How To Reduce Cart Abandonment and Win Back Abandoners

shopping cart abandonment in online shops
Author: Harald Neuner // 11.03.2020 // zuletzt aktualisiert am: 11.08.2025

Why Do Online Shoppers Abandon Their Carts? How Can You Win Them Back, Reduce Abandonment Rates, and Prevent Cart Abandonment Altogether?

These are questions nearly all shop owners face, because cart abandoners exist in every industry and for shops of all sizes.

Around 70% of all filled shopping carts are abandoned for various reasons. This doesn’t just mean lost revenue, it often results in disappointed visitors who don’t return. Especially frustrating: despite heavy marketing investments, the abandonment rate remains persistently high in many online stores.

Sound discouraging? Don’t worry! Understanding the reasons behind cart abandonment and addressing the needs of your visitors allows you to reduce drop-offs and recover abandoned carts—ultimately preventing revenue losses.

Join us in tracking down the reasons behind cart abandonment! Our guide shows you how to re-engage abandoners effectively and boost your revenue.

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The Key Takeaways in 17 Seconds

Summary

Shopping cart abandonment is an unavoidable part of e-commerce—but it also presents opportunities. With proactive optimization and reactive strategies, many abandonments can be prevented and lost customers recovered.

  • Simplify the checkout: Streamlined processes, transparent costs, and multiple payment options.
  • Offer personalized incentives: Discounts, service options, or exclusive benefits increase purchase intent.
  • Use exit-intent popups: Engage users right as they’re about to leave the shop.
  • Deploy email retargeting: Reactivate abandoned carts with targeted emails.
  • Include social media retargeting: Bring customers back via external channels.

These strategies can significantly reduce cart abandonment, boost conversion rates, and strengthen customer loyalty over the long term.

Potential of Shopping Cart Abandoners

Shopping cart abandoners may seem like a loss for online shops at first glance, but they actually represent significant revenue potential. Why? These visitors have already shown strong buying intent by adding products to their shopping cart and getting close to checkout.

Research shows that around 70% of all online purchases are abandoned. Each abandoned cart means lost sales but also a valuable second chance to convert. By engaging cart abandoners with personalized trigger emails, exit intent popups, or targeted retargeting campaigns, online retailers can recover a substantial share of this lost revenue.

With the right cart recovery strategy, these visitors can be turned into loyal long-term customers. Targeted follow-up is usually more cost-effective than acquiring new customers and can significantly boost the shop’s conversion rate and overall revenue.

infographic on the number of store visitors who abandon their shopping cart

On average, 98% of online shop visitors do not convert and 70% of filled shopping carts are abandoned, leading to annual losses of up to 1 billion euros in the German e-commerce market.

Benefits of Cart Recovery

By guiding cart abandoners back into the checkout process, you can improve your shop’s performance on multiple levels:

Reasons for Shopping Cart Abandonment in Online Shops

Shopping cart abandonment should not be accepted as a given. In this advanced stage of the customer journey, the probability of a purchase completion is extremely high, yet around 70% of all potential customers still abandon the checkout process.

A visitor who ultimately decides to abandon their cart always has a reason, often several. Online retailers must identify these causes in order to develop targeted solutions and improve customer satisfaction.

The good news: shopping cart abandonment is not a black box. The reasons are diverse and complex, but they can be analysed and influenced. Only those who understand these causes can sustainably reduce the abandonment rate.

Typical reasons range from technical issues and poor user experience design to personal motives of the abandoner. Especially in mobile cart abandonment, additional factors such as screen size, loading speed, or usability play a decisive role.

1. Technical issues that lead to cart abandonment

Technical errors are among the most common causes of shopping cart abandonment. Long loading times, error pages or incomplete product information quickly create frustration. Missing or limited payment methods can also cause customers to abandon the checkout process. It is therefore important to keep the shop technically flawless and user-friendly to prevent abandonment.

  • Error pages appear
  • Shop performance: loading times are too long
  • The coupon does not work
  • Login fails
  • Payment problems occur

 

2. Poor user experience (UX design)

An unclear checkout process, missing progress indicators or a complicated navigation bar have a direct impact on conversion. Buyers expect an intuitive shopping experience, and if this is not provided they will leave the shop and switch to a competitor. A well-structured and transparent ordering process is therefore crucial to avoid shopping cart abandonment.

