20 Solid Ways To Recover BigCommerce Abandoned Carts
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Abandoned carts can be frustrating.
But it also means that shoppers are showing interest in your products and adding them to cart.
With a few tweaks and optimizations, you can recover carts and get those sales!
Jump to:
10 reasons why shoppers abandon your BigCommerce store's cart
20 top BigCommerce strategies to boost cart recoveries
Before diving into cart recovery strategies, take a moment to understand why shoppers abandon your BigCommerce shopping cart.
The key reasons behind BigCommerce cart abandonment are:
1. Re-engage shoppers with BigCommerce’s Abandoned Cart Saver
2. Make any extra costs visible
3. Reduce friction in your BigCommerce store’s checkout process
4. Set up timely emails – send the right abandoned cart emails
5. Enable persistent cart for uninterrupted shopping
6. Leave something for repeat customers – like a gift certificate or store credit
8. Offer different shipping options
9. Show real-time delivery dates
10. Automatically apply ‘rewards’ with smart limits on your discount codes
12. Set up persuasive notifications
13. Implement guest checkout options
14. Recover BigCommerce abandoned carts with a wishlist feature
15. Turn on buy-now, pay-later options
16. SMS for BigCommerce cart recovery
17. Speed up your BigCommerce store
18. Enable browser compatibility
20. Keep the cart easily accessible
When a customer adds items to their shopping cart but leaves your online store before completing the checkout process, BigCommerce identifies this as an abandoned cart.
Once an abandoned cart is detected, BigCommerce triggers automated email reminders to be sent to the customer.
Automated emails typically include personalized content such as the items left in the cart, product images, descriptions, and prices.
This way, you can remind the customer of their interest in the products and encourage them to complete their purchase.
BigCommerce has a built-in feature called Abandoned Cart Saver, but it’s only available on certain plans (Plus, Pro, and Enterprise).
First, ensure your plan supports this feature.
Log in to your BigCommerce admin panel.
Go to Marketing > Abandoned Cart Notifications.
Enable Abandoned Cart Notifications: Toggle the switch to enable the feature.
Extra costs (including shipping) are among the #1 reasons why most shoppers abandon carts. Here’s how you make sure users don’t drop off even before they reach checkout:
The goal is to not surprise shoppers. For example, if shipping is calculated at checkout, you can leave a line of text below your add to cart button like “Heads up! Shipping fees will be shown only at checkout.”
To do this you have to check your ‘Store Tax’ settings – and have the “I want to enter prices exclusive of taxes” checked. This ensures BigCommerce doesn’t re-calculate the taxation by removing basic tax and re-applying pre-determined taxes by zone.
BigCommerce can use geo-referencing by IP to automatically display prices inclusive of taxes from the zone a particular user is coming in from. This ensures that you display constant prices across your store – and avoid a price increase when a user lands on the cart page. All you need to do is head over to “Settings>Tax>Tax Rates and Zones” and create this setting while configuring a zone:
This should be done before the shopper proceeds to checkout – use bold text or different colors to highlight any additional costs such as shipping and taxes, ensuring they are unmissable.
P.S. Ensure that any changes (e.g., adding/removing items, changing shipping methods) dynamically update the total cost displayed.
When most eCommerce store owners think ‘abandoned cart’, it’s actually abandoned checkouts they’re thinking about. Remember: once shoppers get on checkout, they should ideally be kept ‘distraction-free’.
Here’s how you can do the same on your BigCommerce store:
Keeping this setting turned off helps prevent customers from having to create separate addresses – while helping reduce extra choices during checkout – and therefore, choice paralysis:
This helps ensure that users don’t even have to be burdened by six extra form fields asking to enter another address:
P.S. If you deal with corporate or bulk orders, where addresses need to be separate, simply leave a callout on your footer like “Ordering in bulk? Need the billing to be customized? Reach us @xxx, and we’ll modify your billing address”
This helps clean up the design of your checkout field – and also reduces the length of your checkout page:
The most important fields should always be kept on top – for example, the name, phone, and address fields should always be on top—while ‘company name’ should be kept at the bottom:
The rename part comes in because BigCommerce has a certain number of compulsory form fields on checkout that can’t be deleted, but can be renamed. For example, if you are a pet store, you could rename the suburb and address line 2 fields to create a field named “What’s the name of your good boy/girl?”
