E-commerce: how to successfully send an abandoned cart reminder email?
Posted: Sat Dec 28, 2024 9:01 am
On average, 7 out of 10 Internet users abandon their shopping cart on an e-commerce site. They browsed your online store, found interesting items, added them to the cart… But, they finally left your site without having passed the payment step.
The question then remains why these Internet users interrupted their purchase and, above all, how to convince them to complete it. This is the whole challenge of abandoned cart recovery.
With a well-constructed and written email, you can improve the conversion rate of your e-commerce site. It is an easy-to-implement, inexpensive marketing lever that has a direct impact on the performance of your business.
So, to achieve your goals, our experts give you their advice for successfully sending an abandoned cart reminder email.
The main causes of e-commerce shopping cart abandonment
Before writing your abandoned cart reminder email, you must first identify why the user stopped their purchase. To help you, here are the main causes of e-commerce cart abandonment:
Delivery costs deemed too high
At a time when e-commerce giants are promoting "free shipping", it is difficult korea telegram phone number list get Internet users to accept shipping costs. They are increasingly reluctant when the shipping is added to the total of their order. This is why shipping costs that are considered too high are a risk for the conversion rate of your e-shop. Be careful, this does not mean that you should offer them at all costs: this is often an unviable solution for most online stores. Rather, it is a question of demonstrating transparency and, from the outset, explaining to Internet users what justifies the amount that you charge them.
Find out more: E-commerce: the challenges of your logistics management
Long delivery times
In addition to delivery costs, delivery times are also important in e-commerce. The Internet, through giants and masters of logistics such as Amazon, has made consumers more demanding. If they order online, they expect to be delivered quickly. The scale is such that this is sometimes no longer measured in days, but in hours, with the promise of same-day delivery . The challenge is then to offer a delivery time consistent with the category of products you sell. Indeed, a customer will more easily accept waiting two weeks for the delivery of a piece of furniture than if they order clothes. Such a delay will then be considered unacceptable, because nothing, from the customer's point of view, justifies it.
Unsuitable payment methods
On an e-commerce site, Internet users expect to have the choice between different payment methods : Visa, MasterCard, PayPal, Apple Pay, bank transfer, split payment, etc. The more options they have, the more favorable it is for conversion. Conversely, unsuitable or insufficient payment methods (for your target or your product category) would slow down a sale.
A complex ordering process
The quality of navigation on your e-commerce site has a direct impact on the shopping cart abandonment rate. If the experience is smooth and intuitive , the user will go all the way without fear. On the other hand, long forms to complete or unclear pages will dissuade them. This is why you must simplify the ordering process as much as possible. You make sure to limit the steps between the moment the user adds a product to the basket and the moment they pay. This can be done through simple actions such as automatically saving their data or the possibility of an "express check-out".
A technical problem on the e-commerce site
There is nothing more frustrating than a shopping experience that is interrupted due to a technical problem on an e-commerce site. This is one of the main causes that will lead your potential buyers to abandon their cart. It is therefore in your best interest to choose a solid service provider for the management and maintenance of your online store. You will need to act preventively and thus avoid disappointments for your Internet users and lost sales for you.
A lack of confidence
When arriving on your online store, an Internet user may be seduced by your product or service offering: they then add them to their basket. However, as their visit progresses, they feel less reassured by your company: lack of FAQs, a "Who are we?" page, general terms and conditions of sale, or even (worse) an HTTPS protocol... There are many reasons that can korea telegram phone number list cast doubt on your credibility as an e-retailer. This is why it is in your best interest to display strategic reassurance elements for your merchant site: they are essential to encourage conversions.
Learn more: E-commerce: 10 strategic reassurance elements for your e-commerce site
Inflexible return conditions
A user who buys online has probably had no prior contact with your item, other than the experience offered by your e-commerce site. They therefore expect to be able to return their order easily (and preferably free of charge) if it does not meet their expectations. This is why the return conditions are information that your user will focus on. If they are not very flexible, they will then tend to abandon their cart and possibly turn to one of your competitors.
A change of mind from the Internet user
Cart abandonment is not always due to a problem that you can directly influence. It can also mean that your user is not yet ready to place an order . They have not yet reached the decision-making phase of the purchasing journey, but are considering the options. They then add items to the cart to, for example, estimate the total amount, determine shipping costs, compare with competing offers, etc. This is a probable cause that should not be overlooked, because these users are potential future buyers! You can then deploy a strategy that promotes lead nurturing to encourage them to choose your brand when they are ready to place
The question then remains why these Internet users interrupted their purchase and, above all, how to convince them to complete it. This is the whole challenge of abandoned cart recovery.
