6 Strategies to improve Abandoned Cart Recovery rates

In the bustling world of e-commerce, a common challenge that haunts online retailers is the phenomenon of cart abandonment. According to Statista, almost 80% of online shopping sessions end without a sale being made.

In sum, cart abandonment results in ecommerce brands losing $18 billion in sales.

Every. Single. Year.

What is Cart Abandonment?

Picture this: a shopper fills their shopping cart with products, only to abandon it before completing the purchase. This scenario, known as cart abandonment, presents a significant hurdle for e-commerce businesses.

Cart abandonment occurs when a shopper adds items to their online shopping cart but leaves the website before completing the purchase. This phenomenon is a prevalent issue in e-commerce, affecting businesses of all sizes across various industries.

Why is Cart Abandonment an Important KPI?

According to Baymard Institute, the average cart abandonment rate across 41 industries is around 70%. Understanding the significance of cart abandonment is crucial for e-commerce success. Here’s why it matters:

Revenue Loss: Abandoned carts represent missed revenue opportunities for e-commerce businesses.

Indication of Friction: Cart abandonment is often a symptom of underlying issues such as website usability, checkout process complexity, or unexpected costs.

Customer Insights: Analyzing cart abandonment data provides valuable insights into customer behavior, preferences, and pain points.

Here are some of the reasons why customers abandoned their shopping carts - 

Image Credit - Baymard Institute

6 Strategies to reduce abandoned cart rate

Now that we’ve established the importance of addressing cart abandonment, let’s explore effective strategies to mitigate this challenge:

Improve the User Experience

The primary causes of cart abandonment in e-commerce often stem from inadequate user experiences. A subpar website encounter introduces obstacles to the shopping process and diminishes trust in your brand, prompting customers to seek alternatives.

One of the key metric that can tell you about bad user experience is Bounce Rate. Read - Key Web Analytics KPI - Bounce Rate to understand what is bounce rate and how it can help you improve your website’s user experience.

Optimize Product Pages

Good product pages are key to improving the revenue for e-commerce websites. They help overcome the disconnect that naturally occurs in online shopping: customers can’t see, touch or try the product before purchase.  

• Ensure that product pages provide comprehensive information, high-quality images, and clear calls-to-action. 
• Display trust signals such as customer reviews, security badges, and return policies to instill confidence in shoppers.

Streamline the Checkout Process

• Simplify the checkout process by minimizing the number of steps required to complete a purchase.
• Implement guest checkout options to reduce friction for first-time shoppers.
• Offer multiple payment methods to accommodate diverse customer preferences.
• Avoid showing unexpected costs such as shipping costs at checkout. Offer free shipping, if you cannot do that - be transparent. Ensure that shipping costs are mentioned on your product page.

Implement Exit-Intent Popups

Use exit-intent popups to capture the attention of visitors who are about to leave your website. Offer incentives such as discounts, free shipping, or limited-time offers to entice customers to complete their purchase.

Leverage Email Remarketing

Send personalized email reminders to shoppers who have abandoned their carts. Use dynamic content and compelling subject lines to re-engage customers and encourage them to return to their carts.

In fact email marketing, especially perosnalized email marketing, still has the highest ROI across all marketing channels. For every $1 spent on email marketing the ROI is around $36 - $42.

Leverage WhatsApp

If you’re an e-commerce store catering to Indian audiences - you already know that WhatsApp is perhaps one of the most used mobile app. Due to the high frequency of mobile users utilizing WhatsApp, it serves as a great platform for personalized messages to re-engage cart abandoners, when executed strategically.

Offer Abandoned Cart Recovery Discounts

Send targeted email or text campaigns with exclusive discounts or promotions to incentivize customers to complete their purchase. Experiment with different discount thresholds and expiration periods to find the most effective approach.

Pro Tip: Ideally you should send a reminder within an hour of the cart has been abandoned. This simple nudge has seen great success in improving cart abandonment rates.

In all - addressing cart abandonment is paramount for e-commerce brands driving revenue growth 

In conclusion, cart abandonment is a common challenge faced by e-commerce businesses, but with the right strategies in place, it can be effectively addressed. By streamlining the checkout process, implementing exit-intent popups, leveraging email remarketing, optimizing product pages, offering recovery discounts and leveraging WhatsApp, businesses can reclaim lost sales and boost their bottom line. 

Remember, each abandoned cart represents an opportunity to reconnect with customers and create a seamless shopping experience that fosters long-term success. Embrace these strategies, and watch your e-commerce success soar!