You have spent countless hours perfecting your online store, curating the perfect product list, and ensuring a smooth user experience. But even with all that effort, there’s one problem that plagues every e-commerce business: cart abandonment.
A customer browses your website, carefully selects the items they want, and proceeds to the checkout page. Everything seems to be going smoothly until—poof!—they disappear, leaving their virtual shopping cart full of potential sales behind.
This scenario is very familiar for online retailers, and it can be incredibly disheartening to see those hard-earned potential sales slip through your fingers. According to Baymard Institute, 2 out of 3 users abandon their purchase. Imagine the revenue potential if you could capture even a fraction of these sales.
In this blog, we will discuss cart abandonment on Shopify and how to recover from it. We will examine the various causes of cart abandonment and then discuss a few strategies that can help you turn abandoned carts into happy customers.
What is Shopify Card Abandonment?
Shopify cart abandonment refers to the situation where customers add items to their shopping cart at your Shopify store but leave the website without actually placing the order. This can happen anytime during checkout, from just leaving the site to abandoning your cart after entering some payment information.
What Are the Reasons Behind Shopify Cart Abandonment?
Baymard Institute has been tracking the global average cart abandonment for more than a decade now, and they have found several reasons for cart abandonments.
First things first, a good number of people abandon carts because they are just browsing or not ready to buy. It’s difficult to convert these visitors into customers. So, let’s explore some of the other reasons why shoppers ditch their carts.
1. Surprise Expenses at Checkout
Customers often encounter unexpected charges during checkout, such as high shipping fees, taxes, or other hidden costs. This can be a major turn-off and cause abandonment.
In fact, 48% of consumers abandon their carts due to these surprise expenses. To avoid this, be transparent about all your fees and charges throughout the shopping journey. Make all costs crystal clear before they land on the checkout page. This builds trust and avoids surprises at the last minute.
2. Forced Account Creation
People already have too many accounts and do not want another login to remember, especially if they are just browsing or making a one-time purchase. People who are visiting your website for the first time can find this unnecessary and time-consuming.
You can include a guest checkout option to streamline the buying process. This would allow customers to make a purchase quickly and easily without needing to create an account.
3. Slow and Sluggish Website
The conversion rate of an e-commerce site that loads in 1 second is 2.5 times higher than that of a site that loads in 5 seconds. A slow-loading website or one that is difficult to navigate can be a major reason for cart abandonment.
Imagine spending time browsing and adding items to your cart, only to have to wait forever for pages to load or struggle to find what you’re looking for. People shop online for convenience, and if your store isn’t convenient, they’ll head elsewhere. There are no two ways about it.
When you design your Shopify store, make sure it loads fast and is easy to use. A smooth and intuitive shopping experience keeps customers happy and coming back for more.
4. Limited Payment Modes
13% of people abandon carts due to lack of payment methods. Many online shoppers have preferred payment methods, and if their go-to option isn’t available, they might abandon their cart and look elsewhere.
Offer a variety of secure payment gateways, including COD, credit cards, debit cards, digital wallets, and even buy-now-pay-later options. The more options you give your customers, the easier it is for them to buy from you.
5. Complicated Checkout
Your checkout process should not be an obstacle course. Here are some factors that can lead to a complicated checkout experience:
Lengthy Forms: People want to buy stuff, not write a novel. They want a seamless shopping experience, and lengthy forms with endless additional fields are the opposite of that. Imagine having to fill out your entire life story just to buy a t-shirt! This can lead them to abandon not only the cart but also your Shopify store altogether.
Confusing Navigation: Your checkout process must be clear and intuitive. The website must naturally guide your customers through the shopping journey.
Confusing navigation, with unclear buttons or hidden steps, can lead to cart abandonment. Integrating progress indicators on the site can help your customers know where they are in the checkout process.
6. Bad Return Policy
Customers prefer having the option to return their product if they are not happy with it. A restrictive or unclear return policy can discourage them from completing a purchase.
Provide a clear and customer-friendly return policy. Mention things like how long they have to return something, what condition it needs to be in, and any fees involved. A clear policy builds trust and encourages people to buy with confidence.
