On this page (7 sections)
Abandoned cart emails are the reminders a store sends when someone adds a product to their cart, starts checkout and leaves without buying. The best abandoned cart email examples are short and helpful rather than pushy: they remind the shopper what they picked, answer the worry that probably stopped them, and make it one click to finish.
Below is a three-email sequence you can adapt, subject lines for each, and the timing I’d start with. First, though, the part many stores skip: the reasons people leave, because the fix for some of them isn’t an email at all.
Key takeaways
- About seven in ten online carts are abandoned. Baymard Institute’s average across 50 studies (its list as I read it in October 2026) is 70.22%, and some of those carts are just browsing (Baymard).
- In Baymard’s survey of US online shoppers, the top reason, once you remove people who were only browsing, is extra costs such as shipping, tax and fees, at 40% of the remaining shoppers.
- Send three emails: a reminder within hours, a worry-answering email the next day, and a last nudge two or three days later. Fix the checkout too.
Why people abandon carts
Baymard surveys online shoppers about why they left a checkout. About four in ten US online shoppers (42%) say they were just browsing. Those people were never going to buy that day. Among everyone else, these are the reasons (Baymard Institute):
| Reason for leaving | Share of shoppers |
|---|---|
| Extra costs too high (shipping, tax, fees) | 40% |
| Delivery was too slow | 20% |
| Didn’t trust the site with card details | 19% |
| Site wanted them to create an account | 18% |
| Checkout too long or complicated | 17% |
| Website errors or crashes | 17% |
| Returns policy wasn’t good enough | 13% |
| Couldn’t see the total cost up front | 12% |
| Credit card was declined | 10% |
| Not enough payment methods | 9% |
Shoppers could pick more than one reason, so the column doesn’t add up to 100. Baymard also estimates that the average large ecommerce site (it tested sites in the US and EU) could lift its conversion rate by 35.26% through better checkout design alone. That’s Baymard’s estimate for large sites, not a promise for a small store.
Look at that list again and notice how many are site problems. A surprise shipping charge, a forced account, a confusing form. No email fixes those. So do both: fix what you can in the checkout, and use emails to bring back the people who simply got interrupted.
The three-email sequence
- Cart leftShopper leaves at checkout
- Email 1, 1 to 4 hoursSimple reminder, product photo
- Email 2, next dayAnswer the common worries
- Email 3, day 3Last nudge, optional offer
Email 1: the reminder (1 to 4 hours later)
Keep this one plain. Many shoppers were interrupted, not unsure.
Subject: You left something in your cart
Hi [name], your [product] is still in your cart. We’ve saved it for you.
[Product photo, name, price]
[Button: Finish your order]
Questions? Just reply to this email and a real person will answer.
Subject line options: “Still thinking it over?” · “Your cart is saved” · “Did something go wrong at checkout?”
Email 2: answer the worry (next day)
Use the reasons table. Pick the two or three that apply to your store and answer them directly.
Subject: A few quick answers before you decide
Hi [name], a few things people usually ask before they order:
- Shipping: [cost and delivery time, stated plainly].
- Returns: [your policy in one line].
- Payment: [the payment methods you accept].
[Product photo] [Button: Back to your cart]
Subject line options: “Shipping, returns and other questions” · “Here’s what to expect when you order”
Email 3: the last nudge (day 2 or 3)
This is where an offer can go if you use one. Many stores don’t need it. Reviews from real customers, a size guide or a low-stock note (only if it’s true) can do the same job.
Subject: Last reminder about your cart
Hi [name], this is the last email about your cart. If [product] isn’t right for you, no problem. If it is, it’s still here: [button].
[Optional: a genuine offer with a clear end date.]
Subject line options: “Last reminder about your cart” · “Still interested in [product]?”
What makes a good abandoned cart email
| Element | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Product photo and name | Reminds them what they chose, fast |
| One clear button | One call to action, back to the same cart |
| Shipping and total cost | The top reason for leaving is surprise costs |
| A real reply address | Builds trust and catches questions you didn’t think of |
| Business details and unsubscribe | Required in Canada, and good manners anywhere |
An example, so you can picture it
This is an illustration, not a client story.
A small online store selling kitchen knives sends one abandoned cart email with a discount code, an hour after the cart is left. Sales come back, but so does a habit: regular customers start leaving carts on purpose to get the code. The store switches to the three-email sequence above, puts shipping costs on the product page instead of at the last checkout step, and only offers a discount in email 3 for first-time buyers. The emails now remind people instead of training them.
Common mistakes
- Leading with a discount. It trains shoppers to wait. Start with a reminder.
- Hiding the total. If shipping is the surprise, the email should state it, and so should the product page.
- Sending too many. Three is plenty for one cart.
- No consent. In Canada, you need consent to send commercial email, and every message needs your details and a working unsubscribe (CASL, s. 6, s. 10 and s. 11). An opt-in at the checkout email field is the simplest route. See the CASL compliance checklist. This isn’t legal advice.
- Emailing to fix a site problem. If people leave because the checkout breaks on phones, fix the checkout. The Shopify store not getting sales post walks through what to check.
Where this fits
Abandoned carts are one part of follow-up. The same idea, a fast and useful reminder, applies to service enquiries too, which I cover in lead follow-up emails. If you’d like someone to look at your checkout, emails and ads together, the Growth Diagnostic does that, or book a call to start.
Sources
- Baymard Institute. “Cart & Checkout Abandonment Rate Statistics.” baymard.com
- Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (S.C. 2010, c. 23), sections 6, 10 and 11. Justice Laws Website
Questions people ask
How many abandoned cart emails should you send?
Three is a sensible start: one within a few hours, one the next day, and one about two or three days later. More than that tends to feel like nagging, and the people who were going to come back usually have by then.
When should the first abandoned cart email go out?
Within a few hours, while the shopper still remembers the product. Many store platforms let you set the delay. Start with one to four hours and test from there.
Should abandoned cart emails include a discount?
Not in the first email. If every abandoned cart gets a discount, some shoppers learn to abandon on purpose. Lead with a reminder and answers to common worries, and keep any offer for the last email, if at all.
What is the average cart abandonment rate?
Baymard Institute's average across 50 studies is 70.22%. That means roughly seven in ten carts are left before the order is placed, which is why both the checkout and the follow-up emails matter.
Can I send abandoned cart emails in Canada?
Only to people you have consent to email under CASL. The simplest route is a clear opt-in at the email field in checkout. Every message also needs your business details and a working unsubscribe. This isn't legal advice.