Abandoned cart emails are automated messages sent to shoppers who add items to their cart but leave before completing checkout, which can often prompt them to return to your site and finish out the purchase.
The average cart abandonment rate across ecommerce sits at 70.22%, according to a Baymard Institute analysis. Abandoned cart recovery through email outreach gives store owners a direct way to win back those shoppers after they’ve left.
This guide covers how to write abandoned cart emails, when to send them, examples from real stores, and the compliance requirements that apply to cart recovery campaigns.
What is an abandoned cart email?
An abandoned cart email is an email sent to shoppers who add products to their cart but leave before checkout. The message reminds them what they left behind and prompts them to return and complete the purchase.
Abandoned carts can happen for a range of reasons. According to a Baymard Institute analysis, shoppers cite:
- Extra costs at checkout (40%)
- Slow delivery estimates (20%)
- Distrust in submitting payment information (19%)
- A forced account creation step (18%)
- A checkout process that’s too long or complicated (17%)
Abandoned cart recovery emails address these barriers directly, averaging a 6% click rate, rising to 11.3% among the top 10% of Klaviyo’s ecommerce customers, according to Klaviyo’s benchmark data.
You can customize abandoned cart emails with coupon codes, product images, and a call-to-action (CTA) button to bring shoppers back to checkout.
Best abandoned cart email examples
The abandoned cart email examples below showcase how real brands implement this practice into their ecommerce strategy. The following brand examples pair a subject line with a specific tactic, from urgency to social proof:
Casper
Subject line: Did you forget something?
Casper’s abandoned cart email opens with “COME BACK TO BED,” a pun tying the product category to the act of returning to complete the purchase, followed by a line naming the abandoned item and linking back to the cart.
What it includes:
- A single abandoned product listed with a thumbnail and name
- A prominent Return to Cart button
- A customer testimonial, set apart in its own section
- A Read More Reviews button styled to match the primary CTA
Rudy’s
Subject line: Don’t let free shipping go to waste
Rudy’s abandoned cart email leads with “Don’t put this off like a software update,” drawing a playful comparison between neglecting a software update and letting a cart expire. A banner above the header reads “Your free shipping is about to expire,” and the body copy repeats the free shipping offer, alongside a discount code.
What it includes:
- Two abandoned products, listed with images, quantities, and price totals
- A discount code presented in the body copy
- A prominent Checkout Now button
- A stated shipping restriction: Free shipping applies to US orders under $20, valid for 24 hours from the first email
Liquor Loot
Subject line: Your cart is sobering up
Liquor Loot’s abandoned cart email opens with “Still thinking about it?” followed by a two-column list of ways to use the whisky included in the subscription box, marked with check marks, an X, and other icons.
Below the list, the email includes a product photo of the whisky bottles, an FAQ section covering bottle count, box contents, and how to skip a month, and a Treat Yourself CTA button.
What it includes:
- A two-column checklist of product use suggestions
- A product photo showing the three bottles included in the box
- A FAQ section with four questions covering quantity, contents, skipping a delivery, and support contact
- A single Treat Yourself CTA button
Nomad
Subject line: Nomad gear is selling out quick
Nomad’s abandoned cart email opens with the heading “What Happened?” over a mountain landscape image, followed by copy referencing a Wi-Fi crash as the potential reason for the abandoned cart and a Seal The Deal CTA button.
Below that, the email shows the abandoned product with a "Checkout" button, then a banner reading “Shop New Arrivals” over a product photo. The email closes with a section titled “Afraid to Make The Leap?” stating that purchases include a 30-day return/exchange policy and a two-year limited warranty.
What it includes:
- A header image paired with a hypothetical reason for the abandonment (“Did your Wi-Fi crash?”)
- Two CTA buttons dispersed throughout: Seal The Deal and Checkout
- A secondary banner promoting new arrivals
- A return policy and warranty statement addressing purchase hesitation
Dollar Shave Club
Subject line: Where did you go?
Dollar Shave Club’s abandoned cart email opens with “We guarantee you’ll love us” and a “Try the Club” CTA button, followed by a four-item checklist covering delivery time, shipping cost, subscription frequency, and the satisfaction guarantee.
Below that, a product photo shows an opened box containing a razor and refill cartridges, with a printed line inside the box reading, ‘I like shaving with a dull razor’ —No one, ever.” The email closes with a short paragraph reiterating the offer and a “Learn more” link.