7. Security and Privacy Concerns
With all the data breaches and online frauds going on across the world, customers are skeptical about sharing their personal and financial information. If your Shopify store doesn’t appear secure or trustworthy, they will leave your website in a flash.
So, what can you do to win their trust?
- Ensure your store has a valid SSL certificate
- Partner with reputable payment gateways
- Be transparent about data practices
- Promote strong password usage
- Comply with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) accreditation.
- Display trust badges (Security seals from recognized security companies)
By following these steps, you can create a safe and secure shopping experience that puts your customers at ease.
The reasons are clear, but what can you do about it? In the following section, we will lay out some major strategies that can help you recover abandoned carts and recapture lost sales.
Strategies to Reduce Cart Abandonment on Shopify
Yes, reaching a 0% cart abandonment rate is quite impossible, but we can work on reducing the existing 70.19%. Here are some of the strategies that can help you do that:
1. Exit-Intent Pop-Ups: A Gentle Nudge at the Right Time
One of the ways to stop visitors who are about to leave your website without making a purchase is by using Exit-Intent Pop-Ups. These pop-ups are like friendly reminders that appear when a visitor tries to leave your store, usually by moving their mouse toward the “exit” button.
According to OptiMonk, exit-intent pop-ups can recover up to 17.12% of abandoned carts.
You can use exit-intent pop-ups to incentivize the purchase that customers are about to abandon. Here’s how you can do that-
Discount Offer Pop-Ups: Everyone loves a good deal. Offer a discount on their current cart total to make that “buy now” button even more appealing.
Cart Reminder Pop-Ups: Sometimes, people just get sidetracked. Use a pop-up to remind them about the awesome products they were about to buy.
Limited-Time Deals: Create a sense of urgency with a limited-time offer. This could be a discount that expires in a few hours.
Free Shipping Offer: Shipping costs can be a major turnoff for some shoppers. Offer free shipping to sweeten the deal and encourage them to complete their purchase.
Autofill Options: Enable autofill features for shipping and billing addresses to save time and reduce errors.
Remember, it’s all about providing value and giving them a reason to stay. Ensure that the pop-up doesn’t hamper their browsing experience.
2. Optimizing the Checkout Experience: A Frictionless Journey
We’ve talked about winning back abandoning customers, but what about preventing them from leaving in the first place? This is where optimizing your checkout process can help. Here’s what you can do to provide a smooth and efficient checkout experience:
- Ensure your website loads quickly.
- Avoid lengthy forms and complicated layouts.
- Streamline the shopping journey with clear instructions and minimal steps.
- A good number of people shop on their phones, so make sure your checkout works well on mobile devices.
3. Personalized Notifications: Adding a Touch of Delight
Psychology plays a big role in the shopping experience. You can try these strategies to encourage people to complete the sales:
Positive Reinforcement Notifications: Celebrate small wins! When a customer adds a product to their cart, send a notification that says something like, “Wow, you have great taste! This item is a popular choice.” This can make them feel good about their selection and encourage them to continue shopping or checkout.
Scarcity Notifications (Use Sparingly): Create a sense of urgency with notifications that highlight limited stock. For example, you could use a notification that says, “Only three left in stock!” or “15 people have this saved in their cart.” Be mindful not to overuse this tactic, as it can backfire if used too frequently.
4. Utilizing Social Proof
Another way to reduce cart abandonment is using social proof to build trust. People trust other people, especially when it comes to shopping online.
You can showcase positive customer reviews and testimonials on your product pages and throughout the checkout process. This can build trust and convince people your store is the real deal.
You can also include social proof notifications like- “Wow! Another customer just bought this popular item!” This creates a sense of urgency and encourages them to hit that buy button before it’s gone.
5. Live Chat Support: A Lifeline for Uncertain Shoppers
Did you know that 44% of online shoppers consider live chat an essential feature on e-commerce websites? Adding live chat to your Shopify store can be a game-changer as it can provide support when your customers need it most – during checkout.
Live chat lets you answer questions, address concerns, and provide a personal touch that can help them feel more confident about buying. Stuck on a payment option? Live chat can sort it out in seconds. Worried about returns? Live chat has the answer.
