How to Turn Abandoned Carts into Business Growth (And Why That ‘We Caught You Looking’ Email Works)
We’ve all done it. You’re browsing online, spot something you love, pop it in your cart—and then life happens. You get distracted, close the browser, and forget all about it. Fast forward a few hours, and there it is in your inbox: “We saw you looking—still interested?”
That’s abandoned cart recovery in action—and while it may seem like a gentle nudge from the shopper’s perspective, for businesses, it’s a crucial tool to recover lost revenue. According to Statista, the average cart abandonment rate for online purchases is 88.1%? That’s why businesses focus so much on designing the checkout process to reduce drop-offs.
At Sudor, we’ve designed our checkout process to capture customer details early—splitting the “create account” and “payment” stages. Why? So even if someone doesn’t complete the purchase, we can follow up with an abandoned cart email and bring them back.
Why Do Customers Abandon Carts?
Life gets busy, and there are countless reasons people abandon carts—often involving real-life distractions more than actual issues with the product or checkout page. Here are a few everyday scenarios that might lead to an unfinished purchase:
You get distracted: Just as you’re about to check out, your phone rings, a child starts crying, or a work call begins—and the challenge sign up is forgotten.
You’re waiting for payday: You add items to your cart while thinking, Maybe later, or you’re waiting for payday to make sure your subscription runs when your bank balance is full.
You lose focus: You’re shopping at night but get hooked on a Netflix show, or you fall asleep before completing your purchase.
These everyday interruptions can lead to abandoned carts, but that doesn’t mean the sale is lost. In fact, it’s an opportunity to re-engage.
How to Turn Abandoned Carts into Business Growth
Here are three effective strategies to turn abandoned carts into revenue and grow your business:
1. Follow Up with Timely Emails
Abandoned cart emails are your best tool for getting customers back to the checkout page. Studies show that sending an email within three hours of cart abandonment can increase conversions by up to 40%. These emails remind customers of what they left behind and make it easy to pick up where they left off. Sudor’s system will handle this first automated email for you.
When designing your automated emails with the Sudor team - keep your message friendly and personal. For example, “Looks like you were checking out our new app—complete your purchase now to get started!” You can even offer an incentive like a discount to sweeten the deal.
2. Simplify the Checkout Process
Complicated checkouts are a major reason for abandoned carts. If you ask for too much information upfront, customers are more likely to drop off. That’s why at Sudor, we intentionally split the “create account” and “payment” stages. By capturing a customer’s name and email first, we can send an abandoned cart email if they don’t complete the payment step.
This strategy ensures that you have a way to reach potential customers even if they don’t finalize their purchase in one go.
3. Create Urgency or Offer Incentives
Sometimes, customers just need a little extra nudge to finish their purchase. Offering a limited-time discount or creating urgency can motivate hesitant buyers.
For example:
“Only 24 hours left to join our challenge—don’t miss out!”
“Sign up in the next 24 hours and get 10% off your total purchase.”
These small incentives can make the difference between a lost sale and a completed purchase.
Ready to make the most of your abandoned carts? Start using these strategies today and watch how they contribute to business growth.