What it includes:
- A four-item checklist of product and service details (delivery time, frequency, shipping, guarantee)
- A primary CTA button (Try the Club) near the top and a secondary text link (“Learn more”) at the bottom
- A product photo showing the box contents, including a printed line of copy inside the packaging
- A stated 100% satisfaction guarantee
Abandoned cart email subject lines (with examples)
A compelling subject line can determine whether or not a shopper opens an abandoned cart email at all. The following subject lines showcase a range of different, yet effective, approaches:
- “Wait up. Your order is not complete” —Blu Dot
- “You left something behind” —Moschino
- “Going fast: grab the treasures in your cart before they go poof” —Food52
- “Sorry to hear about your wi-fi…” —Adidas
- “Cart reserved (with the best offer available)” —Society6
- “Hey, forget something? Here’s 20% off” —Bonobos
- “Finish Your Order at Ralph Lauren” —Ralph Lauren
- “Almost Gone: Supernatural Sweater Cardigan” —Alo
- “Your order is ready to place 👍” —McDonald’s
- “Did you see something you liked?” —Blueland
These lines fall into a few patterns:
- A direct reminder (“You left something behind"”
- A stated reason for urgency (“Going fast”)
- An incentive stated upfront (“Here’s 20% off”)
- A question format that invites a click
When crafting your own abandoned cart email subject lines, match the subject line tone to your brand voice and format, and keep the line short enough to display in full on mobile inboxes.
Abandoned cart email best practices
An abandoned cart email needs several key elements to be effective, including imagery of the abandoned items and an easy way to return to the cart. The following best practices address timing, copy, and design for an abandoned cart email that will win you back sales:
Consider timing
A three-email sequence covers the breadth of the recovery window, targeting shoppers who haven’t finished their sale with an initial reminder, a follow-up, and a final message. Use your email marketing metrics to refine your timing strategy before sending out the below:
- First email (two to four hours after cart abandonment): A reminder showing the abandoned items, without a discount.
- Second email (24 to 48 hours after abandonment): A follow-up reminder. This email can include a personalized offer or discount to address remaining hesitation.
- Third email (if the shopper hasn’t responded to the first two): An exploratory email suggesting popular or related products, since a shopper who hasn’t engaged with two prior emails has likely purchased elsewhere or moved on.
Offer a discount code
Extra costs are among the top reasons shoppers abandon their carts. In fact, 40% of shoppers who abandon a cart cite hidden costs, like shipping or processing fees that were higher than expected, according to a Baymard Institute analysis.
A discount code addresses this pain point directly. For example, Alex Mill’s abandoned cart email uses the subject line “Get Them For 15% Off!” and pairs the abandoned items with a 15% discount in the email body.
To create a discount code in Shopify, go to Discounts in your Shopify admin, select the amount and type of discount, and include the code in your abandoned cart email.
Include social proof
Customer reviews and ratings, money-back or satisfaction guarantees, and a clear return policy are three common ways to add social proof to an abandoned cart email. The following list expands on these and other approaches:
- Customer reviews and ratings. Display star ratings and brief testimonials specifically for the products in the abandoned cart. Customer feedback addressing common concerns, such as fit, quality, or durability, speaks to a customer’s hesitancy directly.
- Urgency statements. Messages like “347 people have this in their cart” or “Only three left in stock” state real-time inventory or demand information. Confirm these statements are accurate and updated in real time before using them.
- Trust badges and guarantees. Include security seals, money-back or satisfaction guarantees, a clear return policy, or industry certifications.
- User-generated photos. If customers have shared photos of your products on social media or in reviews, include these images in your abandoned cart emails.
- Purchase statistics. State how many customers have bought the same item. For example: “Join more than 10,000 customers who own this bestseller.”
Match the type of social proof to your products and test different approaches to see what your audience responds to.
Personalize every abandoned cart email
Address the shopper by name instead of using a generic greeting, and show the specific items left in their cart alongside a product image for each, so they’re reminded of exactly what they were considering.
Shopify Messaging can help you pull this information in automatically, populating the email with customer details, product names, images, and pricing, all without manual setup.
To customize how this content appears, go to Marketing > Automations in your Shopify admin, select the abandoned checkout automation, and edit the email template.
Reserve the items in the cart
Some stores hold items in a customer’s cart for a limited time before releasing them back into inventory; typically, this time limit is stated clearly in the abandoned cart email. For example, Beardbrand’s abandoned cart email tells shoppers that the items in their cart are reserved and states when the reservation expires.
