The emergence of e-commerce in the last decade has made shopping infinitely easier. In today’s busy world, having your groceries shipped to your door is invaluable. Moreover, online shopping has allowed people access to items that they wouldn’t otherwise be able to get in their local stores.
The convenience is undeniable. Nevertheless, some consumers would say that online shopping has become a little too convenient.
Even the most discerning shopper has fallen into an online shopping hole that is difficult to escape from. Even just a half-hour of “window shopping” can result in a $100 worth of merchandise in your cart.
Fortunately for consumers, and unfortunately for e-commerce operations, there is always an option to opt-out of the transaction and click away from the website. According to research, more than 80% of shoppers abandon their shopping carts. To put it in perspective, that is 8 out of 10 individuals that visit your e-commerce platform only to withhold from a purchase. If you run an online store, that statistic is daunting.
Thankfully, there is a way to engage this pool of audience into coming back and accomplishing the transaction. Abandoned cart emails are an effective marketing strategy that helps a business win back a lost lead and turn them into loyal customers.
What are Abandoned Cart Emails?
As the name suggests, abandoned cart emails are emails that are sent after an online shopper clicks out of an e-commerce site after loading their shopping cart with items. They are designed to encourage these individuals to revisit the platform and complete their purchase.
At present, only 19% of the top 1000 e-commerce platforms have abandoned cart emails as part of their marketing strategy. Needless to say, including this strategy in your arsenal would put your business ahead of the game.
Basic Structure of Abandoned Cart Emails
Depending on the industry and the type of business, abandoned cart emails come in many forms. Nevertheless, the main goal of the emails is for customers to come back to the website and make a purchase. As such, the basic structure should include:
- Subject Line
- Introductory Text
- List of Products Left in the Cart
- Offer or Discount
- Call to Action Button
- Reviews
- Closing Message
Samples to Emulate
If you aren’t familiar with abandoned cart emails, it can be difficult to visualize what they are and how they are helpful to your business. In order to get a full grasp of this strategy, it is best to take cues from the examples below:
The Products, Front and Center: ThredUp
With the sheer number of products that are available on any given e-commerce platform, there is a high chance that a shopper has already forgotten the items that they have added onto their cart. ThredUp’s abandoned cart email is effective in encouraging them to return to the website because it features the merchandise front and center.
It doesn’t hurt that the copy on the email is fun and engaging. Even the CTA button is witty!
Noone Can Resist Free Shipping: Peel
Truth be told, one of the reasons why shoppers opt-out of buying a product is the shipping fee. In fact, according to research, 88% of consumers would make a purchase if they are promised free shipping. It is considered the number one incentive for buying items online.
With that said, Peel, a phone case brand, encourages their potential clients to make a purchase by offering free shipping for orders more than $49. The emails that they send are clear and clean with the free shipping offer as the focus.
It’s All About the CTA: Virgin Airlines
An effective abandoned cart email is easy to navigate. It must be able to direct consumers back to the website with ease. It shouldn’t be confusing and it shouldn’t be cluttered.
Virgin Atlantic’s email has not one but three call-to-action buttons. These prompts provide an individual with several means to complete their purchase. Aside from the CTAs, the company’s emails are also personalized. They have the receiver’s name on the subject line.
Creating Urgency: Google Store
There are very few things people are more uncomfortable with than missing out on a hot item. When it comes to online shopping, there is a real possibility of running out of stock and having to wait for new shipments.
The Google Store leverages this fear of missing out or FOMO on their abandoned cart emails. By invoking a sense of urgency, they are able to encourage consumers to pull the trigger.
Abandoned cart emails can come in many forms. For the most part, the most successful ones are the emails that are crafted with a specific audience in mind. Nevertheless, when done right, this strategy is effective in turning potential customers into loyal consumers.
