September 28, 2026
Learning how to recover abandoned shopping carts starts with understanding why shoppers leave in the first place. A customer may like your product and even intend to buy it. However, something can still stop the sale before payment.
Sometimes the reason is simple. Shipping costs are higher than expected. The checkout takes too long. A customer has a question but cannot find an answer.
Other times, the shopper simply isn’t ready to buy.
You cannot recover every abandoned cart. Still, you can remove many of the barriers that cause shoppers to leave.
The goal is not to pressure customers into buying. Instead, make it easier for people who already want your product to finish their purchase.
What Is Shopping Cart Abandonment?
Shopping cart abandonment happens when someone adds a product to an online cart but leaves before completing the purchase.
Checkout abandonment is slightly different. In that case, the shopper has already started the checkout process but does not finish it.
Both situations matter because the customer has shown buying interest.
According to Baymard Institute’s cart abandonment research, the average documented online shopping cart abandonment rate is 70.19%.
However, that number needs context.
Some shoppers are simply browsing. Others are comparing prices or saving products for later. Baymard’s 2026 research found that 42% of surveyed U.S. online shoppers who abandoned a cart said they were just browsing or weren’t ready to buy.
Therefore, a high abandonment rate does not always mean your website is failing.
The better question is:
Why are shoppers who want to buy failing to finish their orders?
Answer that question first. Then you can build a better recovery plan.
Why Do Customers Abandon Shopping Carts?
There is rarely one cause.
Baymard’s research shows several common reasons. These include extra costs, slow delivery, trust concerns, forced account creation, long checkout processes, website errors, return policies, and limited payment options.
For example, its latest data found that 40% of surveyed shoppers who abandoned for reasons other than “just browsing” cited high extra costs such as shipping, taxes, or fees.
Another 17% cited a checkout process that was too long or complex.
These problems require different solutions.
An email reminder may help a distracted shopper. However, it probably won’t solve an expensive shipping fee or a broken payment page.
So, before sending more reminders, look at the entire buying process.
1. Show Costs as Early as Possible
Unexpected costs can stop a purchase quickly.
Imagine that a shopper finds a $50 product. They add it to their cart expecting to spend around $50.
At checkout, they discover shipping, taxes, or other fees that push the total much higher.
Now they have to make the buying decision again.
Whenever possible, show costs before the final checkout steps.
This may include:
- Shipping costs
- Taxes or estimated taxes
- Service fees
- Minimum purchase requirements
- International charges
- Free-shipping thresholds
If exact shipping costs depend on location, explain that clearly.
For example, a simple shipping calculator can give customers an estimate before they enter the full checkout process.
Transparency helps shoppers make informed choices. In addition, it reduces unpleasant surprises later.
2. Make Checkout Easier
Every extra step gives shoppers another chance to leave.
Therefore, review your checkout from the customer’s point of view.
How many fields must they complete?
How many pages must they visit?
Are you asking for information you do not actually need?
Baymard reports that 17% of surveyed shoppers who abandoned for reasons other than browsing said the checkout was too long or complicated.
A simpler checkout may help.
Remove Unneeded Fields
Only ask for information needed to process or deliver the order.
If a field does not serve a clear purpose, consider removing it.
Allow Guest Checkout
Do not make account creation the only way to purchase.
A shopper may want your product without wanting another online account.
Instead, allow the purchase first. Then invite the customer to create an account after the order is complete.
Make Forms Easy to Correct
Mistakes happen.
If someone enters information incorrectly, clearly show what needs to be fixed.
Do not erase the rest of the form or force the shopper to start again.
Small changes like these can make checkout feel much easier.
3. Make Mobile Checkout Simple
Many customers shop from their phones.
However, a checkout that works well on a desktop may feel frustrating on a smaller screen.
Test your store on different mobile devices.
Pay attention to:
- Button size
- Text size
- Form fields
- Menus
- Payment screens
- Product images
- Page speed
- Address entry
- Discount code fields
Also, complete a real test purchase.
Do not stop after checking whether the page looks good. Go through every step a customer would take.
Shopify’s 2026 checkout guidance also recommends optimizing checkout for mobile users and reducing friction throughout the buying process.
A small mobile problem can become a major sales problem when it affects every shopper using a phone.
4. Give Customers More Ways to Pay
A shopper can reach the final step and still leave because their preferred payment option isn’t available.
Therefore, review how your customers normally pay.