Test abandoned cart texts
An abandoned cart text is a message sent to a shopper’s mobile device rather than their inbox. Similar to an abandoned cart email, you can personalize the text using data you collect about the shopper, such as their name and the products they left behind.
Shopify Messaging supports SMS in addition to email, letting you send abandoned cart texts alongside or instead of email reminders from the same Shopify admin. Some SMS marketing providers, like ManyChat, even let you include one-click links to bring customers back to a Shopify product page.
Remind them of what they’ve abandoned
An abandoned cart email can be used to remind customers of what they left behind and link directly back to their cart.
American Giant’s abandoned cart email states which item the shopper left behind and includes a link back to the cart that bypasses the registration page, so the shopper doesn’t need to re-enter their information.
Alternatively, Perigold’s abandoned cart email states the item left behind and includes recommendations for similar products further down the email.
Use great email copy
Quality copywriting is what turns a generic email reminder into a message a shopper actually reads. The following examples take different approaches: one frames the cart itself as the one reaching out, the other relies entirely on scarcity tactics.
Food52’s abandoned cart email shows the abandoned items alongside a link back to the shopping cart. The copy refers to the cart in the first person, opening with “Your Cart Called,” which frames the cart itself as the sender of the message rather than the brand.
Huckberry’s abandoned cart email states that its sales and inventory are limited and that items left in a cart aren’t guaranteed to remain available. Rather than offering a discount or a countdown timer, the email’s copy relies entirely on stated inventory scarcity as its central message, paired with a prompt to return to the cart before the item sells out.
Include a call-to-action (CTA) button
A CTA button is the button in an abandoned cart email that links back to the shopper’s cart. Standard CTA text includes phrases like “Return to Cart” or “Shop Now.” Society6 uses “Get My 30% Off” instead, tying the CTA to a specific discount offer.
A well-designed CTA button includes the following elements:
- Color. The CTA button should stand out from the surrounding email background.
- Size. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 standard sets a minimum touch target size of 44 by 44 pixels for interactive elements like buttons.
- Location. Place the primary CTA button above the fold, and repeat it at the bottom of longer emails. For emails with multiple products, a CTA button can appear after each product section.
- White space. Visual space around the CTA button helps to separate it from surrounding email elements.
Optimize for mobile devices
Mobile optimization goes beyond responsive design. It includes fast load times, thumb-friendly navigation, and consistent rendering across all email clients and screen sizes. An abandoned cart email that is well-optimized for mobile includes:
- A single-column layout. Stack elements on top of each other, rather than side by side, so the email doesn’t require horizontal scrolling.
- Compressed images. Use images that load quickly and are square or vertical. On the off chance that an image doesn’t load properly, the surrounding text should still convey the email’s message effectively.
- Large, tappable buttons. CTA buttons should be easy to tap and lead directly back to the cart.
- Concise subject lines and preview text. Lead with the key message first, since mobile screens truncate longer subject lines and preview text.
- Readable font sizes. Use a font size large enough to read without zooming.
Make sure to test emails on iOS and Android devices and across email clients, like Gmail, Apple Mail, and Outlook, to confirm rendering and legibility.
If a store offers Shop Pay Installments, an abandoned cart email can highlight the option to pay over time. Shopify provides approved headline copy for this, including “Don’t forget, you can pay over time with Shop Pay” and “Check out now, pay over time,” for stores in the United States and Canada.
Setting up abandoned cart emails in Shopify
Shopify users can fully automate abandoned cart and product browse emails using Shopify’s marketing automations. The platform offers native tools and integrations that make it easy to set up effective cart recovery campaigns without tech expertise.
Using Shopify Messaging
Shopify Messaging is Shopify’s built-in email and SMS marketing tool that allows you to create and send abandoned cart emails directly from your Shopify admin, without managing a separate email marketing platform. Shopify Messaging includes the following features for abandoned cart automations:
- Pre-built automation templates. Customize the Recover Abandoned Cart template with your branding, copy, and product images.
- Automatic cart data syncing. Shopify pulls abandoned cart data, including customer information, product details, images, and pricing, into your emails without manual setup.
- Segmentation capabilities. Target customer segments with tailored messages based on cart value, customer location, or purchase history.
- Built-in analytics. Track open rates, click-through rates, and revenue recovered in your Shopify admin alongside your other store metrics.
