Best Practices to Reduce Cart Abandonment on Shopify (Apps and Real Store Examples)

Did you know you are potentially losing around 70% of your customers to cart abandonment on Shopify? 

Cart abandonment is the silent revenue killer you have to look out for while running a Shopify store. 

But worry not, this article is all you need to know about cart abandonment, the reasons behind it and ways to avoid it.

10 Reasons for Cart Abandonment

Cart abandonment cannot be neglected since it has a great impact on your business and its profit. 

To solve the problem, you should first understand its root cause. 

Here are top 10 reasons for cart abandonment according to Baymard Institute

• Higher Shipping and Hidden Cost: 

Close to 47% of customers abandon their cart due to high shipping cost. 

Especially when the shipping cost is not mentioned in the product page, even standard shipping cost makes your customers rethink. 

To add to that, if you have hidden costs that come to light during checkout, your customers are sure to leave their orders incomplete. 

• Need for an Account and Longer Checkout:

Close behind, the most common reason for cart abandonment is the need for an account to place the order. 

In addition to that, if you have a complicated checkout process your customers will abandon the cart without any second thoughts. 

People do not have that kind of time nor patience while placing an order. 

• Lack of Trust:

With the shop and the shop owner hidden behind the digital screen, customers will abandon their carts if they do not completely trust your shop. 

Delay in delivery and lack of communication from your side, will bring down the customer’s trust level drastically. 

• Shop Policy and Payment Options: 

Lack of return or refund policy and lack of payment options play a huge part in cart abandonment. 

It is natural for customers to worry about the quality of your product and a no return policy adds to it. 

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10 Ways to Reduce Cart Abandonment on Shopify

Now that you are familiar with the causes of cart abandonment, here are some tips and tricks to  reduce cart abandonment on your Shopify store. 

1. Provide Free Shipping 

While shopping online, almost 93% of customers tend to buy more if free shipping is available. 

People would rather buy more to get free shipping than pay for it separately. That’s the logic here. 

Providing free shipping is a great way to reduce cart abandonment on Shopify. 

If you are worried about your profit margins, you can very well add a threshold for free shipping.

This can be based on the products or the total cart value. As and when they reach the set value, they will automatically unlock free shipping. 

Take a cue from Kylie Cosmetics, a popular celebrity cosmetics brand which offers free shipping on orders over $40 on their Shopify store.

You can easily implement this strategy on your Shopify store using the Volume Discounts- Dealeasy app. 

2. Send Out Cart Recovery Emails

Abandoned carts don't have to mean lost sales. 

Send out personalized or automated cart recovery emails to your customers.

Reminding them about their left-behind items is nothing more than a gentle nudge to prompt your customers to complete their purchase. 

And the most effective method is to send out 2 to 4 emails with the first one within the first 2 hours of abandonment. 

The Cartly Abandoned Cart Recovery app on Shopify app store, will help you recover lost sales and boost revenue using cart recovery emails.

3. Social Proof Your Shopify Store

Unless your customers are 100% sure about your store, they will not complete the purchase. 

You can build that trust with your potential customers by showcasing testimonials and reviews from other satisfied customers on your Shopify store. 

Reassure your customers about the credibility of your store through positive reviews and ratings. 

The best example for this is seen in the Shopify store, Snuggle Puppy, an exclusive pet care brand. 

They have established their brand’s reputation by proudly advertising their quality through the 50,000 5-star reviews. 

4. Offer Flexibility with Multiple Payment Options

Don't limit your customers' payment choices. Let your customers choose the most convenient option for them.

By providing multiple payment methods, you increase the chances of a successful transaction. 

Even when one method fails, customers are more likely to try another method rather than abandon the cart completely. 

Culture Kings, a streetwear clothing brand provides multiple payment checkout options on their Shopify store to make the transactions easier for their customers.

5. Allow Guest Login

Don't let mandatory account creation stand in the way of a sale. Offer guest login to simplify the checkout process.

A smooth Shopping experience is what your customers are looking for. 

The need for an account disrupts this flow and might lead to cart abandonment. 

By allowing customers to place orders without creating an account, you'll save them time and increase the chances of a completed purchase. 

6. Offer Personalized Support with Live Chat

Online stores lack the personal touch of offline stores, where customers are personally assisted by shopkeepers. 

To bridge this gap, implement live chat or AI chatbots on your Shopify store. 

This allows customers to get instant support, clarify doubts, and receive product recommendations, ultimately encouraging them to complete their purchase.

Ashlyn’ s Diy Drip, a Shopify store, uses AI-powered chatbots to provide exceptional customer support.

You can enable 24/7 AI chat support on your Shopify store as well using the AskTimmy.ai app

7. Enable Exit Intent Popups

Exit intent popups are a powerful tool to reduce cart abandonment. 

You can display popups, offering incentives like limited-time discounts, free shipping, or exclusive coupons on your store. 

This creates a sense of urgency, encouraging customers to complete their purchase. 

Truly, a Shopify store, uses exit intent popups with limited-time offers and cart timers to boost conversions. You can add this feature to your store using apps like Tada or Poptin.

8. Simplify the Checkout Process

A complicated checkout process is a major reason for cart abandonment. 

To avoid this, simplify your checkout page by reducing the number of questions and information required from customers. 

Offer a smooth and hassle free one-click checkout experience, making it easy for your customers to complete their purchase without any complication.

9. Establish Trust and Built Authority

Trust is essential for customers to share sensitive information like credit card details or email addresses. 

If your website looks shady at any point, customers will abandon their cart without any hesitation. 

Build trust by showcasing customer reviews, brand stories, and social responsibilities. 

Epic Water Filter, a Shopify store, highlights their social impact and charitable initiatives, adding a human element to their brand. Foster trust to encourage customers to complete their purchases.

10. Win Back Customers with Retargeting Ads

Retargeting ads is an effective way to remind your customers about their abandoned carts when all other strategies fail. 

Use targeted social media ads to reach customers who left your store without checking out, reminding them about their unfulfilled purchase. 

This encourages them to return and complete their purchase, boosting your sales and revenue.

Wrapping up

These are the top 10 best practices to reduce cart abandonment on your websites and skyrocket conversions in no time. 

Put these strategies to work and watch your sales transform before your eyes!

The goal is to create a smooth and personalized shopping experience that makes your customers complete the purchase and come back for more. 

So what are you waiting for? Start implementing these tips today and get ready to transform your Shopify sales.

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the average cart abandonment rate for Shopify stores?

According to the statistics released by the Baymard Institute, the average cart abandonment rate is around 70% for stores on Shopify. 

2. How many cart recovery emails should I send to customers?

The ideal practice is to send out around 2-4 emails, with the first one within the first 2 hours of abandonment.

Remember to craft your emails in a clever and compelling way to bring back your customers to their carts. 

3. What are some popular apps for implementing live chat on Shopify?

One of the best apps to implement a 24/7 AI Chat support for your Shopify store is to go with the AskTimmy.ai app. 

4. How can I simplify my checkout process?

The most effective way to simplify the checkout process is by reducing the number of questions and information required from customers.

Offer your customers a simple and easy one click checkout experience that asks only the necessary information and nothing more. 

5. What is retargeting, and how can it help reduce cart abandonment?

Retargeting involves using targeted social media ads to remind customers about their abandoned carts. 

This encourages them to return and complete their purchase, automatically increasing your sales and revenue.