  • Essential information is missing or appears too late
  • Previously entered customer data disappears
  • The checkout process is too complicated
  • Lack of payment methods
  • Product reviews are missing or negative
  • No guest checkout option
  • The cart is used as a substitute for a missing wishlist

 

3. Personal motives for cart abandonment

Sometimes the causes lie not with the shop but with the customer: spontaneous change of mind, price comparisons or the intention to complete the purchase later. Many customers even consciously use the cart as a wishlist. Nevertheless, personalised trigger emails and reminders can help win back such cart abandoners successfully.

  • Product or total price too high
  • Products out of stock
  • Shipping and return costs too high
  • Lack of customer service
  • Delivery times too long
  • Visitor distraction
  • Lack of time

 

4. Lack of trust

Missing trust signals such as quality seals, transparent privacy information or visible contact options are a common reason for abandonment. Especially during checkout, trust and security play a decisive role: are the payment methods secure? Is data processed in compliance with GDPR? Leaving these questions unanswered risks customers abandoning the checkout. Clear communication and visible security features help build trust and reduce shopping cart abandonment.

  • Missing trust seals or certifications (e.g. Trusted Shops, TÜV)
  • No clearly visible contact options such as hotline or email
  • Unclear or missing information on data protection and GDPR compliance
  • No or insecure payment methods (e.g. missing credit card or PayPal option)
  • Missing customer reviews and testimonials

Where, When and How Do Shoppers Abandon?

Shopping cart abandonment does not happen by chance but tends to occur at specific points in the customer journey. Those who know these drop-off points and understand the reasons can take targeted action to win back cart abandoners during the purchase process. According to recent studies and uptain’s own e-reports, the average abandonment rate in e-commerce is around 70%. It is striking that abandonments now happen faster: the median session duration of cart abandoners fell to just 4:20 minutes in the first half of 2025 (second half of 2023: 4:55 minutes). This shows that decisions in e-commerce are being made more quickly and that expectations for user experience and clear communication are rising.

Abandonment behaviour

Cart abandoners use different ways to leave the purchase process. The three most common abandonment behaviours are:

  • Tab or window becomes inactive: The shop is simply left open without action, indicating that users are often checking other offers in parallel or are distracted.
  • Back navigation: Many users click back to previous pages or search results.
  • Closing the window: A clear sign that the user has completely abandoned the purchase intent or chosen another shop.

These behaviours highlight the importance of convincing users early and effectively to complete their purchase before they get distracted or compare other offers.

Users rarely abandon the purchase by closing the window. This is illustrated in this bar chart.

Most cart abandonments occur when users remain inactive for a longer period and then click the back button or close the browser window, often because they have other tabs open and are comparing offers.

Abandonment points along the customer journey

  • Product and category pages: Around 15–20% of users abandon here, often due to missing information (e.g. delivery times, shipping costs) or a lack of customer reviews.
  • Cart page: Around 25–30% use the cart as a wishlist or leave the page when additional costs are only shown late in the process.
  • Checkout process: Even with the highest purchase intent, 35–40% still abandon here, often due to complicated forms, mandatory registrations or missing payment methods.

Mobile vs. desktop

  • Desktop: approx. 67% abandonment rate
  • Mobile: approx. 74% abandonment rate

Mobile users abandon more frequently: smaller screens, longer loading times and complex forms make completing the purchase more difficult. A mobile-optimised checkout is therefore essential to significantly reduce shopping cart abandonment.

Bar chart shows the proportion of shopping cart abandonment for smartphone and computer users.

Industry dependence

Abandonment rates vary significantly by market segment:

  • Erotic and travel accessories: around 75% abandonment rate
  • Contracts and insurance: about 73% abandonment rate
  • Fashion and lifestyle shops: approx. 72% abandonment rate (due to high browsing and comparison behaviour)
  • Electronics shops: approx. 68% abandonment rate
  • Everyday and habitual products: e.g. groceries and drugstore items with only around 60% abandonment rate (best performance in comparison)

These differences highlight the importance of an industry comparison to set realistic benchmarks and implement targeted optimisations.

