Cart abandonment is one of the biggest challenges in e-commerce. Studies show that the average cart abandonment rate is 70.19% (Baymard Institute, 2025). This means that seven out of ten customers leave their cart without completing a purchase. However, businesses can recover these lost sales through retargeting ads and automated email reminders, which can significantly increase revenue and improve conversion rates.
Why Do Customers Abandon Their Carts?
Before discussing recovery strategies, it’s crucial to understand why customers abandon their carts. According to a survey by Baymard Institute (2024), the top reasons include:
- Extra costs (shipping, taxes, fees) – 48%
- Mandatory account creation – 26%
- Complicated checkout process – 22%
- Slow delivery time – 23%
- Lack of payment options – 13%
1. Using Retargeting Ads to Bring Customers Back
Retargeting ads are an effective way to remind potential customers about their abandoned carts. These ads appear on platforms such as Google, Facebook, and Instagram, targeting users who visited a website but didn’t complete their purchase. Studies show that retargeting ads have a nearly 10 times higher click-through rate (CTR) compared to standard display ads (WordStream, 2023). Additionally, customers retargeted with display ads are 70% more likely to convert (Invesp, 2023).
Best Practices for Retargeting Ads
- Use dynamic product ads to show abandoned items.
- Offer discounts or free shipping to incentivise purchases.
- Set a frequency cap to avoid overwhelming customers.
- Create a sense of urgency (e.g., “Only a few left in stock!”).
2. Automated Emails: A Powerful Cart Recovery Tool
Automated emails are another proven method to recover lost sales. Research indicates that cart abandonment emails have an average open rate of 45% and a conversion rate of 10% (Omnisend, 2023). This makes them one of the most effective email marketing strategies.
Best Practices for Cart Recovery Emails
- Send the first email within one hour: Emails sent within an hour of abandonment have a 20% conversion rate (Moosend, 2023).
- Use a series of reminders:
- First email: Friendly reminder of the abandoned cart.
- Second email (24 hours later): Offer a discount or free shipping.
- Third email (48 hours later): Create urgency (“Your cart will expire soon!”).
- Personalization matters: Emails with the customer’s name and product details increase engagement by 26% (Campaign Monitor, 2023).
- Include a clear CTA: Use buttons like “Complete Your Purchase” or “Return to Cart.”
3. Combining Retargeting and Automated Emails for Maximum Impact
For the best results, businesses should combine retargeting ads with automated email campaigns. According to research, businesses that use both strategies can recover up to 30% of abandoned carts (SaleCycle, 2023). A multi-channel approach ensures that customers receive reminders across different platforms, increasing their likelihood of completing the purchase.
Conclusion
Cart abandonment is a major challenge, but businesses can significantly recover lost revenue by using retargeting ads and automated emails. By implementing best practices, such as personalized email sequences and dynamic retargeting ads, companies can improve their conversion rates and overall profitability. With an estimated $4.6 trillion lost annually due to abandoned carts (Forrester, 2023), having a cart recovery strategy is not just beneficial—it’s essential for e-commerce success.
References
Baymard Institute. (2024). Cart abandonment rate statistics. Retrieved from https://baymard.com/lists/cart-abandonment-rate
Campaign Monitor. (2023). The power of email personalization. Retrieved from https://www.campaignmonitor.com/resources/
Forrester. (2023). E-commerce losses from cart abandonment. Retrieved from https://www.forrester.com/
Invesp. (2023). Retargeting statistics and trends. Retrieved from https://www.invespcro.com/blog/retargeting/
Moosend. (2023). Cart abandonment email marketing statistics. Retrieved from https://moosend.com/blog/
Omnisend. (2023). Cart abandonment email benchmarks. Retrieved from https://www.omnisend.com/blog/
SaleCycle. (2023). E-commerce cart recovery strategies. Retrieved from https://www.salecycle.com/blog/
WordStream. (2023). Retargeting ads: Best practices and statistics. Retrieved from https://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2023/retargeting
