How to Send Abandoned Cart Emails to Recover Lost Customers
Did you know that, on average, nearly 70% of online shopping carts are abandoned? Recovering those customers can make a significant impact on your online store’s revenue. One effective strategy is to send abandoned cart emails that remind potential customers about the items they left behind and persuade them to complete their purchase. In this article, we will discuss how to create and use abandoned cart emails to recover lost customers and boost your store’s conversion rate.
What are Abandoned Cart Emails?
Abandoned cart emails are automated messages sent to customers who added items to their shopping cart but didn’t complete the purchase. These emails serve as a reminder of what the shopper placed in their cart and encourage them to return and complete the transaction.
These are the essential components you need to consider when crafting an abandoned cart email:
- Subject Line: It should grab the attention of the customer and encourage them to open the email, ideally mentioning the abandoned cart.
- Visuals: Include images of the abandoned products to remind customers of what they liked.
- Copy: Write engaging and persuasive email copy with a clear call to action, directing customers back to their carts.
- Timing: Determine the right cadence for sending these emails to maximize open rates and conversions.
- Personalization: Use data about customers and their shopping habits to personalize the email content.
Why are Abandoned Cart Emails Important?
Sending abandoned cart emails is essential because they can help:
- Recover lost revenue: By reminding customers of the items left in their cart, you increase their chances of returning to complete their purchase.
- Gain insights: Abandoned cart emails provide valuable insights into customer behavior, helping you identify areas for improvement on your site.
- Build customer relationships: These emails can strengthen your relationship with customers by engaging them post-abandonment, leading to increased lifetime value.
- Optimize the shopping experience: Analyzing the performance of abandoned cart emails can help identify any user experience or technical issues on your website.
How to Create Effective Abandoned Cart Emails
Here are six steps to build and optimize abandoned cart emails for maximum impact:
1. Choose an Email Service Provider (ESP)
An Email Service Provider (ESP) is essential for running and managing your email campaigns. Some popular email marketing services include Mailchimp, Klaviyo, and ActiveCampaign. Choose a provider that offers abandoned cart email automation and integrates with your e-commerce platform.
2. Set up Abandoned Cart Email Triggers
The timing of your abandoned cart emails can play a crucial role in their effectiveness. Most experts recommend sending a series of emails within the following timeframes:
- Email 1: Within an hour of cart abandonment.
- Email 2: 24 hours after cart abandonment.
- Email 3: 48-72 hours after cart abandonment.
These timeframes are general guidelines and can be adjusted based on your customer data and industry insights.
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3. Craft an Engaging Subject Line
The subject line is the first thing your customers see and can significantly impact the open rate. Make use of trigrams like "this is what," "this is why," "how to get" and create a sense of urgency or curiosity. Examples of compelling subject lines are:
- "This is why you should complete your purchase today!"
- "Your cart is waiting – Get X% off now!"
- "How to get free shipping on your abandoned items!"
4. Design a Visually Appealing Email
An attractive email layout with product images, clear calls to action, and responsive design is crucial to keep your customers engaged. Remember to keep the design consistent with your brand identity, so the email feels like a natural extension of your website.
5. Craft Persuasive and Engaging Email Copy
Emphasize the benefits of completing the purchase, address potential reasons for abandonment, and incorporate persuasive elements, such as social proof or limited-time offers. For example:
- "Thousands of customers have loved our product. Don’t miss out!"
- "Hurry! This offer is only valid for the next 24 hours."
6. Personalize the Abandoned Cart Email
Use customer data to personalize your email, addressing the customer by name and tailoring offers based on their purchase history. Personalization can lead to higher click-through rates and increased conversions.
Real-World Examples and Tactics
Let’s look at two real-world examples of successful abandoned cart emails:
Example 1: Adidas
Adidas sends a simple yet powerful abandoned cart email with the subject line, "Your cart is still waiting for you." The email contains high-quality images of the abandoned products and a clear call to action ("Shop Now") at the top and bottom of the email. Additionally, they highlight their free shipping policy and customer support, providing a sense of ease and security for the potential buyer.
Example 2: Casper
The mattress company Casper effectively uses personalization and persuasive copy in their abandoned cart email. The subject line, "We saved your Casper items, ," incorporates the recipient’s first name to grab attention. The email also includes a sense of urgency by mentioning that the offer expires soon and that stock may be limited. Casper’s email design is clean and responsive, with a clear call to action (CTA) button.
Tracking Abandoned Cart Email Performance and Optimization
It’s essential to measure the success of your abandoned cart email strategy using analytic tools like Flowpoint.ai to gain insights into open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates. Regularly analyzing this data allows you to optimize your email design and content, fine-tuning the campaign for better results.
Remember, recovering lost customers through abandoned cart emails requires a combination of attention-grabbing subject lines, persuasive copy, attractive and responsive design, and precise timing. By following these best practices and continuously optimizing your strategy, you can significantly boost conversion rates and increase your e-commerce revenue.