Abandoned Cart

What is abandoned cart? Meaning & Examples

An abandoned cart occurs when shoppers add items to an online shopping cart but exit before they complete the purchase. The shopper shows purchase intent—sometimes strong intent—but for one reason or another, the momentum breaks. They leave behind a shopping cart full of products without finishing the order.

This behavior is one of the most consistent patterns on ecommerce sites. Whether the cause is unexpected shipping costs, a slow page, or a confusing checkout process, the result is the same: incomplete orders and lost sales that could have been avoided with a smoother experience.

In practical terms, beyond a simple missed transaction, an abandoned cart is a signal that tells you something in the journey failed to support the shopper, and resolving that pain point can improve everything from conversion rates to customer satisfaction.

How to calculate cart abandonment rate

The shopping cart abandonment rate tells you how much potential revenue is being lost before checkout is complete. It is calculated using:

1 – (Completed Transactions ÷ Total Carts Created)

Example:

If 900 carts were created and 270 orders were completed, the abandonment rate is:

1 – (270 ÷ 900) = 70%

This means 70% of carts never turned into orders. Industry benchmarks show similar results, so high numbers are normal—but they are also highly improvable.

Understanding this number helps ecommerce teams identify whether shoppers are abandoning early (inside the cart) or late (during delivery, billing, or payment). Both patterns have different root causes and require different solutions.

Key metrics associated with online store cart abandonment

To fully understand abandonment, teams look beyond the main rate and analyze supporting metrics that show where the journey breaks:

1. Drop-off by step

Shows exactly where shoppers exit—cart review, shipping selection, payment, or confirmation. This is one of the most important indicators of friction.

2. Device performance

Mobile users abandon more than desktop users because of slower loading, smaller screens, and form-heavy pages. Good mobile devices optimization can dramatically improve completion.

3. Load speed and load times

Delayed pages—particularly shipping, billing, or the final confirmation—cause exits within seconds. Even a small delay on the checkout page can create a major spike in abandonment.

4. Payment method abandonment

If many shoppers leave after selecting payment, your payment options are likely too limited. Missing support for digital wallets or methods like Apple Pay often leads to abandonment.

5. Form completion rate

Tracks whether shoppers start entering information but stop. This highlights fields that confuse, overwhelm, or concern them—especially during account creation or phone number requests.

6. Abandoned order value

Shows how much revenue sits in carts that were never finished. High-value abandoned orders often justify targeted cart recovery or abandoned cart recovery sequences.

These metrics make it much easier to diagnose why abandonment happens—and which fixes will have the strongest impact.

Abandoned cart examples

Many new marketers assume cart abandonment is a single behavior, but it can happen in multiple ways. Here are common, real-world examples:

1. Early abandonment during browsing

A shopper adds items to the online cart to keep track of them but leaves the store to do comparison shopping or read reviews. The intent is exploratory, so abandonment happens before checkout begins.

2. Abandonment caused by unexpected shipping costs

A shopper reviews the shopping cart, proceeds to shipping, and sees unexpected shipping costs, express fees, or changes based on location. The total jumps enough to make them abandon shopping carts and leave the site.

3. Checkout abandonment due to required account setup

A shopper begins checkout but hits a wall when required to create an account. If they only wanted a quick purchase, a forced profile, password, or input of the customer’s phone number adds unwelcome friction.

4. Final-stage abandonment caused by missing payment methods

The shopper reaches payment, but the store doesn’t offer their preferred method—such as PayPal, Klarna, or digital wallets like Apple Pay. Switching cards feels tedious, so they exit.

5. Industry-specific abandonment

• Travel: High abandonment because buyers research extensively, compare multiple dates, and face long forms.

• Grocery: Lower abandonment due to routine weekly purchases.

• Apparel: High abandonment due to fit concerns, discount hunting, and frequent back-and-forth behavior.

6. Mobile-specific abandonment

Forms are harder to complete on phones. A shopper on mobile devices may add items, open checkout, but leave due to slow loading, too many fields, or difficulty using the payment interface.

Each scenario illustrates how abandonment varies depending on the context—not just the shopper’s interest level.

Why does cart abandonment matter?

Shopping cart abandonment matters because it affects the core of ecommerce performance. It represents:

• Revenue that could be recovered with simple improvements

• Proof of obstacles inside the checkout flow

• A direct hit to conversion rates

• A signal that shoppers don’t have what they need to finish

• A customer experience problem, not a traffic problem

When brands address abandonment at the source, they increase conversions without increasing ad spend. This matters for profitability, especially for many ecommerce businesses with high acquisition costs.

Abandonment insights also help stores understand behavior patterns—such as when shoppers hesitate around pricing, trust, delivery, or payment—allowing more precise optimization across the whole online store.

