E-Commerce

How to Stop Abandoned Carts on Shopify [2024]

Most - if not all - e-commerce store owners are sadly familiar with cart abandonment - when a customer adds items to their shopping cart but...

How to Stop Abandoned Carts on Shopify [2024]

M​​ost - if not all - Shopify store owners are sadly familiar with abandoned carts - when a customer adds items to their shopping cart but then exits your store without completing the purchase.

Although seeing a potential client leaving empty-handed can be heart-wrenching, it’s not personal -  almost 70% of online carts are abandoned and cart abandonment costs e-commerce companies $18 billion annually.

So what can you do?

In this post, we're going to discuss:

  • What causes abandoned carts on Shopify
  • How to save abandoned carts for more sales and revenue
  • The must-have tool all Shopify store owners need to prevent abandoned carts

Let’s dive in.

What causes abandoned carts on Shopify

What causes abandoned carts on Shopify

Multiple factors cause abandoned carts on Shopify - some in your control, others that aren’t.

For example, you can control your shipping costs, but you can’t control visitor intent. Some visitors just come to browse, using the cart as a listmaker or saving products to view later.

In the UK, 31% of shoppers come back to the same website at a later date to complete a transaction.

Most of the time, abandoned carts are caused by issues in the user experience. Clunky websites, unexpected costs, and lack of detail all create a negative customer experience, making it more likely they’ll grow frustrated and leave.

Let’s take a look at 3 common causes of Shopify abandoned carts.

1. Extra costs are too high

‍For almost half (48%) of online customers, extra costs (like shipping, taxes and fees) are the main reason they abandon their cart.

These costs can add up pretty quickly, turning a sweet deal into a bad purchasing decision. Unsurprisingly, free delivery is the leading reason for buying a product online, followed closely by coupons and discounts.

The solution

Be transparent and clarify which costs are involved - 16% of customers abandon carts because they can’t calculate how much money will actually go into their purchase.

If possible, offer free or discounted delivery. It’s the top incentive to shop online, and 93% of online buyers are encouraged to buy more products if free shipping options are available, whereas 58% of consumers add more items to their cart to qualify for free shipping.

Have they left already? A cheeky push notification offering free shipping or a discount code might instantly bring back the almost-lost customer.

2. Customers need to create an account

‍Shoppers want their buying experience to be easy, smooth and seamless. For 1 out of 4 potential customers, it’s bye-bye if they're asked to create an account.

The solution

Offer a guest or express checkout option for faster, smoother experiences. A first-time buyer might think it’s too much to sign up for an account on their first purchase, so forcing them into it will only push them away.

3. Complicated checkout processes

17% of customers will abandon orders because of a too-long or complicated checkout process.

According to Baymard Institute, the average checkout contains 11.8 form fields, but they also found that most sites only need 8 form fields in total for a checkout flow.

The solution

Shopify stores can gain a 35.26% increase in conversion rate through better checkout design. Streamline your checkout process by removing any unnecessary steps. Offer a more straightforward form, only requesting essential information from the customer. For example, do you really need to know their middle name? Less clutter on customers' part leads to more satisfaction from them checking out quickly.

Final Thoughts on Shopify Abandoned Carts

Final Thoughts

With the right approach and our helpful tips, you can keep those potential shoppers from leaving – and increase your revenue in the process.

Understanding what makes people tick can make your customers happy throughout their shopping experience.

‍By implementing just a few changes you can help ensure that more of your customers complete their purchases and become loyal brand advocates.

‍Shopify Abandoned Cart FAQ

‍Shopify Abandoned Cart FAQ

What is the best way to reduce abandoned carts on Shopify?

The best way to reduce abandoned carts on Shopify is through mobile push notifications.

Automatic abandoned cart push notifications entice lost users to return to their baskets and checkout.

Mobile push notifications can be sent through mobile apps, which convert 3x better than mobile websites and drive a 10% higher average order value.

You can build your own mobile app with a no-code Shopify mobile app builder, allowing you to easily create a fully functional Apple and Android mobile app for your Shopify store.

What are the most common reasons for abandoned carts?

According to research by the Baymard Institute, these are the most common reasons for customers abandoning their carts:

  • 48% - Extra costs too high (shipping, tax, fees)
  • 24% - The site wanted me to create an account
  • 22% - Delivery was too slow
  • 18% - I didn’t trust the site with my credit card information
  • 17% - Too long/complicated checkout process
  • 16% - I couldn’t see/calculate total order cost up-front
  • 13% - Website had errors/crashed
  • 12% - Returns policy wasn’t satisfactory
  • 9% - There weren’t enough payment methods
  • 4% - The credit card was declined

Find out more ways to reduce abandoned carts on Shopify.

How do I find my cart abandonment rate on Shopify?

To find your abandoned carts, go to ‘orders’ on your left-hand menu of the Shopify admin and then select ‘abandoned checkouts’.

To calculate your cart abandonment rate, find the number of sessions where a user has added an item to their cart as well as the number of sessions where a user converted.

Now, input both of those numbers into the formula below.

[(No. of add to cart sessions - no. of converted sessions) / no. of add to cart sessions] * 100

Case Study Brand MDS
Launch your Shopify mobile app in just 2 weeks (for free)

Skyrocket your Shopify sales with a no-code Apple & Android mobile app. Available now on the Shopify app store.

Looking for more?

Sign up to our newsletter to receive expert tips, industry insights, and important news direct to your inbox.

We put privacy first and will only contact you with relevant content. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information, check out our privacy policy.

Newsletter