How to Write an Effective Abandoned Cart Email that Gets Conversions [With Best Practices]

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What’s in this blog?

📌 What is an abandoned cart email?
📌 Why write an abandoned cart email?
📌 What are the best practices to follow for abandoned cart emails?

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Key milestones mark every online buyer’s journey, and one of the biggest is adding items to their cart. It signals intent, trust, and interest. Whether it’s a first-time visitor or a loyal returning customer, getting to this point often takes a mix of smart marketing, strong UX, and timely nudges. 

But what happens if they stop there? What if they never hit that “Place Order” button?

This is where many brands hit a wall. Studies show that nearly 70% of online shoppers abandon their carts, contributing to a staggering $4 trillion in lost revenue annually.

But here’s the good news: you still have a second shot—it’s a simple, well-crafted email.

According to specific Moosend and Baymard reports, over 40% of cart abandonment emails are opened, sometimes climbing as high as 45%.

Half of them are clicked—that’s huge!

And most importantly, 21% of those who engage end up completing their purchase.

So, no, all is not lost when a shopper leaves without buying. That abandoned cart email could be the lifeline that brings them back. 

Think of it as a friendly reminder, not a sales push—a digital tap on the shoulder saying, “Hey, you forgot something”. With the right message, timing, and tone, that cart doesn’t have to stay abandoned for long.

What is an Abandoned Cart Email and How Does it Help?

An abandoned cart email is a targeted follow-up sent to customers who leave items in their shopping carts without completing the purchase. Its goal is to recover lost sales, re-engage users with personalized offers, and gather insights to improve the shopping experience. When done right, it can turn missed opportunities into meaningful conversions.

There are countless reasons why customers walk away from their carts. Understanding and addressing these reasons starts with that one follow-up email. In addition to being a gentle reminder, an abandoned cart email is a strategic tool designed to recover potential revenue and re-engage customers who didn’t make it to checkout. While the main goal is to nudge shoppers toward completing their purchase, its impact goes far beyond that.

Recover Lost Sales

Let’s start with the obvious: getting customers to complete their purchase. Not every shopper who abandons their cart is lost. Some may have been interrupted, others unsure. 

A well-timed, personalized abandoned cart email can tip the scale, bringing genuinely interested buyers back to finish what they started. For many businesses, this one message can significantly improve conversion rates.

Reignite Customer Interest

Even if a customer doesn’t buy immediately, abandoned cart emails offer a golden opportunity to stay on their radar. Highlight related products, provide a slight discount, or showcase glowing reviews. 

These emails often enjoy high open and click-through rates, making them ideal for driving continued engagement, even if the original purchase isn’t completed.

Unlock Customer Insights

Use these emails not just to sell, but to learn. Include feedback options or survey links to uncover why customers didn’t check out. 
Was it the price? A poor mobile experience? Hidden shipping fees? These insights are invaluable for optimizing your checkout process and lowering future cart abandonment rates.

Best Practices for Writing Abandoned Cart Emails that Actually Convert

First, let’s list the 11 vital elements every good abandoned cart recovery email should include.

✔️ Simple, catchy, and upbeat subject line
✔️ Clean, straightforward email copy with no fluff
✔️ Avoid being pushy; no hard selling
✔️ Highlight what’s in the cart
✔️ Have a minimal email design
✔️ Create a sense of urgency
✔️ Use FOMO to your advantage
✔️ Address common hesitations
✔️ Add a testimonial related to the product in the cart
✔️ Include a strong CTA
✔️ Incentivize when required

Now, let’s analyze them individually.

1. Simple, Catchy, and Upbeat Subject Line

Your subject line is your first (and sometimes only) chance to grab attention. It is a powerful hook that will make or break the reader’s will to keep reading. With inboxes overflowing, it’s crucial to make your message stand out. Keep it short, ideally under 50 characters, and ensure it sparks curiosity or offers value immediately.

Avoid sounding too salesy or robotic. Instead, go for a tone that feels personal and upbeat. Think of it as a nudge from a friend rather than a pushy ad.

Some examples that work:

✒️ “Oops, did you forget something?”
✒️ “Your cart misses you ❤️”
✒️ “Still thinking it over? We saved it for you!”
✒️ “You left something awesome behind…”

Subject lines like these are conversational and friendly, encouraging users to open the email without pressure. A well-crafted subject line can significantly boost open rates and get your customers back on the path to purchase.