⚠ Req: Store must use one page checkout and have a Places API key – and be based out of US/UK/Canada/Australia/New Zealand.
BigCommerce in conjunction with Google Maps has an API that lets your store’s address field suggest addresses. The best part? You get 70,000 autocomplete requests free, per month:
This is an important to-do, especially if you aren’t running promotions. Here’s why: this stops users from leaving your checkout in the search for a coupon code.
Also read: Why Are Shoppers Dropping Off My Checkout Flow?
BigCommerce allows you to configure up to 3 email templates to send to customers who abandon their carts.
Before you set them up, make sure you aren’t on any legacy themes (like Blueprint) – your best bet is using Stencil themes to get the most of your abandoned cart emails on BigCommerce:
Here’s an ideal flow you can follow:
The right stuff here indicates anything that makes the abandoner to take a closer look – and that feat requires:
If you’ve just upgraded your storefront’s theme, you may need to use these updated variables to generate correct checkout previews of the cart:
Other than that, you can always use the ‘Buy buttons’ app to directly generate checkout page links for creating recommended items in your emails (make sure you set all links to open in a new tab).
✔️Click on the Customize Email button next to each email slot
✔️Write a compelling subject line and email body
✔️Include the cart contents, a strong call to action, and a link back to the cart
✔️Consider personalizing the email with the customer’s name and specific product details
✔️Save your settings
Pro Tip: If you’re using custom variables, use three-second brackets to create the phrase and stop it from appearing as plain text – here's an example: ‘{{{mycustomvariable}}}.’
Also read: 40 Abandoned Cart Email Examples That Actually Win Back Lost Customers
Persistent carts help reduce cart abandonment rates and let customers return to their carts at a later time and complete their purchases.
When a customer adds products to cart, by default, BigCommerce saves it in their browser’s cache for 7 days.
Customers who have logged into your store can access their cart from any device and browser for 30 days.
So, what are the requirements for BigCommerce's Persistent Cart?
✔️Click on the "Store Setup" option in the left-hand menu
✔️Under the "Store Setup" menu, select "Checkout"
✔️Scroll down to find the "Cart & Checkout" section
✔️Look for the option labeled "Persistent Cart" and click on it to enable the feature
✔️Save your changes to activate Persistent Cart on your storefront
Research shows running deep discounts frequently can increase overall customer retention – with the downside of lower profit margins for yourself and the industry.
The way out? Personalize the offers, so the entire store doesn’t get affected by promotions to recover carts – here are some ideas:
Flat discounts always don’t help shoppers make decisions – especially those who entered an address and left midway through payment. Here are some upgrades that can help them tip toward a purchase:
Gift wrapping offers added value, especially during the holiday season. Found under “Settings › Gift wrapping”, you can show a preview of what the package will look like – this will help shoppers visualize the package they will receive and help recover carts faster:
Simply adding the provision of extended returns can help shoppers feel the purchase is risk-free. To do this, you can offer them a custom one-page checkout, with custom policy badges with extended warranty/returns/exchanges.
This flexibility will retain customers who may prefer to exchange their purchases or make future purchases instead of receiving a full refund.
It can be done easily by incorporating visual testimonials directly on product pages. This could include images or videos of customers using or unboxing your products, providing visual evidence of their satisfaction.