- Included email volume. Shopify includes 10,000 emails per month with Shopify Messaging.
To set up an abandoned cart email in Shopify Messaging:
- Go to Apps > Messaging in your Shopify admin.
- Click Automations, then Create automation.
- Select the Recover Abandoned Cart template.
- Customize the email design, subject line, and copy.
- Set your timing.
- Turn on the automation.
A related automation, triggered by the Customer left online store without making a purchase trigger, emails shoppers who viewed a product but didn’t add it to their cart. This is available as the Convert Abandoned Product Browse template in Shopify Messaging. For a custom automation, or one that connects to a third-party app, build a workflow in Shopify Flow instead.
Shopify Messaging vs. email marketing apps
Shopify Messaging manages email and SMS campaigns from the Shopify admin, with pre-built templates and native cart data syncing. Third-party email marketing apps in the Shopify App Store, such as Klaviyo and Omnisend, connect to a Shopify store and offer additional features, including advanced segmentation, A/B testing, and multichannel campaign management.
Shopify Messaging includes 10,000 free emails per month. Stores sending a higher volume, or that want features like predictive send-time optimization or attribution tracking beyond Shopify’s built-in analytics, can connect a third-party email marketing app instead.
Integrating Klaviyo for advanced abandoned cart flows
Klaviyo is a third-party email and SMS marketing app available in theShopify App Store. Its Shopify integration syncs customer, order, and product data automatically, which supports the following features in abandoned cart flows:
- Dynamic product blocks. Emails can display the specific products in a customer’s cart, pulled from synced Shopify catalog data.
- Predictive analytics. Klaviyo aims to predict which customers are more likely to make a repeat purchase by using historic and predicted customer lifetime value.
- Multichannel recovery. Abandoned cart flows can include email, SMS, and mobile push messages from the same platform.
- Segmentation. Campaigns can be built using a variety of data points, including cart value, lifetime value, purchase history, and customer behavior.
- Revenue attribution. Klaviyo reports revenue generated by each email in a flow.
To connect Klaviyo to a Shopify store:
- Install Klaviyo from the Shopify App Store.
- Connect the store to sync customer and product data.
- Set up an abandoned cart flow using a Klaviyo template.
- Customize the timing and content of each email in the flow.
Compliance requirements for abandoned cart emails
Abandoned cart emails are subject to email marketing regulations. These vary depending on the location of your recipients.
- European Union. The ePrivacy Directive requires consent before sending direct marketing communications by email, separate from the lawful basis for processing personal data required under GDPR. Ask for explicit consent with a checkbox that isn’t preselected.
- United States. The CAN-SPAM Act, enforced by the Federal Trade Commission, doesn’t require explicit consent before sending marketing emails to US recipients, but requires accurate “From” lines, a valid physical postal address, subject lines that match the email’s content, a clear disclosure that the message is an advertisement, and a clear way to opt out of future emails.
- Canada.CASL, enforced by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, requires express or implied consent before sending a commercial electronic message, along with sender identification and an unsubscribe mechanism.
To ensure you stay compliant across these jurisdictions, follow the checklist below:
- Add opt-in email marketing checkboxes during checkout. Don’t use pre-checked boxes.
- Separate marketing emails from transactional emails, such as order confirmations and shipping updates, which are subject to different rules.
- Include a clear unsubscribe link, a physical address, and business identification in every abandoned cart email.
- Remove customers from cart recovery sequences when they unsubscribe from marketing emails.
- Keep records of when and how customers consented to receive marketing emails.
- Consider using double opt-in for the EU and Canada via a confirmation email sent after initial sign-up.
- Review your privacy policy to confirm it explains your email marketing practices and how to opt out.
- Use an email service provider that supports consent and unsubscribe management.
Disclaimer: This isn’t exhaustive legal advice, and email marketing laws vary by jurisdiction and business circumstances. Consult a qualified professional to confirm compliance for your store. Shopify’s free privacy policy generator can also help you create a starting privacy policy template.
Abandoned cart email templates
Shopify Messaging includes a built-in abandoned checkout email template, which can be edited directly in your Shopify admin. To customize it, go to Apps > Messaging > Automations, select the Abandoned Checkout Emails by Shopify automation, and click Customize Email.
Tips to keep in mind when adapting templates for your brand
An abandoned cart email template provides a starting structure, but adapting it successfully involves more than just swapping in your logo. The following tips cover copy, layout, testing, and accessibility.