2. Clean, Straightforward Email Copy with No Fluff

For abandoned cart recovery emails, less is more. Your goal would be to gently remind the shoppers what they left behind and encourage them to complete the purchase, not overwhelm them with sales jargon or lengthy explanations.

The copy should be crisp, clear, and action-oriented. It should focus on the essentials: what the customer left in their cart, why they should return, and how they can do it quickly. 

Avoid overloading the email with marketing buzzwords or filler text. Instead, speak directly and use a friendly, helpful tone, like a nudge from a store associate who noticed they forgot something. This will give readers a natural human touch and appeal to their psychology.

Here are some examples of compelling copies and why they usually work:

✔️ “Looks like you left something behind — your cart’s waiting! Complete your purchase now before it’s gone.”

Why it works: Feels like a gentle reminder from a friend. It’s casual, to the point, and adds subtle urgency without sounding pushy.

✔️ “We saved your cart just in case! Ready when you are—your items are only a click away.”

Why it works: It reassures the customer their effort wasn’t lost and gently invites them back without pressure.

✔️ “Your cart’s about to expire—grab it before someone else does!”

Why it works: It taps into urgency and scarcity, encouraging quick action without being aggressive.

✔️ “Still thinking it over? Here’s 10% off to sweeten the deal — your cart misses you.”

Why it works: Adds a small incentive while keeping the tone casual and benefit-driven.

Remember, the easier it is for the customer to understand and act, the higher your chances of winning them back. 

Keep them -> Short. Personal. Purpose-driven.

3. Avoid Being Pushy; No Hard Selling

When reaching out to customers who’ve abandoned their carts, jumping straight into sales mode is tempting. But here’s the thing—aggressive selling can backfire. These emails should feel like a helpful nudge, not a forceful shove.

Remember, the customer already showed interest. Your job now is to gently remind them of what they left behind and make it easy for them to return. Avoid pressure tactics like “Buy now or miss out forever!” Instead, focus on adding value—highlight the product’s benefits, offer helpful details, or even include a friendly reminder that their cart is still waiting.

If you add a time-sensitive incentive (like a limited-time discount), frame it as a thoughtful gesture rather than a last-chance ultimatum. Keep the tone casual, helpful, and aligned with your brand voice. When you respect the customer’s space, they’re more likely to return on their terms, leading to more genuine conversions.

4. Highlight What’s in the Cart

One of the most effective ways to entice customers to return and complete their purchase is to showcase exactly what they left behind. When recipients open your abandoned cart email, they should immediately see the products they were interested in, complete with images, names, prices, and any relevant details like size or color. This reminder helps jog their memory and rekindles their interest.

Visual cues like crisp product photos make the email feel personalized and relevant. This reduces the chance of being ignored or mistaken for spam. Including product details also reassures customers about what they’re missing out on, especially if the items were unique or limited in stock.

Additionally, consider highlighting any discounts or special offers applied to those items, reinforcing the value of returning now. The clearer and more tangible you make the cart contents, the higher the chances customers will click through to complete their purchase.

5. Have a Minimal Email Design

A clean, minimal design for abandoned cart emails helps keep the customer’s focus exactly where it should be—on the products they left behind. Overloading your email with too many images, flashy colors, or excessive text can distract and overwhelm recipients, making your message feel more like a generic promotion than a personalized nudge.

Aim for a simple layout with plenty of white space, a clear product image, and a crisp copy highlighting the key benefits of completing the purchase. Use subtle branding elements to maintain recognition without overpowering the content. This approach looks professional and makes the call to action stand out, increasing shoppers’ chances to click through and finalize their order.

6. Create a Sense of Urgency

One of the most effective ways to encourage shoppers to complete their purchases is to create a sense of urgency in your abandoned cart recovery emails. Customers who might miss out on a great deal or risk losing their selected items are more likely to take immediate action.

To build urgency, use time-sensitive language such as “Only a few hours left,” “Your cart expires soon,” or “Limited stock available.” You can also highlight exclusive offers like discounts or free shipping that are valid for a short window. Adding countdown timers or clear deadlines visually reinforces this urgency, nudging customers to act quickly before the opportunity disappears.

However, be genuine. False urgency can damage trust and hurt your brand reputation. Keep the messaging clear, honest, and relevant to create a compelling reason for shoppers to return and complete their purchase without hesitation.