Multiple shipping options are a great way to reduce BigCommerce cart abandonment. Here are several shipping options you can implement:
When selecting a shipping method, displaying the cost of each option is as important as the estimated delivery dates on:
Use a banner, or run a PHP script to show an estimate – or you can create a custom field to display a delivery date through Add Products (V3):
The quickest way to show delivery dates is by directly integrating your store with shipping partners like USPS, FedX – or use shipping apps like Shipper HQ:
BigCommerce lets you set up various discount rules to tailor promotions for different scenarios.
Here are some types of discount rules you can use – but first:
Requirements:
a) Use automatic and coupon promotions in the standard editor to make sure all promotions apply automatically
b) Segmentation, i.e. ‘Customer Groups’ and ‘Targeting’ are only available to stores on the Enterprise plan and above
Let’s dive in!
Example: "10% off orders over $100" or "Buy 3, Get 1 Free."
Example: "20% off all winter coats" or "15% off when you buy 2 or more of the same item."
Example: "Free shipping on orders over $50."
Example:
Buy 1-3 units at $20 each.
Buy 4-8 units at $18 each.
Buy 10+ units at $15 each.
Example: "Buy one, get the second at 50% off."
Example: “Buy X product and get X unit(s) of Y product for free.”
Example: Exclusive 20% discount just for our VIPs!
Quick tip: If you want to run additional promotions alongside an ongoing promotion, please remember that multiple promotions aren’t available by default on the basic BigCommerce plans.
While many online retailers focus on email campaigns or retargeting ads, pop-ups can be highly effective in engaging visitors at critical moments in the shopping journey and reducing cart drop-offs.
You can set up targeting rules based on various criteria such as:
We love Cutter and Buck shows an interactive pop-up that offers shoppers a good way to discover products eligible for the sitewide discount.
Furthermore, the pop-up is condensed to a teaser which expands when clicked on, even on the cart page.
An average smartphone user in the USA receives around 46 app push notifications every day.
So, it’s important to send cart recovery notifications that will ‘convince’ shoppers to return to your BigCommerce store.
Setting up push notifications on BigCommerce requires integrating a third-party push notification service with your store.
While BigCommerce doesn't offer native push notification functionality, you can use services like PushEngage, Aimtell, or OneSignal to send push notifications to your store visitors. However, do make sure you:
In the case of push notifications, more can be merrier.
A report showed that sending 3-6 push notifications a week led to 43% of the shoppers disabling push notifications.
However, 6-10 weekly push notifications led to 32% of the shoppers disabling them.
Research shows that 69.82% of online shopping carts are abandoned.
And the most common reason? Creating an account.
To circumvent this problem, guest checkout or alternatives can really make a difference.
Even with guest checkout, you can still collect essential information such as email addresses, which can be used for marketing purposes.
We love how One Kings Lane shows a pop-up on the checkout page that offers guest checkout to new shoppers and an easy sign-in for repeat customers.
Enhanced guest customer and checkout features are supported only on Optimized One-Page Checkout.
If you are using Legacy Checkout, then you’ll have to move to the current checkout experience to take advantage of these features.
Note: If the store setting for Enable Account Creation is disabled, shoppers will be unable to create accounts, regardless of the configuration in Checkout Settings.
However, customer accounts can still be created in the control panel via CSV import.
Setting up guest checkout on BigCommerce is relatively straightforward.
The platform offers built-in features to enable guest checkout, making it an easy enhancement to your store.
Step 1 - Log in to your BigCommerce account
Step 2 - Go to "Store Setup" and then "Checkout"
Step 3 - Set "Account Creation" to "Optional" or "Disabled"
Step 4 - Save changes
Step 5 - Test guest checkout to ensure it works as expected
Encourage visitors to use the wishlist feature by prominently displaying the wishlist button on product pages and highlighting its benefits, such as saving items for later or receiving notifications about price drops.
Keep track of wishlist activity in your BigCommerce dashboard to identify trends and opportunities for cart recovery.
Next, set up automated email reminders to customers who have added items to their wishlist but haven't completed their purchase.
To save products to their wish lists, your shoppers must first log in or create an account.
