Abandoned cart email examples
Last updated . Figures are approximate and change with the market, so check current prices before you decide.
People leave carts for ordinary reasons: a phone call, a price check, a card in the other room. Baymard Institute puts the average documented abandonment rate at 70.22%, based on 50 studies. A short reminder sequence catches some of those shoppers. This guide covers the timing, the number of emails, example templates you can adapt, and the setup in three common platforms. Our email marketing and automation page explains how we run this work for clients.
How many emails, and when
Vendors do not agree on one number, so treat the figures below as a starting point to test.
- Klaviyo: its abandoned cart help page says the pre-built flows include a 4-hour delay before the first message and recommends 2 to 3 abandoned cart messages.
- Shopify: its abandoned checkout help page says a checkout counts as abandoned if it stays incomplete for more than ten minutes after the customer enters an email address. You choose the "Send after" delay yourself.
- WooCommerce: core WooCommerce does not send these emails by itself. The Abandoned Cart Recovery extension lets each email template have its own timespan counted from when the cart became abandoned.
A sensible first schedule for a small shop looks like this. It is a plan to test, not a benchmark.
| When | Job | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A few hours after the cart is left | Remind, show the items, one clear button |
| 2 | Next day | Answer doubts: shipping, returns, sizing, contact |
| 3 | Day 3 to 5 | Last nudge, with an incentive only if you choose one |
Stop the flow when the customer buys. Keep it short, because a long chain of reminders tends to annoy people more than it helps. Test your own delays with a split test when you have enough volume. Our A/B test calculator helps you judge whether a difference is real.
Seven abandoned cart email templates
These are templates, not real campaigns. Replace everything in [brackets] with your own details, and delete any line that is not true for your shop. We attach no results to them.
1. The plain reminder (email 1)
Subject: You left something in your cart Preview: Your [product name] is still waiting.
> Hi [first name], > > You left [product name] in your cart. We saved it for you. > > [Button: Return to your cart] > > If you ran into a problem at checkout, reply to this email and a real person will help. > > [Shop name]
2. The helpful answer (email 2)
Subject: Questions about [product name]? Preview: Shipping, returns and sizing in one place.
> Hi [first name], > > Before you decide, here are the questions we hear most about [product name]: > > - Delivery: [delivery time and cost] > - Returns: [your return policy in one line] > - Size or fit: [short guide or link] > > [Button: Back to your cart]
3. The review email (email 2 or 3)
Subject: What other customers say about [product name] Preview: A few honest words from people who bought it.
Only use quotes from real, named or permissioned customers. If you have none yet, skip this template.
> Hi [first name], > > [Real customer quote, with permission] > [Customer first name, city] > > [Button: See [product name]]
4. The low stock note (email 2 or 3)
Subject: Only [number] left of [product name] Preview: We would hate for you to miss it.
Send this only when stock really is low. Fake scarcity breaks trust and may breach consumer rules in your market.
> Hi [first name], > > We have [number] left of [product name] in [size or colour]. Your cart is saved, but we cannot hold the stock. > > [Button: Finish your order]
5. The shipping reminder (email 2)
Subject: Free delivery on your cart Preview: Orders over [amount] ship free.
Use this if your free-shipping threshold is the reason people leave.
> Hi [first name], > > Your cart is [amount] away from free delivery. Add [suggested product] or keep your cart as it is. > > [Button: Return to your cart]
6. The final offer (email 3)
Subject: A little something to finish your order Preview: [Offer], valid until [date].
> Hi [first name], > > Still thinking about [product name]? Use code [CODE] for [offer] on this order. It works until [date and time]. > > [Button: Use my code]
7. The personal note for big baskets (email 1 or 2)
Subject: Can I help with your order? Preview: A quick note from [shop name].
For carts above a value you set, a plain-text email from a named sender can work better than a designed one.
> Hi [first name], > > I saw you were looking at [product name]. If you have a question about [materials, delivery, fit], just reply and I will answer today. > > [Sender name], [shop name]
Setup notes by platform
Shopify
In Shopify admin, go to Apps, then Messaging, then Automations, and edit the "Abandoned checkout emails by Shopify" automation, as described on the Shopify help page. Set the "Send after" delay and customise the notification template. If you want several messages with branching, you can build the flow in an email tool such as Klaviyo instead.
Klaviyo
Connect your store first, then build the flow from the Klaviyo guide. It tells you to turn off your platform's default abandoned cart messages so customers do not get duplicates. You can add messages, edit the delays and branch the flow by cart value. If you are comparing costs first, read Klaviyo pricing, explained. Our Klaviyo agency service covers the build.
WooCommerce
Install a recovery extension, for example the one in the WooCommerce documentation. It lets you set when a cart counts as abandoned, give each email its own timespan, attach a coupon with an expiry date, and choose whether to capture guest emails with a pop-up that can carry privacy text. Its documentation lists WooCommerce 3.5 and WordPress 4.4 as minimums. You can also send cart events to an external email tool, which suits shops that already use Klaviyo or a similar platform.
Discount do's and don'ts
- Do hold the incentive for the last email. Klaviyo's help page says it does not encourage a coupon in the first email, and suggests saving incentives for the final email or offering them only to people who have never purchased.
- Do put an expiry date on the code, so it does not become a permanent coupon.
- Do try free shipping or a free gift before a percentage off, if your margins are thin.
- Don't discount every cart. Customers learn to abandon on purpose.
- Don't stack the code with other offers without checking the margin.
- Don't invent urgency. A deadline must be real.
Consent and rules
Whether you may email someone who has not opted in depends on your country and on whether the message counts as marketing. In the US, the FTC's CAN-SPAM guide says the law views transactional and relationship content narrowly, so do not assume a cart reminder is exempt. In the UK, the ICO's PECR guidance says you generally need consent to send unsolicited marketing email to individuals. Check the rules for the countries you sell to. This is general information, not legal advice.
FAQ
How many abandoned cart emails should I send?
Two or three is a common start. Klaviyo's help page recommends 2 to 3 messages. Beyond that, test rather than assume, and watch your unsubscribe rate.
When should the first abandoned cart email go out?
Klaviyo's pre-built flows wait 4 hours. Shopify lets you pick a "Send after" delay. Start with a few hours and compare against a longer delay when you have enough traffic to see a difference.
Do I need to offer a discount?
No. Klaviyo's help page advises against a coupon in the first email. Try a helpful email first and keep any discount for the last message.
Does WooCommerce send abandoned cart emails by default?
Core WooCommerce does not. You need an extension or an external email tool. The official extension page lists tracking, per-template timing, coupons and guest email capture.
Can I send these emails to people who did not sign up for marketing?
It depends on the country and on how the message is classed. In the US, CAN-SPAM treats transactional content narrowly. In the UK, PECR generally needs consent for individuals. Check your rules, and see the note above.
Should I replace Shopify's own email?
Only if you build something better. If you use Klaviyo, turn off the platform's default message so customers do not receive both.
How OnePDA can help
We write and set up the three flows most shops need first: welcome, abandoned cart and post-purchase. Setup is €490 and covers forms and tracking. Management is €390 a month for campaigns, flow changes and a plain-words report. Prices exclude VAT where it applies. You pay the email tool yourself and the account stays in your name. We do not promise a revenue figure or an open rate. See the email marketing and automation page for how it works, or the price list.