Turn Abandoned Carts into Sales

Every year, businesses lose a staggering $4.6 trillion to abandoned carts and more than 70% of online shopping carts are abandoned before the customer completes a sale.

Imagine if you could reclaim even a fraction of that—how would it impact your bottom line?

Here’s the truth: Customers abandon carts for countless reasons—unexpected costs, distractions, or simply forgetting. But the brands that win? They send strategic abandoned cart emails that remind, persuade, and convert.

A well-crafted email can recover up to 30% of lost sales, but only if you do it right. Timing, personalization, and persuasive copy are key.

🔹 What works? Personalized subject lines, scarcity tactics, and irresistible incentives. 🔹 What doesn’t? Generic reminders with no urgency or value.

Let’s get the best email strategies that work for abandoned cart.

Best abandoned cart email examples

1. Casper

Subject line: Did you forget something?

Casper sends cart abandonment emails after you leave anything behind on its website. The subject line, “Did you forget something?” piques buyer interest and makes them click. Once opened, the email uses the playful, catchy headline “COME BACK TO BED” to draw buyers in.

Casper keeps its emails clean and easy to read, featuring a clear CTA that guides users back to checkout. It also highlights testimonials to showcase product value, with an option to explore more reviews.

2. Rudy’s

Subject line: Don’t let free shipping go to waste

Rudy's sends a funny email follow-up as a part of its cart abandonment campaigns. The headline “Don't put this off like a software update” is relatable. Most of its customers will know, if you don't update your software, it can fail. The idea is that you don't want bad things to happen if you skip buying your selected items.

Rudy's also includes images of the products left behind and offers free shipping as a last-ditch effort to motivate customers to complete their purchase.

3. Whisky Loot by Liquor Loot

Subject line: Your cart is sobering up

Whisky Loot’s cart reminder is a witty take on abandoned cart emails. When a shopper leaves a subscription box, they get a message with the subject “Your cart is sobering up.” It’s clever and unique, boosting open and conversion rates, showing how humor can enhance your strategy.

The email starts with a question, then humorously lists ways to enjoy the whisky, making readers laugh and picture themselves using it. Whisky Loot wraps up with an FAQ and a bold CTA: “TREAT YOURSELF.”

4. Nomad

Subject line: Nomad Gear is Selling Out Quick

Nomad 's abandoned cart email is another great example. The subject line gives viewers a fear of missing out (FOMO) feeling to get them to click. The imagery is on brand, supported by playful copy, but also explains how viewers can recover their cart.

The email also addresses a common pain point. Under the section “Afraid to Make The Leap?” the copy comforts readers by explaining Nomad's return policy and two-year warranty. This offer also adds credibility to the email, showing that the brand stands behind its products.

5. Dollar Shave Club

Subject line: Where did you go?

Dollar Shave Club is known for its witty and personable marketing campaigns, and its abandoned cart email series is no different. The subject line is short and gives readers a reason to explore it further.

Abandoned Cart Email Best Practices

1. Timing Matters – Send the first email within an hour for the best conversion rates, followed by a three-part sequence (1 hour, 1 day, 3 days).

2. Use Incentives Wisely – Offer a discount or free shipping to recover hesitant shoppers, but balance it to avoid cutting into profits.

3. Leverage Social Proof – Include customer reviews to build trust and reassure buyers about their abandoned items.

4. Create Urgency – Reserve items for a limited time to tap into scarcity psychology and encourage immediate action.

Tools for Abandoned Cart Recovery

1. Klaviyo – AI-driven email automation with advanced segmentation and pre-built abandoned cart flows.

2. Omnisend – Multi-channel automation covering email, SMS, and push notifications for cart recovery.

3. Shopify Email – Native Shopify tool for setting up automated abandoned cart emails easily.

4. Drip – Personalization and behavioral targeting for eCommerce cart recovery.

5. Rejoiner – Data-driven email marketing platform focused on abandoned cart recovery optimization.

6. Recart – Messenger-based cart recovery using Facebook and SMS.

7. CartStack – Recovers abandoned carts via email, SMS, and push notifications with real-time tracking.

8. Privy – Popups, exit-intent, and cart abandonment emails to reduce lost sales.

That’s a wrap for today! GrowthCart is developing an AI-powered tools to automate ad optimization, content creation, and customer insights—helping marketers boost efficiency and drive revenue.

Stay tuned for more insights. 🚀