What is an Abandoned Cart and How to Reduce Abandoned Cart Rates in E-commerce

LAST UPDATED ON

June 1, 2023

In this article, let’s explore the various ways to reduce abandoned cart rates. When a customer adds items to their online shopping cart but fails to complete the purchase, it’s known as an abandoned cart. The reasons for cart abandonment can vary, from unexpected shipping costs to a long and complicated checkout process.

Reasons for Abandoned Carts

Abandoned carts can be frustrating for online store owners, as they represent a lost opportunity for a sale. Understanding the reasons why customers abandon their carts is crucial to your business.

Remember that reducing abandoned cart rates requires continuous testing and tweaking. Monitor your store’s analytics regularly and keep experimenting with different solutions until you find what works best for your customers.

By doing so, you’ll reduce abandoned cart rates and improve your e-commerce store’s overall performance.

Here are some common reasons why customers abandon their carts:

Unexpected shipping costs: High or unexpected shipping costs can come as an unpleasant surprise to customers and make them reconsider their purchase. To avoid this, consider offering free shipping, setting minimum order values for free shipping, or being upfront about shipping costs at the start of the checkout process.
Complicated checkout process: A lengthy or confusing checkout process can be frustrating for customers and cause them to abandon their carts. Simplify your checkout process by removing unnecessary steps, offering guest checkout, and making sure your website is mobile-friendly.
Technical issues: Technical issues such as website crashes, slow loading times, or broken links can make customers lose confidence in your website and abandon their carts. Regularly monitor your website’s performance and address any issues promptly to ensure a smooth user experience.
Lack of trust: Customers may abandon their carts if they do not trust your website or the security of their personal and financial information. Use SSL certificates and other security measures to build trust with your customers and assure them that their information is safe.
Comparison shopping: Customers may use their carts as a way to compare prices and products across different websites. To compete with other online retailers, offer competitive pricing and promotions, as well as clear product descriptions and images to help customers make informed decisions.
Payment options: If your website does not offer the payment methods that customers prefer, they may abandon their carts. Consider offering a variety of payment options, including major credit cards, PayPal, and digital wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay.
Lack of urgency: Customers may delay or abandon their purchases if they do not feel a sense of urgency or scarcity. Use tactics like limited-time offers, countdown timers, or low-stock notifications to create a sense of urgency and motivate customers to complete their purchases.

By understanding these common reasons for abandoned carts, you can identify areas where your website may need improvement and take steps to reduce abandoned cart rates for your store.

Solutions to Reduce Abandoned Carts

Addressing abandoned carts is a critical aspect of an effective ecommerce strategy. Fortunately, there are several solutions available to help reduce cart abandonment rates and increase conversions.

Here are some effective solutions to consider:

Implement a guest checkout option: Forcing users to create an account before they can check out can be a major turn-off, resulting in cart abandonment. Giving customers the option to check out as a guest can make the process smoother and more convenient.
Offer multiple payment options: Providing a range of payment options can help meet the needs of different customers and reduce the likelihood of abandonment due to payment issues.
Simplify the checkout process: A lengthy or complicated checkout process can be frustrating for customers and lead to cart abandonment. Simplifying the process, such as by eliminating unnecessary form fields and steps, can make it more efficient and appealing.
Utilize exit-intent pop-ups: Exit-intent pop-ups can be used to capture a user’s attention just before they leave the site, offering them a special deal or incentive to complete the purchase.
Offer free shipping or discounts: High shipping costs or lack of discounts can be a major factor in cart abandonment. Offering free shipping or discounts can help reduce abandonment rates and increase conversions.
Follow up with abandoned cart emails: Sending follow-up emails to customers who have abandoned their carts can remind them of their incomplete purchase and offer additional incentives or discounts to complete the purchase.
Provide clear return policies: Customers may be hesitant to make a purchase if they are unsure about the return process. Providing clear return policies can help build trust and encourage customers to complete their purchases.

Implementing these solutions can significantly reduce abandoned cart rates and help increase conversions. It is important to regularly monitor and analyze the effectiveness of these solutions to ensure continued success.

