How-to's · Email marketing · 3 min read
How to Send Abandoned Cart Emails in Shopify
Short answer
Open Marketing > Automations in Shopify admin and turn on the abandoned checkout automation (built on Shopify's own email and messaging tools). Send the first reminder within about an hour, add a second email a day later, and only test a discount in a later message. For abandoned cart and browse flows, use Shopify's newer automation templates or a dedicated tool like Klaviyo.
A shopper who reaches checkout and leaves is the warmest lead you'll ever get. They picked a product, saw the price and gave you their email. A short, well-timed reminder brings a meaningful share of them back, and Shopify can send it without any extra apps.
Cart vs. checkout vs. browse
It helps to know what each term means, because tools use them loosely.
- Abandoned checkout: The shopper entered checkout and typed an email or phone number, then left. Shopify can always follow up on these.
- Abandoned cart: Items were added to the cart but checkout never started. You can only email them if you already know who the visitor is (logged in, or identified from a past email click).
- Browse abandonment: The visitor viewed products without adding anything. Again, only possible for identified visitors.
Setting it up in Shopify
- In your Shopify admin, go to Marketing > Automations.
- Find the abandoned checkout automation template. Shopify Email has been renamed Shopify Messaging (which now covers SMS too), and stores on older settings may need to opt in to the newer automation, which the admin will prompt you to do.
- Open the template and review the email. Add your logo, adjust colors and edit the wording.
- Set the delay. The default is usually around an hour, which is a good starting point.
- Turn it on.
Shopify also offers automation templates for abandoned cart and browse abandonment for identified visitors. Turn those on too if they're available on your store.
Timing that works
| When | Purpose | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 30-60 minutes | Simple reminder, show the product |
| 2 | ~24 hours | Answer objections: shipping, returns, reviews |
| 3 (optional) | 48-72 hours | Last nudge, possibly a small incentive |
Shopify's built-in automation handles the first email well. For multi-step sequences with branching logic, many stores move to Klaviyo or a similar tool. Our Klaviyo vs Mailchimp comparison helps if you're choosing.
What to put in the email
Show the product. A clear image, name, price and a big "Return to checkout" button. Shopify's template pulls these in automatically.
Remove friction. Remind them of free shipping thresholds, easy returns and delivery times. Most abandonment happens because of unexpected costs or uncertainty, not because people forgot.
Add social proof. A star rating or a short review quote from a real customer works well in email 2.
Keep it short. This isn't a newsletter. One message, one button.
Make it sound human. "Still thinking it over?" outperforms "YOUR CART IS EXPIRING!!!" for most brands.
For subject line ideas and how to handle incentives, see mastering abandoned cart subject lines.
Should you offer a discount?
Not in the first email. Discounting every abandoned checkout trains shoppers to abandon on purpose. A reasonable approach:
- Email 1: no discount.
- Email 2: no discount, but address objections.
- Email 3: a modest incentive like free shipping, ideally as a unique single-use code.
Measure revenue per recipient with and without the incentive before making it permanent. Our guide to running multiple coupon codes covers how to generate unique codes.
Don't forget SMS
If customers opt in to text messages at checkout, an SMS reminder can perform well, especially on mobile-heavy stores. Keep it to one message, include the link and respect quiet hours and consent rules in your region.
Measuring results
Track:
- Recovery rate: share of abandoned checkouts that convert after an email.
- Revenue per recipient for each email in the sequence.
- Unsubscribe rate: if it climbs, you're sending too many or too pushy.
Check Shopify's marketing reports or the automation's own stats monthly.
Fix the leak, not just the bucket
Abandoned checkout emails recover lost sales, but the bigger win is reducing abandonment in the first place. Show shipping costs early, offer the payment methods your customers expect and test your checkout on mobile. Our article on increasing your conversion rate covers those fixes.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between abandoned cart and abandoned checkout?
Abandoned checkout means the shopper entered checkout and gave an email or phone number. Abandoned cart means they added items but never started checkout, which only tools that can identify the visitor can follow up on.
Do abandoned checkout emails cost extra in Shopify?
The built-in automation is included with Shopify. Sending volume above Shopify's free email allowance may be billed, so check your messaging usage.
How many abandoned cart emails should I send?
Two or three is typical: one within an hour, one around 24 hours, and an optional third a couple of days later.
Sources and further reading
Platform features, prices and policies change. Check the official help pages linked above before you act on a detail that matters to your store.