Depending on your market, useful options may include credit cards, debit cards, digital wallets, accelerated checkout methods, or other trusted payment services.
However, adding every possible payment option isn’t always necessary.
Look at your customer data first.
Then focus on the methods your audience actually uses.
Also, watch for payment failures. A declined payment or technical error may look like a customer simply changed their mind.
In reality, they may still want the product.
For example, Shopify allows merchants to review payment events for abandoned checkouts. Those records can help identify failed payments and other checkout problems.
5. Build Trust Before Asking for Payment
Customers may hesitate when they do not know your business.
This is especially important for first-time buyers.
Before entering payment information, shoppers may want to know:
- Is this business legitimate?
- Is payment secure?
- When will my order arrive?
- Can I return the product?
- How do I contact someone?
- What happens if something goes wrong?
Make those answers easy to find.
Your website should clearly display contact information, shipping details, return policies, and other important buying information.
The Federal Trade Commission’s online shopping guidance also advises consumers to review shipping and refund policies and to check that sites protect payment information.
Clear policies do more than meet customer expectations. They can also reduce doubt at a key point in the sale.
Building trust should also continue after the first order. A positive buying and support experience can help turn a first-time shopper into a returning customer. Learn more about why repeat customers matter to ecommerce businesses and how loyalty can support long-term growth.
6. Use Abandoned Cart Emails
Sometimes nothing is wrong with your checkout.
The customer simply gets distracted.
Their phone rings. They switch devices. They decide to finish the order later and forget.
In these cases, a reminder can help.
An abandoned cart email should make returning easy.
Keep the message simple.
Remind the customer what they left behind and provide a clear way to return to the cart.
What Should an Abandoned Cart Email Include?
Useful elements may include:
- Product name
- Product image
- Cart total
- Clear return-to-cart button
- Customer support information
- Shipping information
- Return policy link
The message should feel helpful rather than demanding.
For example:
Still interested? Your items are waiting for you.
That is usually more welcoming than creating false urgency.
If you use Shopify, its abandoned checkout tools can automatically send customers a link that allows them to return and complete checkout. Shopify also provides reporting that can help merchants measure orders and sales connected with recovery emails.
7. Use Discounts Carefully
Offering a discount may recover some carts.
However, automatically giving every shopper a coupon can create another problem.
Customers may learn to abandon carts because they expect a discount afterward.
Instead, test discounts carefully.
They may make more sense for:
- First-time customers
- High-value carts
- Seasonal promotions
- Selected customer groups
- Customers who have not responded to an initial reminder
You can also test other incentives.
For example, free shipping may solve the real problem when shipping cost caused the shopper to leave.
The best offer addresses the reason for abandonment rather than simply cutting the price.
8. Make Customer Support Easy to Reach
Not every abandoned cart is caused by checkout design.
Sometimes the customer has a question.
They may want to know whether an item will fit. Perhaps they need more information about delivery. They might want to confirm compatibility, warranty coverage, stock, returns, or a product detail.
Customers also use the phone when they are thinking about buying, need product information, experience website problems, or want help with an order. Our article on the reasons customers call a business explains some of the situations that can lead shoppers to seek human help.
If getting an answer is difficult, leaving the website may be easier.
Give shoppers clear ways to contact your business.
Depending on your store, that might include:
- Phone
- Live chat
- Contact forms
- Frequently asked questions
For businesses that receive customer calls, an ecommerce answering service can also help handle product questions, order inquiries, shipping questions, returns, and other customer needs.
The purpose is simple: help customers get answers while buying interest is still high.
9. Improve Product Pages Before Fixing Checkout
Cart recovery actually begins before the shopper reaches the cart.
A weak product page creates uncertainty.
Customers may add an item because they’re interested but hesitate later because important information is missing.
Strong product pages should answer common questions before they arise.
Consider including:
- Clear product photos
- Simple descriptions
- Sizes or dimensions
- Materials
- Product specifications
- Shipping estimates
- Return information
- Warranty details
- Stock status
- Customer reviews
- Frequently asked questions
The exact information will depend on what you sell.
A furniture store, for example, may need detailed dimensions. An electronics retailer may need compatibility information.
Therefore, study the questions customers ask most often.
Those questions can show you what your product pages are missing.
10. Look for Patterns in Abandoned Carts
Do not treat every abandoned order as an isolated event.
Look for patterns.
Perhaps abandonment rises when customers reach the shipping page. Maybe mobile shoppers leave more often than desktop shoppers.