Shoppers who are not logged in will still see the ‘Add to Wish List’ button, but they will be taken to the ‘Sign In’ or ‘Create an Account’ page if they attempt to add an item to a wish list.
You can also display a ‘share’ button.
When clicked on, the button is linked to a unique URL which customers can use to send to their friends and family.
This way, you can promote your products to a wider audience and encourage engagement and collaboration among customers.
What’s better than multiple payment methods? Buy Now, Pay Later.
Research shows that almost half of US citizens are interested in BNPL services.
BNPL is most popular amongst younger shoppers, like Millennials and Gen Z.
In the past four years, even millennial use of BNPL has tripled.
See how the online store outlines its installment plan with PayPal on the product page.
Furthermore, the BigCommerce store offers multiple payment options on the checkout page, including PayPal and Klarna.
SMS messages have significantly higher open rates compared to emails.
Studies show that over 90% of SMS messages are opened and read within minutes of receipt, making it a reliable channel for reaching customers.
SMS messages are delivered instantly, so you can send timely reminders to customers who have abandoned their carts.
This immediacy increases the chances of catching customers while they are still considering their purchase. The best part is that you can run your SMS cart abandonment campaigns alongside your Abandoned Cart Saver emails.
✔️Start with a "Hi there!" or "Hey!" to make the message feel more personal and inviting
✔️Mention the product or products left in the cart to jog the recipient's memory. Include key details such as the product name, description, or any unique selling points
✔️Add a sense of urgency to encourage immediate action with limited stock, a special offer, or a deadline
✔️Test different variations of your SMS to see which ones perform best
✔️Pay attention to metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates, and use this data to optimize your messages over time
✔️Segment customers by AOV to change the speed of your flow (the gap between each SMS) and also the messaging (for example, you could offer more support to high-value customers and cart expiry notice to low-value customers)
(>) Hey [Name]! Forgot something in your cart? Don't worry, we're holding onto your [Product Name] for you! Finish your purchase now and enjoy it soon. Tap here [link] to complete your order. Happy shopping! 🛒
(>) Oops! Looks like you forgot about the [Product Name] in your cart. No worries, it's still available for you! Click here [link] to complete your purchase and make it yours. Hurry, before it's gone! 😄
(>) 🚨Hey there! Your [Product Name] is in high demand! Finish your order now to secure it before it's sold out. Click here [link] to complete your purchase. Don't wait! ⚡️
(>) Quick reminder, [Name]! Finish your order of [Product Name] now and enjoy [% Discount] off as a token of our appreciation! Simply use code [Discount Code] at checkout. Tap here [link] to return to your cart and redeem your discount. Happy shopping! 💸
Studies show that even a one-second delay in page load time can significantly impact conversion rates.
Here are some tips on how to optimize your BigCommerce store speed:
This ensures shoppers don’t see 404 pages if they somehow click or type out a dated URL or wrong domain name.
To set up automatic redirects for your BigCommerce store:
Step 1 - Go to server settings on the left side of your dashboard
Step 2 - Go to “Add redirects” under the topic “301 redirects
Step 3 - Adjust the old URL link to flow into the new URL link
Google AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages) is an open-source framework designed to optimize the performance of web pages by simplifying your HTML code.
This results in faster-loading, lightweight web pages.
Why Google AMP boosts your BigCommerce store’s performance:
The Stencil theme on BigCommerce offers several advantages that enhance your store’s performance.
Here's why making the switch ensures faster web page loading:
Also read: eCommerce Mobile UX: 27 Ways to Get More Conversions
Since Google Chrome is the #1 most-used browser on mobile and desktop, you might think to skip this optimization.
But, Safari, largely thanks to being the default browser on iOS devices, comes in at a relatively close second.
Furthermore, If your store doesn’t work well on certain browsers, you risk losing customers who experience issues and may decide to shop elsewhere.
Here’s a common problem faced by BigCommerce store owners sourced from the forum:
Example Message:
"Enable cookies for a smoother shopping experience! By allowing cookies, you can save your shopping cart, receive personalized recommendations, and enjoy faster checkouts."
