Sometimes shoppers express high purchase intent but still don’t make it all the way to an executed order.
When making eCommerce purchases, consumers don’t have the same pressure to complete a purchase as they might when standing in the checkout line with an armload full of items. It’s much easier to fill an online cart and click away from it. However, unlike an in-person shopping experience, online shopping gives you another chance at engaging these shoppers who abandoned carts. One of the ways is through an abandoned cart email.
As such, a well executed abandoned cart email can be one of the most valuable tools in your eCommerce marketing toolkit. And with the many available abandoned cart email templates, you can create one that fits your brand’s image and messaging style.
Why Include Abandoned Cart Emails in Your eCommerce Marketing Strategy?
Abandoned cart emails are short email messages that encourage consumers to complete an online transaction. By nature, it is highly relevant and personal as it often mentions the items shoppers left in the cart within a time they still remember wanting this purchase. As a component of your email marketing strategy, these templates can help you transform uncommitted buyers into actual buyers. In fact, a Klaviyo study found eCommerce businesses that send at least one abandoned cart email can re-engage consumers up to 14.5 percent of the time.
Cart abandonments are common, and a well-designed email is an effective way to catch the attention of shoppers who might abandon their cart for good. According to a Baymard Institute study, the average shopping cart abandonment rate is close to 70 percent. However, SaleCycle research found abandoned cart emails can yield an average open rate of 38.5 percent, making them well worth your while.
5 of Our Favorite Abandoned Cart Email Templates
With the many types of abandoned cart emails out there, it can be challenging to know which to use. However, eCommerce analytics can steer your decision-making by helping you understand the creative elements and messaging your shoppers respond to most—on social media, on retailer sites, and in digital ads. With new insights about customer preferences, demographic information, and psychographic data to help you narrow down your options, you can select the abandoned cart email template that makes the most sense for your brand.
In the meantime, we’ve included some great templates to help you get started.
Template #1: Mobile-Optimized and with Product Reviews
Because shoppers may have filled their cart using a desktop or mobile device, it’s critical to ensure abandoned cart emails are optimized for mobile. Also, by using an image of the items abandoned in the cart accompanied by reviews from other buyers, you may persuade shoppers to finish the purchase. A great example is the Adidas “Is Your Wi-Fi OK?” abandoned cart email, which includes images of the abandoned cart item in multiple colors along with positive buyer reviews. (Source: ReallyGoodEmails)
Template #2: Minimalist with a Sense of Urgency
Given the many possible reasons shoppers might abandon their carts—credit card problems, comparison shopping, or they got distracted—an abandoned cart email that creates a sense of urgency can effectively spur shoppers to action. For example, Google’s "Going, going, (almost) gone" abandoned cart email tells shoppers that “Our popular items sell out fast,” and includes little more than the image and price of the items abandoned in the cart. By limiting distractions and using a one-color minimalist design, the email’s call to action is crystal clear. (Source: ConvertCart)
Template #3: Simple and to the Point
Perhaps no list of abandoned cart email templates would be complete without including Amazon’s. Abandoned cart emails for the world’s largest retailer identify the item the shopper left in the cart, including both an image and a link to the item in the Amazon store. It also includes simple instructions for going back to the shopping cart to complete the purchase (Source: OptinMonster)
Template #4: A Discount Offer
Not every shopper will purchase items in their shopping cart because of a discount, but price-conscious shoppers might. Possible discounts to include in an abandoned cart email can include free or discounted shipping, a rebate for a subsequent purchase, or discounts on the items in the shopping cart. For example, Alex Mill’s abandoned cart email offers 15 percent off on items in the shopping cart and repeats the messaging on the call-to-action check-out button. (Source: Shopify)
Template #5: Humor
For many shoppers, a dose of humor can be enough to get their attention and encourage them to complete a purchase. In fact, the power of humor is no laughing matter. A Clutch survey found that 53 percent of consumers said they were most likely to remember and enjoy an advertisement if it was funny. A humorous abandoned cart may produce the same effect. For example, Dote’s abandoned cart email tells shoppers, “Your shopping bag has abandonment issues" and "Save these items hours of therapy and give them a loving home." (Source: HubSpot)
Your eCommerce marketing strategy should include tactics that help you engage and influence shoppers who may still be on the fence about a purchase. Abandoned cart emails can improve your marketing effectiveness while keeping your brand top of mind with consumers. To learn more about how to establish a foundation for successful eCommerce strategies read our guide, The Evolution of eCommerce and How to Accelerate Brand Growth.