Customize beyond just colors and logos
Rewrite the template copy to match your brand’s voice and messaging, and adjust any imagery to showcase your products, rather than the stock or placeholder images included in the template.
Match the template to your product type
Choose a template layout that fits your product photography and the typical number of items in an abandoned cart. A layout built for a single hero product differs from one designed to display multiple smaller items.
Test on multiple email clients and devices
A template that displays correctly in an email builder can render differently in Gmail’s mobile app, Outlook, or Apple Mail, since email clients interpret HTML and CSS differently. Before launching an abandoned cart campaign, make sure to:
- Send test emails to multiple devices, including a smartphone, tablet, and desktop
- Check rendering across various email clients, including Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail, and Yahoo
- Test on both iOS and Android devices
- Verify that all links lead to the correct cart or product pages
- Confirm that images load properly, and that they aren’t blocked by default settings
- Check that the unsubscribe link is visible and functional
Most email marketing platforms include testing tools or preview modes that simulate different email clients. Pair these with manual testing by sending real emails to actual devices.
Optimize load times
Templates with more images or larger file sizes take longer to load, especially on mobile connections. Compress images and limit the number of images in a template to help it load quickly.
Make sure it’s accessible
Use alt text for all images, maintain sufficient color contrast, and structure the email’s HTML so that screen readers can parse the content. Alt text also displays in place of an image when images are blocked by default in an email client.
Recover more sales in your online store
Abandoned cart emails address only one part of cart abandonment. Extra costs, a complicated checkout process, distrust in submitting payment information, and a forced account creation step can account for many of the reasons shoppers abandon a cart, as covered earlier in this guide. To mitigate the majority of these pain points, combine cart recovery emails with checkout improvements, including:
- Optimizing your checkout. Simplify the checkout flow, offer guest checkout, display all costs upfront, and confirm checkout pages load quickly on all devices.
- Building trust. Display security badges, clearly state your return policy, show customer reviews, and offer multiple support channels.
- Expanding payment options. Accept major credit cards, mobile wallets (including Apple Pay and Google Pay), and buy now, pay later options, such as Shop Pay Installments, Klarna, and Afterpay.
- Testing continuously. Use analytics to identify where customers drop off in checkout, then test changes to address those points.
Read more
- How To Source Products To Sell Online
- The Ultimate Guide To Dropshipping (2024)
- How To Write a Return Policy (+ Free Template) (2024)
- How to Create Your Shipping Policy (With a Template and Examples)
- The 13 Best Dropshipping Suppliers in 2024
- 30+ Shopping Cart Abandonment Statistics and Strategies for Recouping Lost Sales
- How To Create a Successful Affiliate Program
- The Ultimate Guide to International Ecommerce
- How to to Improve Ecommerce Customer Loyalty
- How to Segment Your Email List for Better ROI
Abandoned cart email FAQ
Do abandoned cart emails work?
Yes. Abandoned cart emails average a 6% click rate, rising to 11.3% among the top 10% of Klaviyo’s ecommerce customers, according to Klaviyo’s benchmark data. Pairing recovery emails with checkout improvements, cost transparency, and multiple payment options addresses more of the reasons shoppers abandon a cart in the first place.
How do you write a good abandoned cart email?
A successful abandoned cart email will clearly state the shopper’s name and the specific items left in their cart, alongside product images. It should include at least one clear CTA button linking back to the cart. Beyond that, elements like a discount code, social proof, or urgency messaging can support the message, depending on the brand and product.
How many emails are in an abandoned cart sequence?
A typical abandoned cart sequence has three emails: an initial reminder sent two to four hours after abandonment, a follow-up sent 24 to 48 hours later, and a third email for shoppers who haven’t responded, according to Klaviyo. Sequences can be shorter or longer depending on the store.
Are abandoned cart emails legal?
Yes, abandoned cart emails are legal as long as they comply with applicable regulations, including GDPR and the ePrivacy Directive in the EU, the CAN-SPAM Act in the US, and CASL in Canada. Common requirements include a visible unsubscribe link, a physical business address, and, in the EU and Canada, consent before sending. Consult a legal professional to confirm compliance for your specific business and jurisdiction.
When should abandoned cart emails be sent?
Send the first email two to four hours after abandonment, and a follow-up 24 to 48 hours later if there’s no response, according to Klaviyo. A third email can follow for shoppers who still haven’t responded. Optimal timing varies by industry and product type, so test different intervals against your own data.