You can also use live chat to reach out proactively and see if they have any questions. If a person is hovering over your site for more than a certain amount of time, you can offer discount codes or free shipping. This can push them to make a purchase.
For an extra customer service boost, consider adding a WhatsApp chat button alongside your live chat feature. When customers click on it, they will be taken to a WhatsApp chat with your business. With TimelinesAI, you can add a website WhatsApp chat widget in three simple steps!
Also Read: How to Add the WhatsApp Chat Option to Your Website?
6. Test Your Checkout: Identify Hidden Hurdles
You know your store like the back of your hand, but sometimes that can cloud your judgment. To get a truly objective view of your checkout process, gather a few friendly testers. Here’s the plan:
- Find a small group of people who are similar to your typical customer.
- Ask them to walk through the entire buying journey, from browsing products to adding items to their cart and completing checkout.
- Once they’re finished, provide a short survey to gather their honest feedback. Ask them about things like:
- Were the shipping options clear and plentiful?
- Did the site load quickly and perform well?
- Did they feel like they could easily get help if needed?
- How functional was the website on the phone?
By getting this fresh perspective, you can identify hidden obstacles in your checkout process and make adjustments to create a smoother, faster experience.
7. Data-Driven Decisions: Make Insights Work for You
Studying data to make your decision can help you understand the reasons behind cart abandonment on your Shopify store. You can analyze this data, identify what needs improvement, and plan a cart abandonment recovery strategy accordingly. Gather data like:
- When do people abandon carts most often? (At a specific step in checkout?)
- Time of Cart Abandonment
- What is the Abandoned Cart Value?
- Are people using coupon codes?
- How much does shipping cost affect abandonment rates?
For example, your Shopify analytics reveal a high abandonment rate at the step where customers need to enter their shipping address. Now, you can investigate why this is happening. Is the address form too lengthy or complex? Are people looking for autofill options?
By using data to find the problems, you can fix them and keep more shoppers on the road to purchase.
8. Loyalty Programs: Sweeten the Deal
Who doesn’t love a good reward? Loyalty programs can help you in your crusade against cart abandonment on Shopify. A Harvard Business Review study found that targeted loyalty promotions can increase purchases by 6.1%!
Another study showed that 61% of customers say rewards programs are key to their brand loyalty. Now, you wouldn’t want to miss that. Here’s what you can do:
- Offer them good discounts, deals, or special coupons. This makes them feel like they are getting a bonus for shopping.
- Tailor your rewards to individual tastes. People are more likely to respond to offers that feel relevant to them. This can give you an extra edge at closing the sale.
- Start Referral Programs to reduce cart abandonment. This can help both your existing customers and new customers. The existing ones get a discount code for their purchase, and the new ones get social proof from their referring friends.
We’ve covered some great strategies to prevent cart abandonment in the first place. But hey, life happens, and sometimes people abandon carts. What then? We cover that in the next section.
Post-Abandonment Engagement Strategies
Here are some powerful strategies to bring those wandering shoppers back and turn them into happy customers:
1. Send Abandonment Cart Emails
A good strategy to win back your abandoned carts is to remind customers about their purchases through E-mail. Yes, e-mail. No, they are not a thing of the past yet. An analysis found that cart abandonment email campaigns were able to generate more than $60 million in sales over three months.
Also, just one well-timed email can bring back 10% of abandoned carts. And if you send two or three strategically crafted emails, that number can jump all the way up to 69%!
Here are a few tips to craft a good e-mail:
- Keep the tone friendly and conversational.
- Remind them about the product they were about to buy. Briefly showcase the products, making them enticing again.
- Consider offering a special discount or free shipping to give them an extra reason to buy.
- Be helpful, not pushy. The goal is to gently nudge them back, not pressure them.
- A/B testing is your friend! Try different subject lines, email content, and offers to see what works best with your audience.
- Use clear and concise CTAs like “Buy Now” or “Complete Purchase.”
- Nobody likes spam. Space out your emails so you don’t overwhelm them.
2. Send a Personalized WhatsApp Message
WhatsApp, a platform that started for personal chatting, has quickly become a go-to for business communication as well. And guess what? It’s a great tool for winning back abandoned carts.