When customers use the same device, their cart items and session data are more likely to be preserved due to cookies and local storage.
This ensures that when they return, their cart is exactly as they left it, making it easier for them to complete their purchase without having to re-add items.
A complicated or lengthy checkout process can lead to cart abandonment.
Simplifying navigation helps keep customers engaged and reduces the likelihood of them leaving the site without completing their purchase.
Remember: Keep all sections of your checkout page in familiar places.
Here are some practical ways to ensure the cart remains visible and easy to access throughout your BigCommerce store to reduce cart abandonment:
Place a cart icon in the navigation bar that remains visible as shoppers scroll through the site.
This way, shoppers can access their cart from anywhere on the site without having to navigate back to the cart page.
Implement a mini cart that appears when users hover over or click the cart icon.
This mini cart should show a brief summary of the items in the cart, including images, prices, and quantities.
Use a slide-out cart that opens from the side of the screen, providing more detailed information about the cart contents without taking the user away from the current page.
Display a cart summary in a sidebar on product pages and category pages.
This summary can be collapsed or expanded and should show the total number of items and the subtotal.
Show a confirmation message or mini cart update when an item is added to the cart.
This reassures users that their item has been successfully added.
Use non-intrusive pop ups or messages to remind users about items in their cart if they navigate away from the cart page.
On mobile devices, use a fixed cart icon that stays at the top or bottom of the screen as shoppers scroll.
Implement a swipe gesture to quickly view the cart on mobile devices, enhancing accessibility without navigating away from the current page.
Friendly Reminder: Complete Your Purchase!
Oops, You Left Something Behind!
Your Cart is Waiting – Finalize Your Order Now
Don't Miss Out: Your Items Are Still in Your Cart
Still Thinking It Over? Your Cart Misses You!
Ready to Checkout? Your Cart is Ready!
We Saved Your Cart for You – Complete Your Purchase
Exclusive Offer: Come Back and Save Your Cart
Hurry! Your Cart Items are Going Fast
Last Chance: Complete Your Purchase Today!
Forgot Something? Your Cart is Waiting!
Your Favorite Items are Still Available – Finish Your Purchase
Just a Few Clicks Away: Complete Your Order
Special Deal Inside – Complete Your Cart Now
Need Help? Your Cart is Ready to Go!
Abandoned cart recovery in BigCommerce refers to the process of identifying and reaching out to customers who have added items to their online shopping cart but have not completed the purchase.
The goal is to encourage them to return to the website and complete their purchase.
BigCommerce has various in-built tools and features to facilitate abandoned cart recovery.
This typically includes sending automated email reminders to customers who have abandoned their carts, offering incentives or discounts to encourage them to complete their purchases, and providing a seamless checkout process to make it easier for customers to return and buy.
Yes, BigCommerce offers analytics and reporting tools so you can track the performance of your abandoned cart recovery efforts.
You can monitor metrics such as conversion rates, revenue generated from recovered carts, and the effectiveness of different email campaigns.
Yes, BigCommerce has a marketplace of integrations and apps that you can use to enhance your abandoned cart recovery efforts.
These may include email marketing platforms, retargeting tools, and CRM systems that integrate seamlessly with BigCommerce to help you recover more abandoned carts.
Yes, BigCommerce lets you set up automated workflows for abandoned cart recovery.
You can create rules and triggers to send out email reminders automatically when a customer abandons their cart, streamlining the process and saving you time.
Wouldn’t it be great if you could stop worrying about how to set up every little detail and functionality on your BigCommerce store?
Instead of spending a gazillion on tools that require a team to run, you can choose our email marketing tool, Engage.
Engage works alongside your BigCommerce store, and can help you with:
And, on top of that, we can help you figure out how to reduce friction and reduce dropoffs with your BigCommerce store’s UX.
Wanna see how? Book a free audit. :)