How to reduce cart abandonment on your online store
Why shoppers leave items in their cart, and practical fixes you can make today: show costs early, add trust, simplify checkout and follow up the right way.
Most carts are abandoned because something surprises or worries the shopper at the last step: extra costs that only appear at checkout, a forced account, a long form, doubts about delivery or returns, or a slow or broken mobile checkout. Reduce abandonment by showing shipping costs early, offering guest checkout and express payment, making delivery and returns clear next to the buy button, and sending a helpful reminder email to shoppers who leave.
- Surprise costs at checkout are one of the most common reasons for abandonment. Show shipping early.
- Let people check out as a guest, and offer express payment like Shop Pay, Apple Pay or PayPal.
- Answer delivery and returns questions next to the buy button, before the shopper has to ask.
- Some abandonment is normal: people browse and compare. Focus on the reasons you can fix.
Why shoppers abandon their cart
Some abandonment is just browsing: people add items to compare prices or save them for later. The part you can win back is caused by friction at the end of the journey. The usual reasons are:
- Unexpected costs: shipping, taxes or fees that only appear at checkout.
- Being forced to create an account before paying.
- A long or confusing checkout with too many fields.
- Doubts about delivery time, returns or the store itself.
- Missing payment options they trust.
- A checkout that's slow or awkward on a phone.
Fixes before the cart
Many abandoned carts are caused by things the shopper saw (or didn't see) on the product page.
- 1Show shipping costs or a free-shipping threshold on product pages and in the top bar. Our free-shipping threshold calculator helps you pick the right amount.
- 2Put delivery time and your returns promise right under the add-to-cart button.
- 3Show reviews near the price, so doubts are answered before the cart.
Fixes in the cart and checkout
- 1Offer guest checkout. Let people create an account after they've paid, not before.
- 2Turn on express payment. Shop Pay, Apple Pay, Google Pay and PayPal let shoppers pay in a tap, without typing card and address details.
- 3Cut the form. Ask only for what you need to deliver the order.
- 4Show a running total early, including shipping, so there are no surprises on the last screen.
- 5Keep trust visible: payment logos, a secure checkout note and your returns promise in the cart.
Win back the ones who leave
Abandoned cart emails are built into Shopify and most other platforms. Keep them helpful rather than pushy: remind people what they left, show the product photo, answer common questions about delivery and returns, and link straight back to the cart. A small discount can help, but don't train shoppers to abandon carts on purpose to get one.
Only email people who gave you their address and agreed to hear from you, in line with your privacy policy and local rules.
Measure it
Your platform's analytics shows how many sessions reach the cart, reach checkout and complete an order. Note the numbers for a few weeks, make one change at a time, and compare. If most people drop off between product page and cart, look at the product page; if they drop off at checkout, look at costs and the form.
Run a free StorePeek check to see what a first-time shopper notices on your store before they reach the cart.
Frequently asked questions
What is a normal cart abandonment rate?
Abandonment rates are usually quoted as high, with most carts never reaching an order, but they vary a lot by industry, device and price. Compare your own rate over time rather than chasing an industry average.
Do abandoned cart emails work?
They often recover a share of lost orders, because some shoppers were simply interrupted. Keep them helpful, send the first one within a few hours, and don't send too many.
Should I offer free shipping to reduce abandonment?
Free shipping on every order isn't always affordable. A free-shipping threshold, shown clearly before checkout, is often a good middle ground: it removes the surprise and can raise your average order.