Black Friday and peak season insights

Black Friday offers enormous sales potential but also challenges retailers to convince users quickly and reduce FOBO effects through clear price and service communication.

  • More traffic: across industries +100% to +120%
  • Changed abandonment behaviour: +3–5% more abandonments as users close tabs/windows more often instead of using the back button – an indicator of FOBO (Fear of Better Options)
  • Average conversion rate: increases by approx. +1.8 percentage points (3.2% → 5.0%)
  • Average order value: +26.7% (€101.40 → €128.50)
  • Session duration: +15% (more comparison behaviour and longer decision-making time)

When can you reduce shopping cart abandonment?

The good news: shopping cart abandonment can be prevented. Depending on the point in the purchase process, there are different approaches to encourage the customer to complete the purchase. In general, three phases can be distinguished:

  • Before abandonment (preventive): The goal here is to improve the user experience. Short loading times, clear product information, transparent pricing and simple checkout processes prevent visitors from abandoning the purchase process in the first place.
  • During abandonment (immediate): If the shop detects exit behaviour (e.g. mouse movement towards closing the tab), exit-intent popups or live chat functions can intervene in a targeted manner. This can keep the visitor in the purchase process.
  • After abandonment (reactive): Even if the cart has been abandoned, the potential is not lost. Trigger emails, social media retargeting and personalised ads often successfully bring cart abandoners back.

Conclusion: By using preventive, immediate and reactive measures, online retailers can significantly reduce their abandonment rate while increasing the conversion rate.

Guide: Reduce and recover shopping cart abandonment

With a clear process, shopping cart abandonment can be sustainably reduced. The following three-step guide shows how online retailers can act preventively, avoid abandonments and win back lost customers in a targeted way.

Step 1: Reduce shopping cart abandonment preventively

The best way to combat abandonment is to prevent it from happening in the first place. Preventive reduction of shopping cart abandonment primarily involves UX design. Ensure your online shop has an intuitive and easy-to-understand structure. A straightforward and transparent checkout process is also essential. An important factor here is building trust in your online shop, which can also be strengthened in e-commerce.

infographic on how to prevent shopping cart abandonment

General shop optimisations

  • Fast loading times and an optimised mobile experience
  • Error-tolerant search function and avoidance of error pages
  • Feedback when adding products to the shopping cart
  • Large, click-friendly buttons (important for mobile)
  • SSL encryption, quality seals and trust symbols
  • Product reviews (social proof)
  • Personalisation of product recommendations and content

Checkout optimisations

  • Few, clearly structured steps to purchase completion
  • Guest orders without mandatory registration
  • Secure and diverse payment methods
  • Request only necessary data, clearly mark required fields
  • Show product details and product images in the cart as well
  • Place coupon field unobtrusively (prevents distraction)
  • Clear call-to-action buttons (“Buy now” instead of “Continue”)

After these optimisations, the entire purchase process should be straightforward and meet user expectations. Many shop visitors will now have a more enjoyable shopping experience, reducing the likelihood of becoming cart abandoners and increasing the chance of purchase completion. However, as mentioned, many visitors — but by no means all — will follow through, because shop and checkout optimisations are not tailored to the individual needs of each customer.

Despite preventive measures, many purchases are still abandoned. We answer what can be done to combat digital shopping cart abandonment in the next step.

Here are 10 tips to help you optimise your checkout!

Step 2: Prevent cart abandonment immediately

Even if a user is already planning to leave, abandonment can often still be prevented. This is where exit-intent popups or dialog windows come into play:

exit intent popup examples to prevent shopping cart abandonment

How do intelligent popups work?

Intelligent popups use algorithms to analyse visitor behaviour in real time. As soon as the algorithm detects that a user is about to leave the shop, a personalised popup is displayed at exactly the decisive moment. The visitor receives a message tailored to their individual needs, such as a relevant service offer, personal consultation or a special discount code. These relevant contents increase the likelihood that the user will stay in the shop and complete the purchase.

  • Detection of the abandonment signal: an algorithm detects and analyses in real time when a user is about to leave the shop (e.g. mouse movement towards the close button or inactivity)
  • Popup at the decisive moment: before the user leaves the tab or page, a popup appears automatically.
  • Personalised message: the popup shows a message tailored to the user, such as a service offer, consultation or individual discount code.
  • Higher purchase intent: personalised content increases the likelihood that the visitor will stay and complete the purchase.

