Uncover the Reasons Behind Shopping Cart Abandonment (And Learn How to Address It)
Hey there! Ever found yourself adding a bunch of items to your online shopping cart, only to abandon it last minute?
You’re not alone! This phenomenon, known as “shopping cart abandonment,” is a real headache for online stores. In fact, around 79% of shoppers in North America abandon their carts, leading to massive losses for businesses.
But hey, don’t worry, there’s light at the end of the tunnel.
Enter email marketing, your secret weapon to win back those lost customers.
Why Do Shoppers Abandon Their Carts?
How to Reduce Cart Abandonment with Follow-Up Emails
Understanding why shoppers abandon their carts is crucial to tackling the issue. Let’s break it down:
High Shipping Costs: Let’s be real, nobody likes unexpected shipping fees. They can be a deal-breaker.
Hidden Costs: Extra charges like taxes and service fees popping up at checkout? Major turn-off.
Unclear Return Policies: If return policies are hard to find or understand, customers may hesitate to commit.
Lack of Payment Options: Not everyone uses a credit card or PayPal. Offering options like Apple Pay and Google Pay can make a huge difference.
No Visible Security Features: Shoppers need to feel safe sharing their personal info. Displaying security features like SSL encryption builds trust.
Too Many Steps in the Checkout Process: A lengthy, complicated checkout process can frustrate shoppers and cause them to bail.
Poor Website Design: If your site is hard to navigate or loads slowly, customers are likely to leave before completing their purchase.
Now, let’s dive into how you can use follow-up emails to bring those customers back.
Grab Attention with Subject Lines: Skip the boring "Reminder" and go for something like "Don’t Miss Out on Your Dream Purchase!"
Personalize Your Emails: Mention the customer’s name and the items they left behind. It shows you care.
Create a Series of Emails: Send a friendly reminder first, followed by an offer (like a discount), and finally, an email creating a sense of urgency.
Time It Right: Send your first email within one to two days of cart abandonment. Don’t wait too long, but give them some time to reconsider.
Be Smart with Discounts: Offer a small discount or loyalty points to encourage purchases without hurting your profits.
Summarize Cart Contents: Include images, prices, and a link to the cart so customers can easily complete their purchase.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Overloading with Content: Keep it short and sweet. Too much text can overwhelm customers.
Complicated Design: Use simple layouts and easy-to-read fonts. Customers should find important info quickly.
Spammy Words: Avoid too many "spammy" words like "free" or "discount." Test your emails to ensure they don’t end up in the spam folder.
Hard Selling: Focus on providing value and addressing the customer’s needs instead of using aggressive sales tactics.
Examples of Effective Follow-Up Emails
Fear of Missing Out (FOMO): Create urgency by highlighting that the item is running out. Google does this well by telling customers that their product is in high demand.
Suggest Alternatives: If customers didn’t complete their purchase, suggest similar items they might like. Vans shows other options without making customers start over.
Feature the Product: Show the item front and center in the email. ThredUP includes a prominent call-to-action button to resume the checkout process.
Include Social Proof: Highlight customer reviews and ratings. Brooklinen includes product reviews in their emails to build trust.
Grab Attention with Subject Lines: Skip the boring "Reminder" and go for something like "Don’t Miss Out on Your Dream Purchase!"
Personalize Your Emails: Mention the customer’s name and the items they left behind. It shows you care.
Create a Series of Emails: Send a friendly reminder first, followed by an offer (like a discount), and finally, an email creating a sense of urgency.
Time It Right: Send your first email within one to two days of cart abandonment. Don’t wait too long, but give them some time to reconsider.
Be Smart with Discounts: Offer a small discount or loyalty points to encourage purchases without hurting your profits.
Summarize Cart Contents: Include images, prices, and a link to the cart so customers can easily complete their purchase.
Overloading with Content: Keep it short and sweet. Too much text can overwhelm customers.
Complicated Design: Use simple layouts and easy-to-read fonts. Customers should find important info quickly.
Spammy Words: Avoid too many "spammy" words like "free" or "discount." Test your emails to ensure they don’t end up in the spam folder.
Hard Selling: Focus on providing value and addressing the customer’s needs instead of using aggressive sales tactics.
Fear of Missing Out (FOMO): Create urgency by highlighting that the item is running out. Google does this well by telling customers that their product is in high demand.
Suggest Alternatives: If customers didn’t complete their purchase, suggest similar items they might like. Vans shows other options without making customers start over.
Feature the Product: Show the item front and center in the email. ThredUP includes a prominent call-to-action button to resume the checkout process.
Include Social Proof: Highlight customer reviews and ratings. Brooklinen includes product reviews in their emails to build trust.
Boost Your Sales with Effective Email Campaigns
Creating effective abandoned cart emails isn’t easy, but it’s crucial for recovering lost sales. If you need help, our team at Viral Marketing Trends offers comprehensive email writing services and various other digital marketing services to optimize your campaigns for maximum impact.
Contact us today to learn more!