The dreaded abandoned cart plagues even the best eCommerce experts on the planet. But, luckily for you, we have the abandoned cart email.
Wait, you’re not using it? Are you crazy?!
Having effective cart abandonment emails is like having a salesperson chase people down the street until they come back and buy something.
In this article, we’ll show you some examples of the best abandoned cart emails you can use. And some of the methodology behind why it works so well.
Why Use Abandoned Cart Emails?
Statistics show that 75-85% of shoppers will abandon their cart. Can you imagine if that happened in actual stores? 8 out of 10 people in the store just fill their cart full of stuff and abandon it in the middle of the store.
That would seem crazy, right?
But, it’s actually happening online every day. There are incredible opportunities for eCommerce store owners who know what they’re doing here. But they must be willing to take the extra step to bring these customers back to their cart.
Many online stores aren’t doing this, so it’s one more thing that you can do to give yourself an advantage over your competition.
If nearly 8 out of 10 shoppers are leaving their carts behind, what are they doing when they do that? Maybe they’re consulting a spouse or partner about the purchase. Perhaps they got sidetracked with kids or something else.
Regardless of the reason, they originally wanted to make that purchase. Now you need to be the one to drive them back. So they can make it happen this time around.
It’s essential that you have a systematic process for handling cart abandonment. Otherwise, you’re basically telling your customers to leave their stuff behind and go shop somewhere else.
Let’s take a look at some of the best cart abandonment email examples so you can see firsthand what everyone else is doing.
1. ASOS
What looks great:
- The email is simple and clean
- A lot of straight lines
- Includes a picture of the item the customer left behind
- It also has a few reminders at the bottom
What could use improvement:
- Possibly make the CTA button stand out more
We love this email, and that’s why we chose it first. It checks all the boxes by telling the user not to forget about the product they left behind. And they add a bit of scarcity to the email by telling them to get it before it's gone.
It’s great that they include an actual photo of the product itself. Then they remind the user that they offer free delivery and easy returns to incentivize them to go through with the purchase.
They could possibly make the CTA button a bit more eye-catching, but it plays into the overall clean design of the email. So that’s being super nit-picky and may not be necessary.
2. Barkbox
What looks great:
- Has a fun little GIF
- Reminds the user what they ordered
- Cute and fun pet copy
What could use improvement:
- They aren’t using the actual purchase in the GIF
Once again, a super solid email that would need extreme nit-picking to find anything wrong. They tell the user to show their dog some love and complete the order before the cart expires.
The call to action button stands out in a different color. And they feature a cute GIF of a dog excited to open their Barkbox.
Below they also remind the user what they ordered and some of the perks of doing business with Barbox. It’s a great cart abandonment email that could only get improved by them showing the contents of their box in the GIF.
3. Dollar Shave Club
What looks great:
- Cute and interesting photo
- Relaxed copy
- They show personality
- Testimonials at the bottom
What could use improvement:
- Could use another CTA button
Dollar Shave Club is the King of fun and new-aged marketing. Their cart abandonment email example runs with the same strategy. They have this cute bear at the top that likes new friends but won’t get any unless you join the club.
It’s the kind of fun and entertaining marketing that is true to their brand, and it’s what makes people love them so much.
They go a step further by including testimonials in their email, which is always a solid choice. If you're on the fence about whether these razors were necessary for your life, you might read those testimonials and think twice.
4. Think Geek
What looks great:
- They use a lot of personality
- They appeal to their niche audience
- Offering other alternatives
What could use improvement:
- No CTA button
- The email doesn’t look that great
Here’s an opportunity for you to take the methodology of one company and improve on their email that already works. This company speaks its user's language and even personalizes it based on the product they bought.
The problem is the CTA is extremely unclear, and the email itself doesn’t look that great. Overall, it’s still one of the best cart abandonment email examples, so take it and use it for yourself.
5. SugarBearHair
What looks great:
- Cute graphic
- Bright colors
- They saved all your purchases
- We like the “complete checkout” button
What could use improvement:
- Since it’s a supplement company, they need social proof
- No urgency
This email does a lot of things right by appealing to a niche audience again. They use a lot of bright colors and things that stand out in your inbox, which is super important.
I like that they show the product in the cart, the total cost, and have a bright checkout button at the bottom. This makes the process seem easy again.