With this method, many cart abandoners can be convinced at the last moment and the abandonment rate can be significantly reduced.

An older man smiles in front of a blurred website interface; a popup asks if consultation is needed. To the right, user profile data (Jürgen, 68) suggests tailored support options based on preferences.

Personalised popup detect the need for assistance and respond at the right moment with tailored service offers, such as a direct phone consultation, based on the user’s profile and behaviour.

What does an intelligent popup look like in practice?

An intelligent popup is triggered when the uptain® algorithm analyses shop visitor behaviour in real time and automatically displays a tailored message at the right moment. The following scenarios illustrate how behavioural data is used to deliver personalised solutions and effectively prevent shopping cart abandonment.

Practical example 1

In the first scenario, the system recognises that the young, price-conscious customer is about to abandon her purchase based on her browser type, fast navigation and price focus. A discount popup is displayed to address her budget concerns and make purchase completion more likely.

Practical example 2

In the second scenario, the algorithm detects a high need for service in an older user based on slow navigation and the use of the search button instead of the enter key. In this case, no discount is offered; instead, a service popup with a direct customer hotline is displayed. This gives the customer the confidence to complete the purchase successfully.

Step 3: Recover cart abandoners reactively

Cart abandonment can only be partially prevented and even with a reduced abandonment rate a significant sales potential remains. The key question is therefore: how can cart abandoners be recovered after they have left? The answer is retargeting.

Customers who already had products in their cart are far along in the customer journey and can often be won back with the right measures. The goal is to leverage the existing purchase intent and give the customer a reason to complete the purchase after all. This is not only more cost-efficient than acquiring new customers but also delivers quick wins for the conversion rate.

An open envelope, a website interface with product listings, and four promotional banners with the text 'USE VOUCHER CODES PROFITABLY – GO TO BLOG' illustrate personalized retargeting strategies.

Reactive recovery methods

Reactive recovery usually takes place through three proven channels: classic retargeting, social media retargeting and email retargeting. These channels have different strengths and can also be combined.

1. Classic retargeting

With classic retargeting, you tag the cart abandoners of your online shop and show them advertising banners on other websites (e.g. display ads) after they have abandoned their purchase. This way, your online shop remains present for the cart abandoner even outside your own website, enabling retailers to win back some of them.

Advantages of classic retargeting
  • Extensive network of publishers
  • High advertising presence outside your own website
Disadvantages of classic retargeting
  • Low effectiveness due to increasing advertising fatigue
  • Can be blocked by ad blockers
  • No situationally appropriate communication moments
2. Social media retargeting

Social media retargeting works on the same principle as classic retargeting, except that the ads are displayed on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. With a social media penetration rate of 78% (66 million users in Germany), social media retargeting is promising for recovering cart abandoners.

Advantages of social media retargeting
  • High social media penetration
  • Wide range of platforms
  • Users are often online for long periods
Disadvantages of social media retargeting
  • Low effectiveness due to increasing advertising fatigue
  • No situationally appropriate communication moments
3. Email retargeting

Email retargeting refers to sending abandonment emails that bring cart abandoners back into the purchase process after they have left. Unlike other retargeting measures, online shops using mailings to cart abandoners rely on direct communication (one-to-one marketing). This way you can reactivate up to 30% of cart abandoners. Cart abandonment emails are part of the trigger email family, i.e. automated messages triggered by specific user behaviour (trigger-based marketing). Other examples of trigger emails include:

Trigger emails leverage current user interest and are therefore particularly successful, achieving open rates of up to 45% and click-through rates of 21%. In this way, 8% to 20% of cart abandoners can be successfully recovered.

An algorithm detects the purchase abandonment and automatically sends a personalised trigger email with the right tone, support offer and timing, tailored to the profile and behaviour.

Advantages of email retargeting
  • One-to-one marketing
  • Individual mailings possible
  • Situationally appropriate communication moments
Disadvantages of email retargeting
  • Mailings only to existing customers or with consent
Request a test email now and see how emails with the TrueMatch feature are sent automatically and personalised.

