Reducing Abandoned Carts: 10 Strategies That Actually Work (Backed by Data)

Cart abandonment is one of ecommerce’s most frustrating realities and it’s costing you real money.

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On average, nearly 70% of online shopping carts are abandoned. That’s over two-thirds of purchase intent vanishing before checkout. For a brand doing $1M in online sales, that’s potentially another $2M+ left on the table.

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The good news? You can claw that revenue back. But forget the fluffy tips, these are the strategies that actually move the needle, especially for Shopify brands ready to scale.

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Why Are Customers Abandoning Their Carts?

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Let’s get to the root. According to Baymard Institute, here’s why shoppers bounce:

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• 48% Unexpected costs (shipping, taxes, fees)
• 26% Forced account creation
• 25% Concerns about payment security
• 23% Slow delivery times
• 22% Complicated checkout processes
• 13% Limited payment options

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This is not just about “nudging” a sale. It’s about removing every barrier to buying, fast, simple, and trust-first. Here's how.

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1. Eliminate Friction at Checkout

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The best checkout experience is invisible. That means:

• Enable Shop Pay – We've seen this increase conversion rates by up to 40%
• Ditch the cart page – Go straight to checkout. Draw-style carts with slide-in drawers reduce clicks and boost urgency
• Use a progress bar – A visual progress slider at checkout improves completion rates by giving users a clear path forward
• Accelerated payment options – Think Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal. These reduce drop-off by up to 15%, simply by speeding up the process

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Pro tip: Every extra step = a chance to lose the sale.

2. Deploy Abandoned Cart Emails That Actually Convert

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Not all cart recovery emails are equal. The top-performing flows:

• Trigger within 30 minutes of abandonment
• Include dynamic cart contents
• Offer an incentive (e.g. “You saved $24” – always use the higher value: dollar vs percentage)
• Use urgency: "Only 3 left in stock" or "Expires in 24 hours"

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Platforms like Klaviyo make this dead simple, and automated.

3. Make Payment Flexible and Obvious

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Customers want choice, and speed.

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Offer all major payment methods:

• Shop Pay
• Apple Pay
• Google Pay
• PayPal
• AfterPay and BNPL options

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Display these logos early in the checkout process, not just at the final step. It builds trust and shows flexibility upfront.

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4. Cross-Sells, Upsells, and AOV Boosters

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Cart abandonment isn’t just about saving sales, it’s a moment to increase AOV (average order value).

• Pre-checkout upsells: Think accessories or bundle options that appear in the cart drawer
• Post-purchase offers: Trigger add-ons after payment without interrupting the checkout flow
• Leverage Shopify’s Cart Transform Function API for maximum control or use Shopify apps like Rebuy to roll these out quickly

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5. Leverage First-Party Data for Personalisation

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Personalised experiences convert better. Period.

• Show returning users their saved cart or previous purchases
• Serve personalised recommendations via email and retargeting
• Use behavior-triggered discounts based on browsing or cart value

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We’ve seen brands increase recovery by over 20% just by personalising discount emails with past purchase data.

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6. Retarget with Purpose

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Cart abandonment doesn’t mean no interest, it just means “not now.”

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Use Google, Meta, and TikTok ads to retarget cart abandoners with:

• Dynamic product carousels
• Low stock messages
• Countdown timers or time-limited offers

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Retargeted shoppers are 70% more likely to convert than cold traffic.

7. Exit-Intent Popups That Add Real Value

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Poorly timed popups kill UX. Smart ones save the sale.

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Trigger popups only when a user signals exit intent, offering:

• A discount (based on cart value)
• Free shipping threshold (“Spend $12 more for free shipping”)
• Bundle offer (“Add X and save $15”)

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Test message types and only show them once per session.

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8. Build Trust Early and Often

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Don’t wait until the payment step to prove you're legit.

• Offer clear returns (e.g. “30-Day Free Returns”)
• Use real reviews with UGC
• Make shipping timelines visible on product pages

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Transparency reduces hesitation, especially for new customers.

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9. Real-Time Support = Real-Time Sales

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Sometimes, a single question is all that’s in the way.

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Add live chat or AI chatbots during high-intent moments (like cart and checkout). Offer:

• Instant answers to shipping questions
• Product suggestions
• Quick reassurances (“Yes, it’ll arrive by Friday”)

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Shoppers who engage with chat can convert up to 4x higher.

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10. Push and SMS Reminders That Nudge Without Annoying

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These channels have insane open rates:

• SMS: ~98%
• Push notifications: ~80%

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Use them strategically:

• Short, personal messages
• Highlight discounts or stock limits
• Offer easy tap-to-complete checkout

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Make sure opt-ins are clear and value-based (e.g. “Get 10% off via SMS”).

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The Bottom Line

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Reducing cart abandonment isn’t about gimmicks, it’s about creating a seamless, trust-filled journey from product page to purchase confirmation.

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At Process Creative, we don’t just tick boxes. We partner with ambitious Shopify brands to design and optimise experiences that convert, because we know what actually works.

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Ready to stop bleeding revenue? Let’s talk.

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