A Guide to WooCommerce Cart Abandonment Recovery

Barbara Bartucz
July 23, 2024
Conversion
6 min read

Is cart abandonment draining your WooCommerce store’s profits? We get it, it’s pretty frustrating.

Customers often fill their carts with excitement, only to vanish before checkout.

In this article, we’ll uncover the main culprits behind abandoned carts and equip you with 9 powerful WooCommerce cart recovery strategies. Let’s dive in!

What are the main reasons for abandoned carts?

Few things hurt more than lost sales, but what’s really behind those abandoned carts? Let’s explore the reasons people ditch their carts.

1. Unexpected costs

Hidden costs (shipping costs, taxes, fees) can be a major turn-off. When customers see unexpected charges during checkout, they’re likely to abandon their carts.

2. Complicated checkout process

A multi-step, cumbersome checkout process can deter customers. Simplifying the checkout page can help keep them engaged.

3. Mandatory account creation

Forcing users to create an account before purchasing can lead to drop-offs. Offering a guest checkout option can reduce abandonment rates.

4. Concerns about payment security

Trust issues with payment methods can prevent customers from completing their purchase. Displaying security badges and trust signals can reassure them.

5. Lack of payment options

Limited payment methods can be a deal-breaker. Providing a variety of payment options can cater to different customer preferences.

6. Slow website loading times

Slow ecommerce sites can frustrate users. Ensuring your website loads quickly can enhance the user experience and reduce cart abandonment.

7. Unclear return policies

Vague or hidden return policies can cause uncertainty. Clearly communicating your return and refund policies can build customer confidence.

8. Limited shipping options or delivery times

Restrictive shipping options can lead customers to shop elsewhere. Offering a range of shipping choices can help keep them on your site.

9. Comparison shopping

Customers often abandon carts to compare prices on other sites. Competitive pricing and value propositions can help retain customers.

10. Distractions or change of mind

Sometimes, life happens, and customers get distracted. Reminding them about their abandoned carts through follow up emails or ads can bring them back.

9 WooCommerce abandoned cart strategies

We’ve broken down the reasons behind cart abandonment. Now it’s time to check out some proven WooCommerce abandoned cart recovery strategies.

1. Simplify the checkout process

Streamlining your checkout process can make a big difference. Requiring customers to create an account can be a barrier to purchase, so offering a guest checkout option can be a good idea. This removes the obstacle and speeds up the process for potential customers.

Use technology to automatically fill in customer details during checkout, which significantly shortens the process.

You also want to minimize the steps of the checkout process. If possible, aim for a single-page checkout, where customers can enter their information and review their order all in one place.

2. Transparent pricing

Be upfront about all costs from the start. Display shipping fees, taxes, and any additional costs early in the checkout process to avoid surprises.

For example, Gymshark promotes its free shipping threshold on the homepage, encouraging customers to meet the minimum spend.

You can display free shipping bars throughout the customer journey to remind shoppers of your free shipping threshold. This can also help increase your average order value.

3. Use cart abandonment popups

Implement exit-intent popups to recapture customers’ interest before they leave. These popups can offer discount coupons or special deals to entice customers to complete their purchase.

You can also encourage customers to enter their email addresses in exchange for the coupon code so you can follow up with them later.

By tailoring your popup messages based on user behavior and cart contents, you can make them even more effective.

Set up your own cart abandonment popups in just a few minutes with these templates:

4. Increase urgency with a countdown timer

Recover abandoned carts by implementing countdown timers on your exit popups.

A countdown timer taps into the psychological principle of urgency, which can significantly influence buying behavior.

When customers see that a special offer or discount is available only for a limited time, they’re more likely to act quickly to avoid missing out. This sense of urgency can be the nudge they need to complete their purchase, turning a lost sale into a conversion.

Try these popup templates that offer a limited-time discount coupon for cart abandoners:

5. Improve website performance

We all know how frustrating it can be to navigate a slow website… so make sure yours doesn’t put people through that!

A fast-loading website can both enhance the user experience and reduce cart abandonment.

Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to identify areas for improvement. Ensure your site is fully responsive and works seamlessly on all devices.

6. Build trust with customers

Ecommerce store owners know how important it is to build trust.

You want to make sure your ecommerce store displays prominent trust signals on your site.

Here’s an example from BOOM By Cindy Joseph, where they highlight their money-back guarantee on product pages.

Testimonials and reviews are also powerful tools for building customer trust.

For instance, Vegetology boosted their conversion rate by 6% by placing a testimonial in the above-the-fold section of their product pages.

7. Offer multiple payment options

When it comes to payment methods, we all prefer something different. Some like to pay with credit cards, others prefer PayPal, and so on.

Ensure you accept all major credit cards and PayPal. Include newer payment options like Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) services to give customers even more flexibility.

