Shopify Abandoned Cart: Why Shoppers Leave and How to Recover Them

Abandoned carts are a common problem in ecommerce, with an average rate of around 70%. This means most shops lose more sales at the checkout stage than they complete. However, the good news is that abandonment is fixable. Shopify automatically saves every abandoned checkout, and a few recovery emails along with some simple checkout fixes can help win back almost-customers.

Abandoned checkouts in Shopify can be viewed by going to Orders, then Abandoned checkouts, in the Shopify admin. The list shows shoppers who reached checkout, what was in their cart, the worth of the order, and if they provided an email address. Clicking an entry displays the full details and recovery email status.

There are several reasons why shoppers abandon their carts. Unexpected extra costs, such as hidden shipping and taxes, are the biggest trigger. Forced account creation, slow or clumsy checkouts, and a lack of payment options are other common causes.

Shopify automatically sends an abandoned checkout email to shoppers who entered their email address during checkout. This email can be customized under Settings → Notifications and through Shopify's marketing automations. Additionally, you can create more comprehensive flows using Shopify Flow and the built-in marketing automations.

To prevent abandonment, it's essential to address shipping costs early, offer free shipping thresholds, enable express checkout options like Shop Pay, Apple Pay, and Google Pay, and keep the guest checkout option available. The form should be as short as possible, and it's a good idea to test your checkout on a phone regularly. Exit-intent offers and retargeting ads can also help recover some sales.