Proven methods to recover abandoned carts

In addition to technical optimisations and trigger emails, there are proven strategies that specifically address cart abandoners and encourage them to return. The following best practices are based on experience from hundreds of online shops and insights from uptain e-reports.

infographic with best practices: how to reduce shopping cart abandonment

1. Incentives

Convince each cart abandoner with the right incentive. Depending on the reason for abandonment, a different incentive will persuade the customer to complete the purchase. A tailored incentive guarantees the best possible result in preventing abandonment.

  • Discount codes
  • Exclusivity
  • Fear of missing out (FOMO)
  • Service offer (email, WhatsApp, phone)
  • Cart reminder

Learn in this article how to use voucher marketing profitably in your online shop. Incentives such as discounts, free shipping or small bonus products can give the decisive push to complete the purchase. Unusual voucher amounts like €7 or €12 are particularly effective, achieving a conversion rate of 11.2% (classic €5 or 10% vouchers: 6.9%).

Individual incentives with the uptain® algorithm

The uptain® algorithm dynamically decides whether and which incentive a user really needs, avoiding unnecessary discounts while maximising conversion success. This approach ensures that each customer receives an offer tailored to their needs, increasing the likelihood of completing the purchase.

Illustration einer älteren Frau mit Brille, die auf einen Bildschirm schaut, daneben eine weiße Katze. Über ihr erscheint ein Sprechblasen-Symbol mit einem Gamecontroller.

2. Personalisation

Show cart abandoners appreciation by creating personalised communication. This is based on user behaviour, customer characteristics and the situational context. With targeted personalisation you can significantly reduce the abandonment rate.

  • Situationally appropriate incentive (e.g. discount code for price sensitivity)
  • Consider the customer’s language and tone of voice
  • Display local currency and country-specific content
  • Appropriate and individual address (e.g. personal names in emails)
  • Dynamic product recommendations based on previous behaviour

3. Corporate design

Adapt your measures to win back cart abandoners to your corporate design in order to create a coherent overall image and build trust.

  • Layout of advertising banners in the shop design
  • Adjust colours and fonts of exit-intent popups
  • Consistent appearance of emails and shop

4. Service orientation

Service-oriented communication shows that the customer’s needs come first. This strengthens customer loyalty and helps to win new customers.

  • Simple and professional email template (no cluttered advertising design)
  • Fast response times to customer enquiries
  • Clear information on returns, shipping and guarantees

5. Reducing the annoyance factor

Excessive or inappropriate communication can be off-putting. Ensure your measures are relevant and well-timed. Learn more in the e-book Annoyance Factor in E-Commerce.

  • Relevant and cart-specific text
  • Correct timing (e.g. sending after a few hours rather than immediately)
  • Optimal frequency of notifications
  • Appropriate communication channels (email, SMS, push)
  • Good user experience: fast loading times and easy navigation

6. Mobile responsiveness

57% of online shoppers buy with a smartphone, 29% with a tablet. Measures to win back cart abandoners must therefore be optimised for mobile devices.

  • Advertising banners in various sizes for different devices
  • Responsive web design of the entire online shop
  • Adaptable exit-intent popups for smartphones and tablets
  • Mobile-optimised checkout and payment processes

Do you already know our plugin?

uptain prevents cart abandonment and increases the conversion rate and repeat purchase rate. No risk with performance-based commission.

➥ CALCULATE COMMISSION

Legal aspects of cart abandonment emails

Finally, we outline the existing legal regulations for the compliant sending of cart abandonment emails. We go into more detail in the article GDPR: What to consider with abandonment emails. There are two main principles governed by different laws:

1. Legal basis: UWG and GDPR

According to § 7 para. 2 no. 3 of the Act Against Unfair Competition (UWG), email advertising is only permitted with the express consent of the recipient. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) also sets clear requirements for the collection and processing of personal data. This consent should be obtained in a legally secure manner via a double opt-in process in which the recipient actively confirms their registration to prevent misuse and clearly document approval. Contacting cart abandoners without consent risks warnings and fines. Under the following conditions, online shops may send cart abandonment emails without explicit consent (e.g. reminder emails):

  • The customer is already an existing customer within the meaning of §7 (3) UWG.
  • Only direct advertising for own similar goods or services may be offered in the email.
  • The recipient has not objected to the use of their email address for this purpose.
  • Each cart abandonment email must include an option to object.