Offer local payment methods that are popular in different regions to cater to international customers.

8. Use retargeting emails

Abandoned cart recovery emails are popular for a reason: they work.

Moosend reports that cart abandonment emails have a 45% open rate and a 21% click-through rate. An impressive 50% of those who click through complete their purchase, resulting in a 10.5% sales lift.

Send email reminders for abandoned carts to bring customers back. You can create multiple email templates for different stages of the recovery process.

Personalize these emails with offers and discounts to lure customers back using their name and mentioning the items they left behind.

Timing matters—send the first email within an hour of abandonment, with follow-ups over the next few days, including a recovery link to direct users back to their abandoned cart.

Jack Wills is a great example of using abandoned cart recovery emails effectively:

9. Use remarketing ads

Use social media retargeting ads to remind customers about their abandoned carts. Include personalized offers and discounts in these ads to entice customers to return and complete their purchases.

Engage customers on multiple platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Google to ensure you reach them wherever they spend their time.

Dynamic ads that display the exact products customers left in their cart can make these ads more relevant and compelling.

3 WooCommerce cart abandonment recovery plugins

OK, you’ve got the knowledge—now all that’s missing is a great abandoned cart plugin!

We’ve gathered three powerful tools to help you tackle those abandoned shopping carts with ease.

Get ready to boost your conversions!

1. OptiMonk

OptiMonk is an all-in-one conversion rate optimization tool that offers popups, website personalization, and A/B testing.

When a customer is about to leave your site without completing their purchase, OptiMonk’s popups can intervene at the right moment with compelling offers and messages to encourage them to complete their transaction.

These abandoned cart recovery popups can help you capture email addresses in exchange for coupon codes:

Or display relevant product recommendations based on user behavior:

Or you can simply remind customers about the products they left in their cart. This powerful feature helps reduce cart abandonment and increase conversions.

This fantastic plugin integrates seamlessly with WooCommerce, making it a valuable addition to your ecommerce toolkit.

You can get started with OptiMonk’s cart abandonment popups for free:

2. WooCommerce Cart Abandonment Recovery Plugin

The WooCommerce Cart Abandonment Recovery Plugin integrates easily with WooCommerce and offers features like automated abandoned cart emails and detailed analytics.

Automated emails remind customers about their abandoned carts, and personalized offers and discounts entice them to complete their purchases.

Additionally, users can add and customize multiple recovery email templates, allowing them to send emails manually or schedule them to send automatically.

This WooCommerce plugin provides various pricing plans to suit different business needs, making it suitable for businesses of all sizes.

3. Retainful

Retainful focuses on automated email sequences to recover abandoned carts and offers referral incentives to encourage new business.

It sends personalized abandoned cart emails to customers, using customizable email templates to prompt them to complete their purchases.

The seamless WooCommerce integration ensures smooth operation, and its dual-purpose approach helps both recover lost sales and attract new customers.

FAQ

What’s the average cart abandonment rate?

The average cart abandonment rate varies by industry, but it generally hovers around 66%. This means there’s significant potential for recovery with the right strategies.

Where do I find cart abandonment email templates?

Many email marketing platforms offer built-in cart recovery email templates, making it easy to find and use a suitable email template for your needs. These templates often include a unique coupon code to entice shoppers to complete their purchase. You can also find free templates online or create your own based on best practices.

How can I improve my checkout page?

Simplify the process, ensure transparency in pricing, offer guest checkout, and provide multiple payment options. Also, remember to optimize your checkout page for speed and mobile responsiveness.

How can I check abandoned carts in my WooCommerce store?

Many abandoned cart recovery plugins for WooCommerce provide a dedicated section in your WordPress website admin panel to view abandoned carts. This section typically displays details like customer information (if available), cart contents, and how long the cart has been abandoned.

How to track abandoned carts?

Abandoned cart tracking is crucial for understanding why customers leave before completing a purchase and for implementing effective cart recovery strategies. Most ecommerce platforms, like WooCommerce, Shopify, and Magento, offer built-in analytics tools that allow you to monitor cart abandonment.

These tools typically provide reports on cart abandonment, including the number of abandoned carts, the total value of abandoned items, and customer behavior leading up to cart abandonment.

Wrapping up

Recovering abandoned carts is a game-changer for your WooCommerce store’s revenue.

By digging into why customers abandon carts and using the strategies and tools we’ve covered, you can slash those abandonment rates and see a real boost in sales.

Each improvement you make to the shopping experience brings you one step closer to turning more visitors into loyal customers.

Get ready to watch your sales soar. Happy selling!

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Written by

Barbara Bartucz

Barbara is a Content Marketer at OptiMonk. She takes pride in creating different forms of content, whether it’s an article, a video, or an e-book.

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