7. Use FOMO to Your Advantage

Fear of Missing Out, or FOMO, is a powerful psychological trigger that can significantly boost the effectiveness of your abandoned cart recovery emails. When shoppers feel they might lose out on a great deal, limited stock, or a time-sensitive offer, they’re more likely to take immediate action and complete their purchase.

Here’s how you can leverage FOMO in your abandoned cart emails:

Create Urgency with Timed Offers: Include countdown timers or deadlines for special discounts to motivate customers to act quickly before the deal expires.

Highlight Limited Stock: If the product they left behind runs low on inventory, prompt customers to buy it before it’s gone.

Show Social Proof: Use phrases like “X people are viewing this item” or “Trending now” to create a sense of competition and exclusivity.

Exclusive Discounts: Offer a unique, limited-time discount only through the cart recovery email, making the recipient feel special and encouraged to finalize the purchase.

When used thoughtfully, FOMO can turn hesitation into conversion. Your abandoned cart emails become subtle reminders and compelling calls to action that your customers won’t want to miss.

8. Address Common Hesitations

When shoppers leave items in their carts, they often have doubts or concerns. Your abandoned cart recovery emails should proactively address these common hesitations to encourage customers to complete their purchase. For example, concerns about shipping costs, return policies, payment security, or product quality frequently cause hesitation.

Use clear, reassuring language highlighting key information such as free shipping offers, hassle-free returns, secure payment methods, and customer reviews. Including FAQs or trust badges in your emails can help reduce anxiety and build confidence.

By empathizing with your customers’ potential worries and providing transparent answers upfront, you make buying easier and turn abandoned carts into completed sales.

9. Add a Testimonial Related to the Product in the Cart

Including a genuine customer testimonial about the product left in the cart can significantly boost the effectiveness of your abandoned cart recovery emails. Testimonials build trust and provide social proof, helping to reassure hesitant shoppers that they’re making the right choice.

When a customer sees a positive review highlighting the product’s benefits, quality, or how it solved someone else’s problem, it creates a sense of confidence and reduces doubts. This emotional nudge can be the deciding factor that encourages them to complete their purchase.

Tips for using testimonials effectively:

✒️ Choose testimonials that specifically mention the product or a closely related item.
✒️ Keep them short and impactful—one or two sentences that clearly communicate value.
✒️ Use real customer names or initials (with permission) to add authenticity.
✒️ Incorporate a photo or star rating to make the testimonial visually appealing.

By strategically placing relevant testimonials in your recovery emails, you remind shoppers why they were interested in the first place and inspire them to take the final step toward checkout.

10. Include a Strong CTA

Your abandoned cart email has one job: to bring the customer back to complete their purchase. Nothing drives that action better than a clear, compelling call-to-action (CTA). A strong CTA removes ambiguity and tells the customer exactly what to do next—whether it’s “Complete Your Purchase,” “Return to Cart,” or “Grab It Before It’s Gone.”

Make your CTA button stand out visually. Use contrasting colors, bold fonts, and enough spacing so it doesn’t get lost in the rest of the email content. Limit the number of CTAs to one primary action to avoid overwhelming the reader.

Also, use urgency or incentives to boost click-throughs. For instance, “Get 10% Off Now” or “Only a Few Left!” can push hesitant customers toward conversion.

Remember, your CTA isn’t just a button—it’s your closer. Make it count.

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11. Incentivize When Required 

Sometimes, a gentle nudge isn’t enough for customers to return and complete their purchase. That’s where incentives work their magic. Offering a discount, free shipping, or a limited-time offer can make all the difference in pushing hesitant shoppers toward conversion.

Think of it this way: your customer already liked the product enough to add it to their cart. A well-placed incentive just helps tip the scales. 

But it’s essential to strike the right balance—don’t train your audience to expect a discount every time they abandon their cart. Instead, personalize incentives based on cart value, purchase history, or product type.

Incentives don’t have to hurt your margins. A small perk, thoughtfully presented, can bring back significant revenue.

Bring Customers Back to Complete Their Purchase – The Smart Way

Abandoned cart recovery emails are more than just reminders—they’re powerful conversion tools when done right. You can turn missed opportunities into meaningful revenue by combining clean design, clear messaging, brilliant timing, and compelling incentives.

Remember, the goal is to re-engage, not annoy. Keep your emails helpful, personalized, and value-driven. With the right strategy, every abandoned cart becomes a second chance to win your customer back.