The dreaded abandoned cart… We’ve all been there, watching as would-be customers fill up their baskets, only to vanish into the digital night. So why do they disappear, and—more importantly—how can you bring them back?
It’s important for you to identify the main reasons why people abandon their carts and then create a plan for abandoned cart recovery. Easier said than done! There are so many things that could influence a user’s decision to abandon their cart, from the style of the page to the loading times, or they may just change their mind.
Why do potential customers abandon their carts? Here are some top reasons:
Unexpected shipping costs – Hit them with an unexpected fee at the last second, and you will lose them. Be upfront about shipping costs! Better yet, offer free shipping over a certain amount, and let them know through the process how far they are from that goal.
Price comparisons – If they find a better price somewhere else, they might just jump ship. Keep an eye on the competition!
Change of mind – Sometimes they just have a change of heart. It happens, but we can work around it!
Limited payment options – If your store doesn’t offer their favourite way to pay, they might walk away. Make sure you cover all the bases!
Overly complicated checkout – Nobody wants to go through a 10-step obstacle course just to buy a candle. Simplify, simplify, simplify.
Slow loading pages – A slow-loading site can really mess with your customers’ patience and trust. Make sure you use good hosting and the site is optimised.
The Solution? Abandoned Cart Recovery Plugins!
If you’re using WooCommerce, there are loads of plugins out there designed to help you woo back those lost shoppers with follow-up emails and recovery tactics. The right plugin can work wonders on your cart abandonment rate and make a serious dent in those lost sales.
There are several plugins that you can use to track visitors who abandon carts and then send them recovery emails.
A solid cart recovery plugin is like your e-commerce wingman, helping you bring back those would-be buyers who got cold feet at the last second. Here’s what separates the best plugins from the mediocre ones:
1. Automated & Customisable Emails
- Why it’s important: If you’re relying on manually chasing up abandoned carts, you’ll never keep up! A good plugin will automatically trigger a series of recovery emails after a cart is abandoned—think of it like a friendly nudge to remind shoppers they left something behind.
- Bonus points for: The ability to customise these emails. You want to be able to add your brand’s personality, a bit of cheeky copy, and maybe even a discount code to sweeten the deal!
2. Personalisation Options
- Why it’s important: Generic emails are easy to ignore. Personalisation—like using the customer’s name, or showing the exact items they left in their cart—helps the email stand out and feel more relevant.
- Bonus points for: Including images of the abandoned items, dynamic pricing if a discount is applied, or recommendations for similar products. The more personal, the better!
3. Discount & Coupon Integration
- Why it’s important: Sometimes, a little incentive is all it takes to win a customer back. A good cart recovery plugin lets you easily add a limited-time discount code or special offer to your recovery emails.
- Bonus points for: Being able to set rules around discounts, like “10% off if the cart is over £50” or “Free shipping if they return within 24 hours.” You don’t want to give discounts away willy-nilly!
4. Exit-Intent Pop-Ups
- Why it’s important: Some plugins include pop-up features that appear before the customer even leaves the site, usually when they hover towards the close button or navigate away. This can be a last-minute reminder or offer that might keep them on the page.
- Bonus points for: Pop-ups that are smart enough not to show up on every single page—otherwise, it just becomes annoying!
5. Tracking & Reporting
- Why it’s important: You can’t improve what you don’t measure. A quality plugin will have reporting features that tell you how many carts were recovered, how much revenue was saved, and the conversion rate of your recovery emails.
- Bonus points for: Detailed analytics that let you see which email in your sequence works best, how long it takes for people to come back, and other insights to fine-tune your recovery game.
6. Multi-Channel Support
- Why it’s important: Not everyone responds to emails! Some plugins offer recovery messages via SMS, push notifications, or even Facebook Messenger. This lets you reach customers in the way they’re most likely to engage with.
- Bonus points for: Being able to choose which channels to activate for each customer, depending on their past behaviour. Personalised communication is the name of the game!
7. GDPR/POPIA Compliance
- Why it’s important: Data protection regulations (like GDPR) mean that you need to handle customer data responsibly. A compliant plugin will offer easy ways to let customers opt out of messages and will keep their data secure.
- Bonus points for: Built-in consent mechanisms, so you can be sure that you’re only targeting people who’ve agreed to receive reminders.
8. Price—Is It Worth It?
- Why it’s important: Like any tool, you need to weigh the price against the potential return on investment. Some plugins are free with basic features, while others have monthly fees for more advanced functionality. Consider what you actually need and choose a plugin that gives the best bang for your buck.
- Bonus points for: A free trial or money-back guarantee, so you can test it out and make sure it actually works for you before committing.
With a plugin that ticks these boxes, you’ll be in a much stronger position to tackle those abandoned carts. And once you start seeing those “recovered sales” notifications, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it!