With a well-constructed and written email, you can improve the conversion rate of your e-commerce site. It is an easy-to-implement, inexpensive marketing lever that has a direct impact on the performance of your business.
So, to achieve your goals, our experts give you their advice for successfully sending an abandoned cart reminder email.
The main causes of e-commerce shopping cart abandonment
Before writing your abandoned cart reminder email, you must first identify why the user stopped their purchase. To help you, here are the main causes of e-commerce cart abandonment:
Delivery costs deemed too high
At a time when e-commerce giants are promoting "free shipping", it is difficult korea telegram phone number list get Internet users to accept shipping costs. They are increasingly reluctant when the shipping is added to the total of their order. This is why shipping costs that are considered too high are a risk for the conversion rate of your e-shop. Be careful, this does not mean that you should offer them at all costs: this is often an unviable solution for most online stores. Rather, it is a question of demonstrating transparency and, from the outset, explaining to Internet users what justifies the amount that you charge them.
Find out more: E-commerce: the challenges of your logistics management
Long delivery times
In addition to delivery costs, delivery times are also important in e-commerce. The Internet, through giants and masters of logistics such as Amazon, has made consumers more demanding. If they order online, they expect to be delivered quickly. The scale is such that this is sometimes no longer measured in days, but in hours, with the promise of same-day delivery . The challenge is then to offer a delivery time consistent with the category of products you sell. Indeed, a customer will more easily accept waiting two weeks for the delivery of a piece of furniture than if they order clothes. Such a delay will then be considered unacceptable, because nothing, from the customer's point of view, justifies it.
Unsuitable payment methods
On an e-commerce site, Internet users expect to have the choice between different payment methods : Visa, MasterCard, PayPal, Apple Pay, bank transfer, split payment, etc. The more options they have, the more favorable it is for conversion. Conversely, unsuitable or insufficient payment methods (for your target or your product category) would slow down a sale.
A complex ordering process
The quality of navigation on your e-commerce site has a direct impact on the shopping cart abandonment rate. If the experience is smooth and intuitive , the user will go all the way without fear. On the other hand, long forms to complete or unclear pages will dissuade them. This is why you must simplify the ordering process as much as possible. You make sure to limit the steps between the moment the user adds a product to the basket and the moment they pay. This can be done through simple actions such as automatically saving their data or the possibility of an "express check-out".
A technical problem on the e-commerce site
There is nothing more frustrating than a shopping experience that is interrupted due to a technical problem on an e-commerce site. This is one of the main causes that will lead your potential buyers to abandon their cart. It is therefore in your best interest to choose a solid service provider for the management and maintenance of your online store. You will need to act preventively and thus avoid disappointments for your Internet users and lost sales for you.
A lack of confidence
When arriving on your online store, an Internet user may be seduced by your product or service offering: they then add them to their basket. However, as their visit progresses, they feel less reassured by your company: lack of FAQs, a "Who are we?" page, general terms and conditions of sale, or even (worse) an HTTPS protocol... There are many reasons that can korea telegram phone number list cast doubt on your credibility as an e-retailer. This is why it is in your best interest to display strategic reassurance elements for your merchant site: they are essential to encourage conversions.
Learn more: E-commerce: 10 strategic reassurance elements for your e-commerce site
Inflexible return conditions
A user who buys online has probably had no prior contact with your item, other than the experience offered by your e-commerce site. They therefore expect to be able to return their order easily (and preferably free of charge) if it does not meet their expectations. This is why the return conditions are information that your user will focus on. If they are not very flexible, they will then tend to abandon their cart and possibly turn to one of your competitors.
A change of mind from the Internet user
Cart abandonment is not always due to a problem that you can directly influence. It can also mean that your user is not yet ready to place an order . They have not yet reached the decision-making phase of the purchasing journey, but are considering the options. They then add items to the cart to, for example, estimate the total amount, determine shipping costs, compare with competing offers, etc. This is a probable cause that should not be overlooked, because these users are potential future buyers! You can then deploy a strategy that promotes lead nurturing to encourage them to choose your brand when they are ready to place