Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you would have noticed that the ecommerce space has changed drastically over the past few years. With online shopping booming, cart abandonment has skyrocketed to 88%, according to the Baymard Institute (2023). That means nearly nine out of ten shoppers are leaving ecommerce websites without completing their purchase. But here’s the good news: this situation is not a lost cause. By implementing some smart strategies and tactics, you can significantly reduce your cart abandonment rates and start turning more abandoned carts into completed purchases. Read on dear user.
Over here at SOCIALFUEL, we work with a lot of ecommerce brands to optimise their sales funnels, enhance customer experience, and drive more revenue. This guide will break down the most effective techniques to recover lost sales and boost your conversion rates, backed by data and studies from leading industry experts.
Understanding Shopping Cart Abandonment
What is Shopping Cart Abandonment?
Cart abandonment happens when a potential customer adds items to their shopping cart but leaves the site before completing the purchase. It’s a widespread challenge that every ecommerce business faces, but with the right approach, you can recover a significant portion of these lost sales.
So Why Do Shoppers Abandon Their Carts?
A 2023 study by the Baymard Institute found that the average cart abandonment rate across industries is 69.99%, with the following reasons being the most common:
- Hidden Costs – Unexpected fees, shipping costs, and surprise charges at checkout are a big turn-off.
- Poor Mobile Experience – More than 58% of ecommerce traffic comes from mobile devices (Statista, 2023), and if your checkout isn’t optimised for small screens, users will leave.
- Complicated Checkout Flow – If your process is too long, confusing, or forces account creation, you’re driving customers away.
- Limited Payment Options – A lack of diverse payment methods like digital wallets, PayPal, or Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) solutions can deter customers.
- Price Sensitivity – A study published in the Journal of Consumer Research (2022) found that 67% of shoppers hesitate at checkout due to concerns about pricing.
- Technical Issues – Slow website loading speeds, glitches, or payment processing errors can lead to abandoned carts.
How to Reduce Cart Abandonment (and Increase Sales)
1. Eliminate Friction at Checkout
A frustrating checkout experience is one of the biggest sales killers. Research by the Baymard Institute (2023) found that 17% of shoppers abandon carts due to a lengthy checkout process. Simplify the process by:
- Offering guest checkout (don’t force account creation!)
- Using autofill to speed things up
- Providing multiple payment options (credit/debit, PayPal, Buy Now Pay Later services like Klarna, Afterpay, etc.)
- Showing total costs upfront—no nasty surprises!
- Ensuring your site is mobile-friendly with a fast and seamless checkout experience.
2. Leverage Psychological Triggers to Increase Conversions
A Journal of Consumer Psychology (2021) study found that using psychological triggers can increase ecommerce conversions by up to 25%. Use these strategies:
- Perceived Ownership – Help customers imagine the product as theirs through compelling images, videos, and interactive experiences.
- Price Guarantees – Offer a price match to remove hesitation and fear of overpaying.
- Social Proof – Highlight reviews, testimonials, and best-seller badges to build trust.
- Urgency & Scarcity – A Harvard Business Review study (2022) found that showing limited stock messages increases conversions by 9%.
- Bold Button Colours – Ensure your buttons are bold and stand out at all touch-points from add to cart all the way to pay now (an easy one, but too often overlooked).
3. Retarget Shoppers Who Leave Before Buying
A Statista report (2023) revealed that 45% of shoppers return to a site after seeing retargeting ads. Here’s how to bring them back:
- Scarcity Messaging – Use urgency-driven copy like “Only 2 left in stock!” to create FOMO.
- Exclusive Discounts – A simple “Here’s 10% off to complete your purchase” email can work wonders.
- Retargeting Ads – Show personalised ads featuring the exact products they viewed.
- Abandoned Cart Email Sequences – According to Omnisend (2023), abandoned cart emails have a 46% open rate and a 10.7% conversion rate.
4. Use a Multi-Channel Approach for Maximum Impact
A strong abandoned cart strategy should include:
- Email Reminders – Cart recovery emails outperform regular marketing emails with a 10.7% conversion rate(Omnisend, 2023).
- Social Media Retargeting – Run Facebook and Instagram ads showing the products they left behind.
- SMS Follow-Ups – A Campaign Monitor study (2022) found that SMS open rates are as high as 98%.
- Push Notifications – Use website or mobile app push notifications to remind users of their abandoned carts.
5. Segment Your Audience for Personalised Recovery Strategies
A McKinsey & Company report (2023) found that personalised marketing increases conversion rates by 20%. Segment your audience by:
- Recency – People who abandoned within the last 30 minutes vs. those from a week ago need different messaging.
- Purchase History – First-time visitors might need a discount, whereas loyal customers may need an upsell.
- Device Type – Mobile shoppers often need shorter, mobile-optimised content compared to desktop users.
- Cart Value – High-ticket items may require more persuasion, such as offering financing options.
6. Test, Optimise, and Repeat
A Forrester Research (2023) study found that businesses that A/B test their checkout process see a 15-20% increase in completed transactions. Track key metrics such as:
- Cart Abandonment Rate – The percentage of shoppers who leave without purchasing.
- Email Open & Click Rates – How effective your cart recovery emails are.
- Conversion Rate – The percentage of abandoned cart users who return to complete their purchase.
- ROI on Retargeting Ads – Determine whether your paid campaigns are generating a profitable return.
Shameless plug incoming…
Turn Abandoned Carts into Sales with SOCIALFUEL
Cart abandonment isn’t just a fact of ecommerce—it’s a massive opportunity. By fine-tuning your checkout experience, leveraging psychological triggers, and implementing a strong multi-channel recovery strategy, you can drive more revenue from the traffic you’re already getting.
We specialise in high-performance abandoned cart recovery strategies to help ecommerce brands scale efficiently and effectively. Whether you need email automation, retargeting ads, or conversion rate optimisation, we’ve got you covered.
Hit us up today and let us help you stop leaving your cash on the table.