Most common reasons for cart abandonment

Below are the practical, frequent causes behind abandonment. These reasons show up across nearly all ecommerce sectors.

Unexpected shipping costs

Shoppers want cost predictability. When shipping costs appear late or differ from what they expected, they leave to find a more transparent alternative. This is one of the most common reasons for abandonment.

Mandatory account creation

Required account creation adds friction. Some shoppers simply want a fast checkout. Forcing them to create a profile, verify email, or set a password increases exits.

Complex or confusing checkout process

A confusing checkout process, unclear buttons, missing instructions, or non-standard layouts interrupt flow. Shoppers rarely slow down to figure it out.

Limited payment options

Not offering various payment options (credit card + debit + PayPal + digital wallets) leads to exits. When a shopper’s preferred method isn’t available, they leave even if they want the item.

Technical problems

Broken buttons, slow load speed, error messages, and glitches on the checkout page cause instant abandonment. Even minor bugs can cost thousands.

Comparison and deal hunting

Some shoppers abandon intentionally while looking for a discount code, trying promo codes, checking for bundles, or waiting for a good deal.

Trust concerns

Missing trust badges, unclear returns, or unfamiliar branding may create security concerns that prevent shoppers from completing payment.

How to reduce cart abandonment: Best practices and tips to increase shopping cart conversion rates

Reducing cart abandonment requires more than fixing a single issue. Shoppers leave for different reasons, so strong optimization combines many small, targeted improvements.

Below are the cart abandonment solutions online retailers use most effectively to increase completed transactions, support smooth checkout flow, and recover lost sales.

1. Show total costs early

Many online shoppers open an online shopping cart to estimate their total before they commit. When the final price changes during checkout due to shipping costs, taxes, or surcharges, customers feel misled and abandon shopping carts before they finish.

Practical ways to prevent this:

• Display shipping fees on product pages, not only inside the shopping cart.

• For domestic shipping, show clear delivery ranges and any location-based variations.

• Add small cost previews under each product image if fees vary based on size or weight.

• Provide a calculator inside the online cart so shoppers can estimate costs without entering data.

• If free shipping is conditional, show the threshold directly above the cart and update it dynamically.

Clear totals help potential customers evaluate the purchase without unpleasant surprises, reducing exits caused by unexpected costs.

2. Simplify the checkout flow

A confusing checkout process is one of the fastest ways to deter customers, especially first time buyers who expect a straightforward experience. The more effort required, the more likely shoppers abandon the page.

Ways to simplify:

• Remove fields that don’t directly support fulfillment.

• Keep the payment process and shipping details on adjacent screens or a single step.

• Use autofill for addresses and card data where possible.

• Keep the layout consistent with clear labels and predictable interactions.

• Add progress indicators or a clean progress bar so shoppers understand how close they are to the finish.

A lean, predictable checkout process reduces stress and makes it easier to complete the purchase.

3. Offer a fast guest checkout

When stores require logins, many shoppers abandon the flow entirely. A guest checkout option keeps the focus on the order, not on creating an account.

How to improve guest checkout process:

• Place the guest checkout button at the top of the login screen so shoppers don’t overlook it.

• Only prompt account creation on the confirmation page, once trust is established.

• Pre-fill registration fields with information already entered during checkout if the shopper chooses to join later.

• Keep optional fields minimal; shoppers are more likely to register if they weren’t forced earlier.

Guest checkout is one of the fastest ways to reduce cart abandonment with minimal development work.

4. Provide various payment options

If you offer only one or two ways to pay, you’ll frequently see abandonment at the payment step of the checkout flow. Some shoppers prefer cards, others rely on PayPal, and many expect digital wallets or Buy Now Pay Later options—especially on mobile devices.

How to expand coverage:

• Enable credit and debit cards, PayPal, and installment providers.

• Add digital wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay to reduce friction on mobile.

• Make sure the payment area is clearly separated from unrelated fields.

• Highlight security protections to address concerns before they arise.

More payment choices increase conversions, especially for high-intent shoppers who almost left because the store didn’t support their preferred method.

5. Improve site performance and reliability

Shoppers rarely wait for slow pages. If your checkout or online cart loads slowly, stalls, or throws errors, many will abandon shopping carts and look elsewhere.

Key performance improvements:

• Optimize scripts and remove unused integrations that slow pages.

• Minimize image weight, especially on mobile, to reduce load times.

• Test the full journey weekly to catch bugs on the checkout page or shopping cart.

• Monitor analytics for sudden drops that might signal technical problems.

• Use performance monitoring tools to track slowdowns during peak hours.