2. Exception: Existing customer advertising

An exception allows the sending of abandonment emails without consent if certain conditions are met (§ 7 para. 3 UWG):

  • The email address was collected in connection with a previous purchase.
  • The advertising relates to similar goods or services.
  • The customer has not objected to the use of their email address.
  • The customer is informed of their right to object when the address is collected and in every email.

This so-called existing customer rule means a shop may remind an existing customer of an open cart if they have previously purchased there and the conditions are met. For new customers, consent is usually required.

To operate in compliance, clear and transparent consent is recommended. This should be active (e.g. via a checkbox) and confirmed through the double opt-in process. This protects against misuse of third-party email addresses and documents consent securely.

4. Practical examples of compliant abandonment emails

  • Subject: “Your shopping cart is waiting for you”
  • Reminder of the items stored in the cart
  • Clear sender identification and contact option
  • Opt-out link in every email
  • Optional incentive such as free shipping or a discount

Address the target group appropriately: a younger audience responds better to informal language, while an older audience prefers a more formal tone. Tone significantly influences recovery rates. See the blog post Email after cart abandonment: Examples & Templates for how an ideal email should look.

5. Documentation and proof

Document all consents (e.g. date, IP address) and use the double opt-in to avoid legal risks. These records are essential in case of complaints or audits. No worries: in practice this is often handled automatically by email marketing tools like Brevo or similar providers that log registrations, confirmations and unsubscribes with timestamps and IP addresses.

Conclusion: Do not simply accept shopping cart abandonment

Accepting shopping cart abandonment as a given harms your online shop both in the short and long term. Ignoring cart abandoners not only means missing out on revenue but also risks dissatisfied customers and a declining conversion rate. However, when online shops actively address their cart abandoners, they benefit from higher sales, more satisfied customers and sustainably increased conversions. Abandoned shopping carts can be reduced and many of them successfully recovered. Take advantage of this potential and turn potential customers into real buyers.

Do you already know our plugin?

uptain prevents cart abandonment and increases the conversion rate and repeat purchase rate. No risk with performance-based commission.

➥ CALCULATE COMMISSION

Frequently Asked Questions About Shopping Cart Abandonment

What is cart abandonment rate?

The cart abandonment rate is the percentage of online shoppers who add products to their cart but leave the website without completing the purchase. It is calculated by dividing the number of completed purchases by the number of created shopping carts, subtracting that result from one, and multiplying by 100. In e-commerce, the average cart abandonment rate is around 70%, making it one of the most critical metrics for identifying lost revenue opportunities.

How to calculate cart abandonment rate?

Calculate it as the share of created carts that did not turn into purchases: (Carts − Purchases) ÷ Carts × 100. Equivalently: [1 − (Purchases ÷ Carts)] × 100. Example: if 1,000 carts were created and 300 purchases were completed, the cart abandonment rate is (1,000 − 300) ÷ 1,000 × 100 = 70%.

Why do customers abandon their shopping cart?

There are many reasons for cart abandonment: hidden or high shipping costs, technical issues such as long loading times or broken pages, a complicated checkout process or missing payment options. A lack of trust due to missing trust seals or privacy information can also be a factor. Sometimes it is due to the customer themselves, for example through price comparisons, distractions or the intention to purchase later.

How can shopping cart abandonment be prevented?

Prevention starts with a simple and transparent checkout. Mobile optimisation, fast loading times, multiple payment methods and clear information on shipping costs are essential. Trust signals such as seals of approval and transparent privacy policies build trust. Progress indicators during checkout and guest checkout options also help prevent abandonment.

What role does mobile optimisation play in cart abandonment?

Mobile users abandon more frequently (approx. 74%) than desktop users (approx. 67%) because small displays and complex forms make the shopping experience more difficult. A mobile-optimised checkout with large buttons, fast loading and easy navigation significantly reduces abandonment.

How can abandoned purchases be recovered?

Abandoned purchases can be recovered through retargeting measures. Personalised trigger emails, which can recover up to 30% of cart abandoners, are particularly effective, as are exit-intent popups that offer incentives such as discounts or services when users are about to leave. Social media retargeting also keeps brands in the customer’s mind.

