An abandoned cart email is an automated message sent to a shopper who added products to their cart but left without buying, reminding them of what they left and giving them an easy way back to checkout. It is one of the highest-return automations an online store can run, because it targets people who were already close to buying.
Cart abandonment is common. Baymard Institute puts the average documented online cart abandonment rate at 70.22%, based on 50 studies. This guide covers why shoppers abandon, when to send, what to say and how to build a flow that recovers sales.
Why shoppers abandon their carts
Baymard’s research shows that many shoppers are simply browsing: 42% of US online shoppers say they abandoned a cart because they were “just browsing / not ready to buy”. Among the other reasons, the most common are:
| Reason for abandoning | Share of shoppers |
|---|---|
| Extra costs too high (shipping, tax, fees) | 40% |
| Delivery was too slow | 20% |
| Didn’t trust the site with card details | 19% |
| Site wanted them to create an account | 18% |
| Checkout too long or complicated | 17% |
| Website errors or crashes | 17% |
Source: Baymard Institute. Emails can win back the “not ready yet” shoppers, but fixing costs, trust and checkout friction on the site matters just as much.
When to send abandoned cart emails
A simple, proven structure is three emails:
| When | Purpose | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Reminder | About 1 hour after abandonment | Remind them, show the cart, link straight back to checkout |
| 2. Reassurance | About 24 hours later | Answer doubts: delivery, returns, reviews, secure payment |
| 3. Last nudge | About 48 to 72 hours later | Final reminder, recommended products, or an offer if your margins allow |
Stop the flow as soon as the shopper buys, and test the timing for your own audience.
What a good abandoned cart email includes
- The products left behind, with images, names and prices.
- One clear button back to the saved cart or checkout.
- Reassurance that answers the reasons above: delivery times, returns, payment security and reviews.
- Product recommendations based on what the shopper viewed or bought, to lift basket size.
- A clear, specific subject line, for example “You left something in your cart”, “Your cart is saved for you” or “Still thinking it over?”
Use discounts carefully. Offering one in every first reminder can train customers to abandon carts on purpose.
A real example: doubling average order value
For Pampered Chef, a US kitchenware brand, MindMark used Bloomreach Engagement to run three connected email programmes: personalised product recommendations, checkout-completion journeys and abandoned cart emails. Over 10 months, average order value doubled from $48 to $97 and revenue grew by 5%. The lesson: cart recovery works best when it is connected to recommendations and checkout journeys on the same customer data, rather than run as a one-off campaign.
Tools for abandoned cart emails
Most e-commerce and customer engagement platforms support cart abandonment triggers, including Bloomreach, Klaviyo, MoEngage, CleverTap, WebEngage and Shopify’s built-in automations. The right tool depends on your store platform, data and other channels such as WhatsApp and push. See our guides to the top email marketing tools and WhatsApp marketing automation in India.
How MindMark helps
MindMark sets up and runs abandoned cart, browse abandonment and recommendation journeys on Bloomreach, MoEngage, CleverTap and WebEngage. See our MarTech automation services, read the Pampered Chef case study, or book a call.
Frequently asked questions
An abandoned cart email is an automated message sent to a shopper who added products to their cart but left without buying, reminding them of the items and linking them back to checkout.
A common approach is three emails: a reminder about an hour after abandonment, a reassurance email around 24 hours later, and a final nudge 48 to 72 hours later. Stop the flow as soon as the shopper buys.
Not always. Lead with a reminder and reassurance first. If you use a discount, keep it for the last email so shoppers are not trained to abandon carts to get one.
Baymard Institute reports an average documented online cart abandonment rate of 70.22%, based on 50 studies.
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