If you have an online store, it is very likely you are no stranger to the fact that people will add your products to their shopping cart only to leave before purchasing. This is what is known as an abandoned cart. In this article, we will talk about why this happens and what can be done to help drive customers to complete that transaction.

There are many reasons that people leave your site without puchasing. Their computer dies, they get a phone call and close their computer, their wallet is in the other room and they are too lazy to go get it. Whatever the reason may be, it happens. However, just because they didn’t check out doesn’t mean they aren’t still interested. Send them a little reminder and get back on their radar. This is called and Abandoned Cart email, and here are a few tips to get started.

Subject Line

With any email, the subject line is extremely important. Your potential customer isn’t going to open your email if the subject line doesn’t grab their attention. If your customer thinks the email is just another newsletter they might dismiss it. Be clear as to why they are receiving this email. Say something like “Hey Kevin, looks like you forgot something!.”

What to Include in your Email

The Product: Be sure to include a picture and an in depth description of the item. Make the product the emphasis of the email. Doing this will remind your potential customer exactly what they forgot about. Be sure to make the image link directly to your website's checkout page.

Copy: The copy in your abandoned cart email should be quick and to the point. Try not to come off too salesy and try to stay kind of playful. If you are too aggressive, it might turn your customer away for good. Instead, use humor (if it fits your brand) and have a little fun with it. Say something like “Kevin! We know you really like this shirt, so we just wanted to let you know we’re holding one just for you!”

Call to Action: Sometimes your customer needs to be pushed in the right direction. Include a little call to action in your email and let them know that right now is the perfect time to buy the product.

Timing

You should send your first abandoned cart email within 24 while the product and your brand is still fresh in their mind. If the first one doesn’t get them to finish their transaction follow up again within 48 hours and consider giving a little incentive. Free shipping or a small percentage off can go a long way. Figure out an incentive that works for you and offer it up!

Conclusion

The abandoned cart email is a simple way to turn missed opportunities into sales. If a potential customer is placing an item in the shopping cart, there's a pretty good chance they're interested in shopping with you. They just might need a little convincing to tip the scale.