You can send personalized WhatsApp messages to customers who have abandoned their Shopify carts. WhatsApp has an open rate of 98%, so there is a huge chance that people will see your message.
These messages can be a friendly reminder about the abandoned items and potentially include a special discount to nudge them toward making a purchase.
Here are some things to keep in mind:
- Keep WhatsApp messages concise and informative. Get straight to the point.
- Get opt-in from customers before sending them messages.
- Personalize the message to include the customer’s name and the abandoned items.
TimelinesAI can automate these personalized messages, helping you reach out to potential customers effectively
3. Retargeting Ads: The Art of the Gentle Reminder
Retargeting ads allow you to show customers enticing reminders about the products they browsed on your store. It’s like a gentle nudge saying, “Hey, remember those cool items you saw? They’re still waiting for you!”
The beauty of retargeting ads is that they target people who have already shown interest in your products. This can help you design personalized ads.
These ads are one of the best ways to recover abandoned carts, as customers are already far along the conversion funnel. Sometimes, they just need a slight nudge in the form of a discount or free shipping.
How to Automate Abandoned Cart Recovery Emails?
Who has time to send emails one by one? Luckily, Shopify can automate this process for you! Here’s how to set it up:
- Head over to your Shopify admin panel. Look for the Settings tab and click on it.
- Once you’re in Settings, navigate to the Checkout section.
- Scroll down within the Checkout section until you find the “Abandoned Checkouts” section.
- Here, you’ll see a checkbox labeled “Automatically send abandoned checkout emails to customers.” Tick that box to activate the autopilot.
Also, Shopify provides reports to help you track the effectiveness of your abandoned cart recovery efforts. Go back to your admin panel and navigate to the Marketing section. Within Marketing, you’ll find an Abandoned Checkouts report. Here, you’ll find all interesting data, including conversion rates and total sales recovered.
How to Calculate Your Cart Abandonment Rate?
So, you want to know how many shoppers fill their carts but never hit “buy”? Calculating your cart abandonment rate is easy. Here’s the formula:
Cart Abandonment Rate = (1 – (Completed Purchases / Shopping Carts Created)) x 100
This formula essentially takes the difference between the conversion rate (completed purchases) and 1 (representing 100% of all carts) and expresses it as a percentage.
Say you have 55 completed purchases and 200 shopping carts created. The cart abandonment rate here would be 72.50%
Here’s the math:
Cart abandonment rate = (1 – (55 / 200)) * 100
Cart abandonment rate = 72.50%
Conclusion
Cart abandonment is a major problem for online stores, but it doesn’t have to be a losing battle. By understanding why customers abandon their carts and implementing the right strategies, you can significantly reduce abandonment rates and boost your Shopify sales.
This blog post has given you a roadmap to fight cart abandonment. It has explored the common culprits behind abandoned carts and offered practical solutions to address them. From optimizing your checkout process to implementing abandoned cart recovery tactics, you now have a toolbox of strategies to streamline the shopping experience and win back hesitant customers.
Take action today and watch your Shopify store flourish!
Frequently Asked Questions: Cart Abandonment FAQ
What’s the average cart abandonment rate?
According to the Baymard Institute, the average online shopping cart abandonment rate is 70.19%. This means a significant portion of shoppers add items to their cart but don’t complete the purchase.
Why do users abandon carts?
Many reasons contribute to cart abandonment, such as high shipping costs, unexpected fees, a complex checkout process, or simply getting sidetracked.
How do I track cart abandonment?
Most e-commerce platforms like Shopify offer built-in analytics that track cart abandonment rates. You can also find this data in some marketing automation tools.
What is a good abandoned cart rate?
While the average cart abandonment rate is around 70%, a “good” rate depends on your industry and niche. However, anything you can do to bring that number down is beneficial.
What is the difference between an abandoned cart and an abandoned checkout?
There’s a subtle difference between these terms. An abandoned cart is when someone adds items to their cart but doesn’t complete the checkout process. An abandoned checkout is when someone starts the checkout process but exits before finalizing the purchase. In essence, they’ve gone further than just adding items to the cart but still haven’t completed the sale.
