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How to recover those heartbreaking abandoned carts

If you have an online shop, you’ll know how heartbreaking abandoned cart figures can be. The fix is an abandoned cart email sequence: a short series of personalised emails that brings shoppers back to finish their purchase.

70%

of online shopping carts are abandoned

Why do shoppers abandon their carts?

Most shoppers ditch their carts because they’re either not ready to buy, or they get distracted and leave.

So what are you going to do about it? Leave money on the table? Fuck no!! An abandoned cart email strategy turns those lost sales into customers.

Our top 3 abandoned cart email tips

1. Make it personal

Use their first name and show them the exact products they left behind.

2. Offer a discount or free shipping

A small incentive can get shoppers over the line. But don’t offer it straight away. Save it for the second, or even third, email in your sequence.

3. Include social proof

Customer reviews and how-to demonstrations build trust and credibility, and reassure shoppers they can rely on your brand.

When should you send abandoned cart emails?

Timing is key. Send too soon and it feels pushy. Send too late and they’ve moved on. Here’s the sequence we typically use:

Email 1

4 hours

A friendly, personalised reminder of what they left behind.

Email 2

20 hours

Build trust with reviews and social proof.

Email 3

36 hours

Sweeten the deal with a discount or free shipping.

Put these tips to work and you’ll recover lost sales and turn abandoned carts into money in the bank.

Want an abandoned cart sequence set up for your online shop?

Talk to Rushton Marketing

Frequently Asked Questions About Abandoned Cart Emails

What is an abandoned cart email?

An abandoned cart email is an automated email sent to shoppers who added products to their cart but left without buying. It reminds them what they left behind and encourages them to come back and finish their purchase.

How many abandoned cart emails should I send?

A sequence of three works well: a friendly reminder, a follow-up with reviews and social proof, and a final email with a discount or free shipping offer.

When should I send abandoned cart emails?

We typically send the first email 4 hours after the cart is abandoned, the second at 20 hours and the third at 36 hours. Too soon feels pushy, and too late means they’ve moved on.

Should I offer a discount in abandoned cart emails?

A small incentive can help, but don’t offer it straight away. Save it for the second or third email so shoppers who were always going to buy don’t get a discount they didn’t need.

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Ashleigh Rushton

6 October 2026