Since it’s a supplement company, I would recommend that they include testimonials or social proof of some kind. Even a button that says something like “10 people bought this today!” or something along those lines.
6. Google Store
What looks great:
- They provide a bit of FOMO to the email
- There are multiple customer service options
- It’s simple, clean, and to the point
What could use improvement:
- There isn’t really a call to action
We love the headline on this email because it shows the reader that the product they want is in high demand. That feeling of scarcity and FOMO is what motivates people to buy something right away.
It’s also nice that they offer two different ways to contact customer service at the bottom. If there is a question that is holding them back this acts as reassurance. Overall, the email is super clean, it looks nice, and it’s Google, so they’ve got that trust built-in.
7. Amazon
What looks great:
- Simple and straightforward
- Includes a photo of the actual product
- Provides a link to the cart
What could use improvement:
- The email doesn’t look that great
- There isn’t an actual CTA
- No scarcity either
We wanted to provide you with a so-so email to give you an idea of what we’re looking for and what we’re not. So far, we’ve covered a lot of emails that have done it perfectly. Amazon leaves a lot of room for improvement here.
First, the email doesn’t look that great. You’re hit with all these irrelevant links that have nothing to do with the email itself. There isn’t a call to action, and there is no scarcity or time sensitivity involved in this email. It’s more so a simple reminder that you’ve abandoned your cart, and you should head back to it.
There are many elements they could add to this email to improve it. But hey, it’s Amazon, so it must be working pretty well, right?
<insert Jeff Bezos mean I do what I want>
8. Whiskey Loot
What looks great:
- The email looks amazing
- Exceptional copywriting
- Clear CTA
- FAQ section
What could use improvement:
- Only one CTA button
This might be one of the best cart abandonment email examples of all time. The email looks super-refined, it’s professional, but at the same time, it does what you would want it to do. It gets people to go back into their cart and make that purchase.
It’s great that they use a small FAQ section at the bottom. This is to address any objections the user might have in the back of their mind. So if they don’t feel like going through the customer service process, these questions are great.
At the top, they also discuss all the things you can do with this product to try and make the user want it more. Finally, they include a really high-quality photo in the middle to show the user what they’re missing out on. They could’ve thrown in another CTA button, but overall, this is an exceptional email.
9. Dyson
What looks great:
- They make themselves look helpful in the copy
- Image of the product
- Urgency included
- Two CTA buttons
What could use improvement:
- Can’t really think of anything
Here is a great example of how everyone should have abandoned cart emails. It’s perfect, and we’ll tell you why.
First, they show a picture of the actual product, which makes the email feel personalized and catered to them. Second, they tell you that the product is saved in the cart but only for a limited time. This vacuum is an expensive purchase, so the individual might have had to consult a spouse or someone else before making that purchase.
The sense of urgency they’re creating is great, and they even provide you with four reasons why you should shop at Dyson. The email copy is clean, the overall design is beautiful, and they check all the boxes.
10. Virgin Atlantic
What looks great:
- Making the user feel something
- Keeping it personal
- Takes away all roadblocks
What could use improvement:
- Could use an FAQ section
- No customer service info
This email is another great example - this time from Virgin Atlantic. They keep it personal by addressing the person by their name and telling them that they’re really close to taking a trip somewhere.
You never know, maybe this person is about to travel somewhere amazing. And all they need to do is hit that final checkout button to put a big X over something on their bucket list. In this case, you want to make the user feel something, and Virgin does a great job of doing that here.
The email copy is super clean, straightforward, and helpful. They provide the full summary of what the user is getting, so they can review it, which eliminates all the roadblocks of uncertainty.
If they included an FAQ section or something that provides the user with more information that might be helpful. They don’t provide a way to contact customer support or receive any form of help with anything either, which could be improved.
Final Thoughts
Having the best cart abandonment email examples is only the beginning, you need to now take what you’ve learned and apply it. Take some of these emails, and if you find one in your niche, use it with some tweaks and enjoy watching your revenue climb.
Even if you don’t see an email on this list that’s in your niche. You can still take their examples, use them as a template, and build on it from there.
Remember, there are customers out there right now who’ve decided to make a purchase from you but got distracted in some way. Go get ‘em!