audience behaviors. For example, on Google, display ads can reach customers across various websites, increasing visibility and encouraging them to return. 

Turn abandoned carts into opportunities

If you’ve ever asked yourself, “What is cart abandonment and why does it happen?,” the answer lies in customer experience. 

The good news is that shopping cart abandonment isn’t just a challenge — it’s a chance to refine your ecommerce strategy and recover lost revenue.

By focusing on transparency, streamlining the checkout process, and building trust, you can reduce abandonment rates and increase conversions. 

Addressing these issues doesn’t just increase sales. It creates a stress-free shopping experience that encourages loyalty, turns first-time buyers into repeat customers, and sets your store apart from the competition.

One in two clicks turns into a purchase — automate your abandoned cart emails with Omnisend and reclaim lost revenue

Shopping cart abandonment: FAQ

1. What is a good cart abandonment rate?

There’s no single “good” rate since it varies by industry and specific factors like product type. Generally, a lower rate is better, but the average cart abandonment rate sits at around 70%. Lower rates mean more online shoppers who added items to their cart completed the purchase. This often signals a smooth and straightforward buying process.

2. Why is shopping cart abandonment a problem for retailers?

Shopping cart abandonment often costs retailers millions in lost revenue each year. It indicates that customers are interested but hesitant to complete the purchase. This hesitation could be due to factors like hidden costs or complicated navigation. Over time, high abandonment rates can affect profitability. This is because you need to amp up your marketing efforts to re-engage potential customers.

3. How soon should I send a cart abandonment email?

Sending the first email within one to three hours after abandonment works best. At this stage, the customer still remembers their intent to buy. Then, you can send a second email within 24 hours to act as a gentle reminder. Next, follow up with a final email after 48 hours, adding incentives to encourage action.

4. What tools are best for recovering abandoned carts?

Several tools can be used to reduce shopping cart abandonment. For instance, email marketing platforms allow automated email sequences triggered by cart events to engage abandoned cart customers. Additionally, retargeting ads on platforms like Google Ads or Facebook Ads can remind customers of their forgotten items. Moreover, live chat tools on your website can offer assistance to customers during the checkout process to help decrease cart abandonment.

Bernard Meyer
Article by

Bernard is the Sr. Director of Communications & Creative at Omnisend, with a passion for good research, helping ecommerce businesses with their marketing automation needs, and beating absolutely everyone in Mario Kart 64.