Email Marketing Strategies to Recover Abandoned Carts

Email marketing is a powerful tool for recovering abandoned carts, and at Mapplinks, we specialize in providing effective email marketing services that can help reduce your store’s abandoned cart rates.

Here are some of the email marketing strategies that we recommend to our clients:

Automated abandoned cart emails: Set up automated emails to be sent to customers who have left items in their cart without completing the purchase. This email should include a clear call-to-action (CTA) button that leads them back to their cart and encourages them to complete the purchase.
Personalized emails: Use customer data to personalize the abandoned cart email with the customer’s name, the product(s) they left in their cart, and other relevant information that can help incentivize them to complete the purchase.
Offer incentives: Consider offering a discount code or free shipping as an incentive for customers to complete their purchases. This can help address any hesitation they may have had about the purchase, such as the cost of shipping.
Follow-up emails: If a customer doesn’t respond to the initial abandoned cart email, consider sending follow-up emails as a reminder. These emails should be spaced out strategically to avoid overwhelming the customer with too many emails.
A/B testing: Consider A/B Testing to test different email designs, messaging, and CTA buttons to see what resonates best with your audience.

Don’t let abandoned carts hurt your e-commerce business. Implement these email marketing strategies to recover lost sales and improve your bottom line.

Optimize Your Store to Reduce Shopping Cart Abandonment

One effective strategy to reduce abandoned cart rates is optimizing your e-commerce store. Making simple changes to your website can improve the user experience, increase engagement, and ultimately boost conversions.

Here are some proven methods for optimizing your store to reduce abandoned cart rates:

Improve Website Loading Speed: A slow-loading website can cause frustration and impatience for your customers. By improving your website’s loading speed, you can create a more seamless shopping experience and reduce the likelihood of cart abandonment.
Simplify Navigation: A complicated navigation system can also lead to frustration and confusion for customers. Simplify your navigation and make it easy for customers to find what they’re looking for.
Display Trust Signals: Displaying trust signals such as security badges, customer reviews, and social proof can help establish trust with your customers and increase the likelihood of completing a purchase.
Optimize Checkout Process: A long or complicated checkout process can also lead to cart abandonment. Optimize your checkout process by reducing the number of steps and simplifying the form fields.
Offer Guest Checkout: Many customers may not want to create an account or remember yet another username and password. By offering a guest checkout option, you can reduce friction and encourage customers to complete their purchases.
Provide Multiple Payment Options: Offer multiple payment options to cater to different customer preferences. This can include credit cards, PayPal, or other popular payment gateways.
Provide Accurate Shipping Information: Display accurate shipping information and costs upfront to avoid any surprises at checkout. This can also include offering free shipping thresholds or free returns to incentivize customers to complete their purchases.
Implement Exit-Intent Popups: Exit-intent popups can be an effective way to recapture the attention of a customer who is about to leave your website. These pop-ups can offer a special discount or promotion to incentivize the customer to complete their purchase.
Offer Remarketing Campaigns: Remarketing campaigns can help re-engage customers who have abandoned their cart. By offering special promotions or reminders, you can encourage customers to return to your website and complete their purchases.
Continuously Test and Improve: Continuously test and improve your website to optimize the shopping experience and reduce cart abandonment. Use analytics and customer feedback to identify areas for improvement and make necessary changes.

Implementing these strategies can help reduce shopping cart abandonment and improve the overall shopping experience for your customers.

ALSO SEE: Klaviyo Vs Mailchimp: Which Email Marketing Platform Is Better For Ecommerce?

Abandoned Cart is a common problem that affects e-commerce stores of all sizes. While it’s impossible to eliminate cart abandonment entirely, optimizing your store can help reduce abandoned cart rates and recover lost sales.

By following the strategies outlined in this article, you can create a better user experience for your customers and increase the chances of completing their purchase.

By doing so, you’ll not only reduce abandoned cart rates but also improve the overall performance of your e-commerce store.

If you need expert help to implement marketing methods to reduce abandoned carts, feel free to get in touch with us for a discovery call. Our experienced team can provide tailored solutions to reduce abandoned cart rates and increase your online revenue. Contact us now to schedule a consultation.