You could also discover that one payment method fails more often or that customers from a certain region leave after seeing delivery costs.
Track useful measures such as:
- Cart abandonment rate
- Checkout abandonment rate
- Mobile versus desktop abandonment
- Payment failures
- Recovery email open rate
- Recovery email click rate
- Recovered orders
- Recovered revenue
Then compare the data over time.
If you change your checkout, measure what happens afterward.
Did more customers finish their orders?
If not, test another change.
This turns cart recovery into an ongoing improvement process rather than a one-time campaign.
Don’t Forget About Human Help
Providing several ways to get help can also improve the overall customer experience. Phone, email, chat, and contact forms give shoppers options when they need an answer before completing a purchase. For more ideas, see our guide to going the extra mile with customer service.
Automation is useful in ecommerce.
Emails can remind customers about products. Chat tools can answer basic questions. Checkout software can make payments faster.
Still, some buying decisions need a conversation.
A customer may have a detailed product question. Another may need help placing a large order. Someone else may have tried to pay but encountered an error.
In those situations, access to a real person can make the buying process easier.
For example, Conversational’s virtual receptionist service can support businesses by answering incoming calls, collecting information, routing calls, and following custom instructions.
For an ecommerce business, that support can complement automated systems rather than replace them.
Automation handles routine tasks well. Human support can step in when a customer needs a more specific answer.
Focus on Preventing Abandonment Too
Recovering abandoned shopping carts is useful.
Preventing avoidable abandonment is even better.
Therefore, do not measure success only by how many recovery emails turn into orders.
Also ask why those customers abandoned their carts in the first place.
If dozens of customers leave because shipping costs appear too late, fix how shipping information is displayed.
If customers struggle with mobile checkout, improve the mobile experience.
Meanwhile, if payment failures are common, investigate the payment process.
A recovery campaign treats the result.
A better shopping experience can address the cause.
Create a Simple Cart Recovery Plan
You do not need to change everything at once.
Start with the biggest barriers.
Step 1: Measure abandonment.
Find out where shoppers leave.
Step 2: Review checkout.
Test the full process on desktop and mobile.
Step 3: Check costs.
Make shipping, taxes, and fees clear.
Step 4: Review payment options.
Look for missing methods and failed payments.
Step 5: Improve trust.
Make shipping, returns, security, and contact information easy to find.
Step 6: Set up recovery messages.
Remind interested shoppers about unfinished purchases.
Step 7: Make support easy to reach.
Give customers a clear way to ask questions.
Step 8: Measure the results.
Track recovered orders and changes in your overall abandonment rate.
Then repeat the process.
Small improvements can add up.
A Better Checkout Helps More Customers Finish Buying
Shopping cart abandonment will never disappear completely.
Some people are researching. Others are comparing prices. Many simply aren’t ready to buy.
That is normal.
Instead of trying to recover every cart, focus on shoppers who wanted to buy but ran into a barrier.
Make costs clear. Keep checkout simple. Offer trusted payment methods. Answer questions quickly. Use helpful reminders. Most importantly, study where customers leave and why.
The easier it is to complete a purchase, the less work you may need to do to recover that customer later.
Frequently Asked Questions About Abandoned Shopping Carts
What is an abandoned shopping cart?
An abandoned shopping cart occurs when a shopper adds one or more products to an online cart but leaves the website without completing the purchase.
Why do customers abandon their carts?
Common reasons include unexpected costs, slow delivery, difficult checkout steps, required account creation, payment problems, trust concerns, and unanswered product questions. Some shoppers are also simply browsing and never intended to buy immediately.
How can I recover abandoned shopping carts?
Start by finding out why customers leave. Then reduce checkout friction, make costs clear, offer suitable payment methods, send cart reminders, and make customer support easy to reach.
When should I send an abandoned cart email?
There is no single timing that works for every store. Test different timing based on your products and buying cycle. The key is to reach the customer while the purchase is still relevant without overwhelming them with messages.
Should I offer a discount in every abandoned cart email?
Not necessarily. Giving every customer a discount may reduce margins and teach shoppers to wait for offers. First, test a simple reminder. Then consider targeted discounts or shipping offers when they solve a clear buying barrier.
Can customer service reduce shopping cart abandonment?
It can help when customers leave because they have unanswered questions about products, shipping, returns, payments, or orders. However, customer service cannot fix every cause. Checkout design, pricing, delivery costs, payment options, and website performance also matter.
