In part one of the series on shopping cart abandonment I listed the top 5 reasons consumers abandon their shopping carts and how an abandoned shopping cart email campaign can be an effective way to reengage those customers, enticing them to complete their purchases. In the second installment of the series I discussed specific tactics for your abandonment campaign, such as, when to send and what type of templates you should consider using.

This third and final article in the Abandoned Shopping Cart email campaign series will cover the fundamentals that should be included in every email marketing campaign, as well as, a few other best practices that will help to ensure your campaign is a success.

Don’t forget to include the basics

There are several key items that should be included in email marketing campaigns, and should not be overlooked when creating your remarketing template. (Source)

• Security icons proving online transactions are safe
• A toll free-number for your customer service department
• Links to your return policy and privacy policy
• An easy way to complete the purchase
• An unsubscribe link that allows recipients to opt-out of receiving your re-marketing campaigns Use reviews and social proof to build trust - Including product reviews, especially those that were created by other customers, in shopping cart remarketing email campaigns adds a compelling value proposition to your messages.

Avoid “Big Brother”

“Dear Karen, we noticed that you tried to purchase the Smocked Waist Tunic at 6:05 this morning” is a bad idea.  The last thing you want is your customer to think you are spying on them, so the tone of your message is very important.

Subject lines or copy such as “Need help?” positions the message as helpful vs. spying. Customer service and support are important at this point, which is why these links are included in the email.  Let customers know your company is easily accessible, sincere and interested in answering questions. (Source)

Test Your Templates (as Always)

You may want to test and trigger certain types of messages and offers depending on what’s in the cart at the time of abandonment.  For example, high value items can absorb a free shipping offer but lower value items could be presented with a percentage or dollar off. (Source)

Other items to test:

• Timing – do customers respond differently an hour after abandonment vs. 1 day later?
• Call To Action – does the main CTA create different response?
• Images – does featuring the abandoned item increase chances of customers  their purchase?
• Tone – does the tone of your message change the outcome?

Say it with the subject line

The subject line is still one of the most important elements of the campaign. There are many different approaches you can take but below are some examples to get your creative juices flowing (Source):

• Good News! Your Shopping Bag is Still Available
• Want to get free shipping on your next order on _______?
• Don’t Go Yet! Come Back to Your Shopping Cart & Save.
• Hurry! You Have Items in Your Cart. Get Them Before They’re Gone.
• Items in your shopping cart are still available for purchase
• You Left Something at _____.com
• How can we help you with your purchase?
• You’ve left items in your cart!
• Your cart is gathering dust!
• Only 24 hours left to use your cart
• Your cart items are getting lonely!
• A reminder from ____ – You still have items in your cart
• Did you forget something?
• Good News! Your Shopping Bag is still Available
• Courtesy Reminder

Last words

You can avoid abandonment all together. Follow these tips to decrease the likelihood of your customers abandoning their cart: (source)

• Allow customers to check out as guests versus signing into an account
• Provide out-of-stock notifications on product pages
• Allow customers to easily modify their carts (removing items, changing the quantities, colours etc.)
• Offer real-time customer support – if a customer has a question or issue, provide them with an easy way to contact you for help
• Display security icons so customers know their information is safe
• Provide links to customer reviews on products as well as positive online shopping experiences with your company
• Provide a progress indicator so they know how long the checkout process will take right off the bat
• Inform your customers about delivery rates and timing upfront so there are no surprises at the end.