In the world of ecommerce, abandoned carts are a common problem that can significantly impact your sales, profitability, and customer retention. Fortunately, there are proven strategies that you can use to recover lost sales and win back customers who have left your site without completing their purchase.
At Wavebreak, we’ve spent over six years testing and optimizing email programs for some of the largest brands in the industry, generating over 250 million dollars in revenue for our clients. Our proven strategies are based on real-world experience and data-driven insights, not just theoretical concepts.
In this article, we’ll focus specifically on abandoned cart flow best practices and share some of the most effective techniques we’ve developed for crafting successful email and SMS sequences. Whether you’re new to abandoned cart campaigns or looking to improve your existing strategy, we’re confident you’ll find valuable insights in our approach.
Abandoned cart emails are a critical component of any ecommerce business’s marketing strategy. When done right, abandoned cart emails can help recover lost sales and increase revenue. However, creating effective abandoned cart emails requires a strategic approach.
The Importance of Segmentation in Abandoned Cart Emails
One of the most important factors to consider when creating abandoned cart emails is segmentation. You should segment your emails based on whether the person has made a purchase from your site before or not.
Non-customers should receive a discount in their abandoned cart emails to incentivize them to complete their purchase. Customers, on the other hand, should receive a reminder of the items left in their cart, and if applicable, any relevant recommendations based on their past purchases.
Non-Customer Abandoned Cart Segmentation Strategy:
Non-customers should receive a discount in their abandoned cart emails (if your brand discounts).
Offering a discount to non-customers in their abandoned cart emails is a powerful way to incentivize them to complete their purchase. In fact, a study by SaleCycle found that including a discount in an abandoned cart email can lead to a 29% conversion rate.
Tips for creating compelling abandoned cart emails for non-customers:
When creating abandoned cart emails for non-customers, it’s important to focus on creating a sense of urgency and making the discount clear and prominent. Here are some tips to consider:
- Use a clear and attention-grabbing subject line, test including the discount offer in the subject line itself
- Include an image of the product left in the cart to remind them what they were interested in
- Highlight the discount offer in the email’s content, making it clear and prominent
- Add a sense of urgency to the email by including a limited-time offer or emphasizing that the product may sell out soon
- Test including additional educational content, social proof, UGC, and reviews to further increase conversion rate
Customer Abandoned Cart Segmentation Strategy:
Customers should receive a reminder of the items left in their cart.
To maximize profitability, we don’t recommend offering a discount, especially considering your customers already know and trust you, and therefore don’t need a discount to purchase again.
For customers, abandoned cart emails should focus on reminding them of the items left in their cart and encouraging them to complete their purchase. Including relevant recommendations based on their past purchases can also help increase the likelihood of a conversion.
Personalization can lead to increased engagement and conversions, and according to a study by Segment, personalized product recommendations can increase average order value by 70%.
When creating effective abandoned cart emails for customers, consider the following tips:
- Include a clear and attention-grabbing subject line that emphasizes the reminder of their abandoned cart and any relevant recommendations
- Use dynamic content to personalize the email based on the customer’s past purchases
- Include an image of the product left in the cart, as well as any relevant recommendations
- Highlight any relevant promotions or discounts that may be applicable to the customer’s purchase
- Leverage additional UGC, recent awards, and returning customer reviews to further increase conversion without discounting
Abandoned Cart Email Cadence: How many cart abandonment emails should you send?
Sending multiple abandoned cart emails is a proven strategy for increasing the likelihood of a customer completing their purchase. Our testing has shown that customers who receive multiple abandoned cart emails are 69% more likely to complete their purchase than those who receive only one email. That’s why we recommend sending at least 3 cart abandonment emails, and even up to 5 in some cases.
To make the most impact, it’s important to send these emails quickly, with the first email being sent within 30-60 minutes of the cart abandonment. This initial email serves as a timely reminder of the products the customer was interested in and should include a call-to-action to entice them to return to their cart. The subsequent emails should be sent within days of each other, typically 1-3 days apart. This timing allows enough time for the customer to consider their purchase while also keeping your brand top-of-mind. With this proven timing, you can increase your chances of converting those lost sales into actual revenue.
Abandoned Cart SMS Strategy
Incorporating SMS into your abandoned cart strategy is crucial for boosting your chances of converting potential customers. It’s recommended that SMS should be used as the first or second touch in your abandoned cart email campaign, either right before, right after, or the same-time as your first email touch. However, it’s important to note that due to legal and carrier reasons, you can only send one SMS as an abandonment reminder. This makes it all the more important to optimize and test that one message to ensure it’s as effective as possible in driving customers back to complete their purchase. By taking the time to create a compelling SMS message and testing it thoroughly, you can significantly improve your chances of maximizing abandoned cart recovery.
Abandoned Cart Email Design & Template
When it comes to crafting abandoned cart emails, the content is key. Your message should aim to persuade customers to return to their cart and complete the purchase. To accomplish this, your email should feature a clear and prominent call-to-action with any discounts or offers front and center. The aim is to make it as easy as possible for customers to complete their purchase without having to dig around for a coupon code.
In addition to offering discounts, it’s also crucial to remind customers of the products they left behind. Your abandoned cart email should feature the abandoned items and highlight their unique features to entice the customer back to complete the purchase. Don’t forget to address any objections or concerns customers may have, such as shipping or return policies, to provide reassurance and build trust.
Integrate Your Brand Vision and Ethos
It’s not just about the content of the email but also the brand vision and ethos. Successful brands intertwine their core values and brand messaging into the copy to create a cohesive and memorable experience for the customer. Each sentence should not only push the customer towards conversion but also build the brand’s image and reputation. Remember to stay true to your brand’s tone of voice and messaging throughout the abandoned cart email series, creating a consistent and recognizable customer experience.
Abandoned Cart Testing Strategies
Abandoned cart campaigns can be a powerful tool for recovering lost sales and boosting revenue for your ecommerce businesses. But don’t settle for just a few follow-up emails, constantly testing and optimizing your campaigns is key to achieving the best possible results.
Subject lines are critical to the success of your abandoned cart emails. It’s the first thing that recipients will see, and it can greatly impact the open rates of your emails. Experiment with different approaches, such as using urgency, personalization, or emojis, to see what resonates best with your audience. A well-crafted subject line can make the difference between your email being opened or ignored.
Creative design is another key element to consider when testing your abandoned cart emails. The layout, colors, and creative you use can make a big difference in catching the attention of your customers and encouraging them to click through to your website.
In addition to subject lines and creative design, it’s crucial to test the offers and discounts included in your abandoned cart emails. Different customers may respond better to different types of offers. By testing various offers, you can determine which ones are most effective at driving conversions. For example, some customers may prefer a percentage discount, while others may be more motivated by free shipping or a gift with purchase.
Timing is also an important factor to consider when testing your abandoned cart campaigns. Experiment with the frequency and duration of your emails and SMS messages, as well as the timing between them, to find the right balance between staying top-of-mind and avoiding over-emailing. Continuously testing and optimizing your abandoned cart campaigns can help you recover more sales and increase revenue over time.
By segmenting your emails, sending multiple touches, including SMS, creating compelling content, and continuously testing and optimizing, you can create effective abandoned cart campaigns that drive revenue and customer loyalty.
Hire Wavebreak as Your Email and SMS Marketing Agency
Ready to take your abandoned cart email and SMS campaigns to the next level? Look no further than Wavebreak, the leading email and SMS marketing agency. Our team of experts has the experience and knowledge to help you maximize your results through continuous testing and optimization. Don’t settle for lackluster results – contact us today to learn how we can help you recover more sales and increase revenue.