What are the benefits of recovering shopping cart abandoners?

Recovery directly increases revenue, reduces marketing costs compared to acquiring new customers and improves customer loyalty. Recovered buyers can often be converted into loyal customers through personalised communication. It also increases Customer Lifetime Value and the shop’s conversion rate in the long term.

Which incentives are most effective in preventing cart abandonment?

Personalised offers such as discounts (e.g. €7 or €12 instead of the standard €5), free shipping or small bonus products are particularly persuasive. Targeted communication is key: price-sensitive customers respond better to discounts, while service-oriented customers value hotline or chat offers.

Are shopping cart abandonment emails legally allowed?

Yes, under certain conditions: existing customers can be reminded without prior consent if the products are similar and a clear opt-out option is provided (§ 7 para. 3 UWG). For new customers, consent is usually required, ideally obtained via a double opt-in process to comply with GDPR.

Which industries are most affected by cart abandonment?

According to studies, abandonment rates vary by industry from 60% to 75%. They are particularly high in erotic & travel accessories (approx. 75%), contracts & insurance (73%) and fashion & lifestyle (72%). Lower rates are found for everyday products such as groceries and drugstore items (approx. 60%).

At what point in the buying process do customers abandon most often?

Around 15–20% abandon on product or category pages, 25–30% on the cart page and 35–40% during checkout, even though purchase intent is highest there. Complicated forms, mandatory registrations or the late display of additional costs are particularly critical.

What are legally compliant best practices for abandonment emails?

Abandonment emails should clearly indicate the sender, include a contact option, provide an opt-out link and address the specific cart. A personalised tone increases success: younger audiences respond well to a casual “you,” while older audiences prefer a formal “you.” Optional service offers or discounts can further boost recovery rates.

Sources

uptain GmbH: Focus Cart Abandonment: First semi-annual report 2025 (2025), uptain.de (accessed 6 August 2025)

uptain GmbH: Kaufabbrüche im Fokus: Zweiter Halbjahresreport 2024 (2025), uptain.de (accessed 23 June 2025)

uptain GmbH: Focus Cart Abandonment: Semi-annual report 2024 (2024), uptain.de (accessed 23 June 2025)

Baymard Institute: 49 Cart Abandonment Rate Statistics 2024 (2024), baymard.com (accessed 3 April 2024)

Monetate: Q4 2023: Ecommerce Quarterly Benchmarks (2024), monetate.com (accessed 3 April 2024)

DHL Group: DHL European online shopper survey 2023, page 40 (2023), dhl.com (accessed 3 April 2024)

SendCloud; Nielsen; E-commerce Nation: Étude consommateur: Les tendances de la livraison E-commerce en 2023, page 9 (2023), ecommerce-nation.fr (accessed 3 April 2024)

SaleCycle: What is Cart Abandonment? (2023), salecycle.com (accessed 3 April 2024)

Marigold; Econsultancy; MarketingCharts: Most Consumers Continue to Find Location-Based Ads Creepy (2024), marketingcharts.com (accessed 3 April 2024)

Hokodo: Do you know what B2B e-commerce buyers really want? (2024), hokodo.co (accessed 2 April 2024)

Ein junger Mann mit Brille und kurzem, dunklem Haar blickt ruhig in die Kamera; er trägt ein dunkles Hemd über einem schwarzen T-Shirt vor neutralem, transparentem Hintergrund.

Artikelautor

Online Marketing + Content

Harald Neuner

Artikelautor

Online Marketing + Content

Harald Neuner is co-founder of "uptain", the leading software solution for recovering shopping cart abandoners in the DACH region. He is particularly interested in providing small and medium-sized online shops with technologies that were previously only available to the big players in e-commerce. With "uptain", he has been able to do just that.

More about the author
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  • Alpha Industries increase Orders by 10%

    The company is looking for technical solutions that increase sales and establish the online shop stronger among the desired target group. The results: Growth of Newsletter Subscribers through Newsletter Popups by 20% compared to the normal Newsletter Form on the website, Increase in Orders by 10%, Increase in Newsletter Open Rate by 5%, Consistent overall image of the Corporate Identity.

    To the Success Story