Fixing reliability issues often leads to immediate improvements in cart abandonment rates, because shoppers aren’t forced to fight through malfunctioning steps.

6. Use onsite nudges

A well-timed, relevant nudge that uses the best conversion copywriting practices can keep shoppers moving forward without overwhelming the experience. These cues guide users naturally through the sales funnel, reducing the chance they stop mid-way.

Effective nudges include:

• Delivery date previews to reduce uncertainty.

• “Amount left for free shipping” reminders inside the shopping cart.

• Auto-applied discounts or clear discount code fields.

• A friendly pop-up highlighting a limited-time offer incentives option.

• Messages showing low stock or expected restock dates.

• Transparent return information near the checkout button.

7. Send abandoned cart emails

Abandoned cart emails (also called cart emails or shopping cart abandonment emails) are one of the most consistent and high-ROI abandoned cart recovery tactics. They re-engage shoppers who left during checkout.

A strong sequence might include:

Email 1: Reminder (1–4 hours after abandonment)

A simple nudge showing the items in the cart, including each product image, helps shoppers pick up where they left off.

Email 2: Clarification (24 hours after abandonment)

Address common concerns: delivery, returns, payment options, product fit, or support questions.

Email 3: Incentive (48–72 hours after abandonment)

A small coupon code, free domestic shipping, or a temporary benefit can help hesitant shoppers complete their order—without sounding pushy.

Strong recovery flows help recover lost sales from shoppers who were close to converting.

8. Retarget customers with ads

Some customers leave before entering their email. In these cases, retargeting fills the gap by showing reminders across platforms like Google, Facebook, or Instagram.

Effective retargeting approaches:

• Use dynamic ads displaying the exact items left in the online shopping cart.

• Build audiences based on shopping cart visits or checkout starts.

• Set shorter lookback windows for high-intent users.

• Limit frequency to avoid overwhelming users.

• Vary messages: value reminders, shipping details, or limited-time offers.

Retargeting is especially effective for carts abandoned early—when the shopper hasn’t made it far enough into the checkout flow for email capture.

9. Test and iterate

Continuous A/B testing ensures the checkout experience evolves alongside customer expectations. Regular adjustments also support long-term stability in completed transactions.

High-value tests include:

• Different layouts for address and payment process sections.

• A shorter cart page with fewer distractions.

• Changes to the placement of the discount code or coupon code fields.

• Removing optional fields during checkout.

• Adjusting button labels to match shopper intent.

• Experimenting with incentives in cart or via cart recovery prompts.

Testing works best when supported by consistent customer feedback, analytics tracking, and a clear plan for measuring improvements against shopping cart abandonment rate benchmarks.

Abandoned cart & Related topics

Understanding abandoned carts becomes easier when viewed alongside several other concepts that influence how online shoppers behave throughout the sales funnel. Below are the terms most closely connected to diagnosing and fixing shopping cart abandonment issues:

• Add to Cart: Indicates the point where intent begins. When shoppers add items after viewing product pages and product images but then leave the online shopping cart, high shopping cart abandonment rates often point to pricing clarity, shipping costs, or distractions like comparing prices.

• Guest Checkout: A guest checkout option is one of the fastest ways to reduce shopping cart abandonment caused by forced registration. It removes friction for first time buyers who want a straightforward path to complete the purchase without committing to an account.

• Checkout Conversion Rate: Tracks how many shoppers who begin the checkout process finish it. A low rate signals issues inside the checkout flow, including unclear fields, missing digital wallets, or a slow payment process that can discourage customers before they hit “Complete.”

• Exit Intent Technology: Detects when shoppers are about to abandon the shopping cart or online cart. A targeted pop up can surface delivery info, a coupon code, or a reminder about items left behind, helping prevent lost sales at the last step.

• Frictionless Checkout: Focuses on removing barriers like slow pages on mobile devices, a confusing checkout process, or unnecessary form fields. Each friction point increases shopping cart abandonment, especially when the experience feels tedious or risky.

• Customer Journey Optimization: Looks at every stage of the online shopping experience—from awareness to the sales funnel to checkout. Many abandonment issues begin upstream, so improving navigation, product clarity, and transitions helps more customers reach the point where abandoned cart emails and a well-timed reminder email are no longer necessary.

Key takeaways

• An abandoned cart represents interrupted buyer intent—not lack of interest.

• High shopping cart abandonment rates signal friction at specific stages of checkout.

• Clear pricing, faster pages, flexible payments, and streamlined forms reduce abandonment.

• Abandoned cart recovery through email and retargeting restores revenue cost-effectively.

• Regular testing ensures the checkout continues to match user expectations and behaviors.

FAQs about Abandoned cart