Recover abandoned carts
and checkouts
A reminder cannot fix every reason a shopper leaves. Build recovery messages around the friction behind abandonment and what the shopper needs to finish.
We research checkout objections and purchase context, then create recovery messages that answer the right question and give shoppers a clear path back to their order.
What is
cart abandonment?
Cart abandonment happens when a shopper adds products to a cart but does not complete a purchase. Checkout abandonment starts later, when the shopper begins checkout and leaves before ordering. Track the two stages separately over a consistent completion window.
Cart abandonment rate = uncompleted qualifying carts ÷ all qualifying carts × 100. For example, 70 uncompleted carts out of 100 means 70% abandonment.
Unexpected costs, delivery uncertainty, product doubts and timing can interrupt a sale. We research those objections, then create recovery messages with useful answers, product reminders and a direct return to checkout. Explore our abandoned-cart email guide.
What we build
to address the gap
Cart and checkout audit
Check event tracking, abandonment definitions, purchase exclusions and current recovery performance.
Friction and objection mapping
Identify the costs, delivery questions, trust gaps and product doubts that messaging can address.
Segmented recovery journeys
Adapt messages to customer history, cart context and purchase stage rather than sending one sequence to everyone.
Recovery copy and design
Build clear product reminders, reassurance and a direct path back to checkout.
Incentive rules
Test when an offer helps and when it unnecessarily discounts an order that would have happened anyway.
Recovered-order reporting
Review completed orders, offer cost and audience health alongside platform-attributed revenue.
Our process
from diagnosis to improvement
Audit cart and checkout events, exclusions and existing sequences. Review abandoned-cart context and the store experience for possible friction.
Map the main objections by audience and stage. Decide which need messaging and which should be escalated to the store team.
Write, design and implement recovery messages, return links and offer logic. Test purchase exits and coordination with other flows.
Test timing, reassurance and offers against completed orders. Keep platform attribution separate from evidence of incremental recovery.
Why this matters
for your business
More value from existing intent
Help interested shoppers complete their order.
Answers to real objections
Make the message useful beyond a generic reminder.
Less unnecessary discounting
Reserve offers for a defined role.
A clearer checkout handoff
Give shoppers a straightforward next action.
Relevant recovery messages
Reflect whether a shopper is new or already a customer.
Purchase-focused measurement
Evaluate recovered orders and their economics.
See the work
behind the emails
The Eliya the Label design shown here uses product photography and collection storytelling to make the products easy to explore. It is a campaign creative example; its product presentation illustrates one ingredient of a clear recovery message.
For an abandoned checkout, that presentation needs to be paired with the shopper’s selected products, a direct checkout link and answers to the objections that stopped the order. FOUND’s founder reports that checkout-abandonment emails add five figures each month to its business.
Client experience
with Retention Side
Before working with Retention Side, most of our growth came from paid ads. When ads were performing, things looked good. When they weren’t, cash flow got tight pretty quickly. Over the past months, our repeat customer rate moved close to 40%, and that changed how the business feels. Revenue is still seasonal, but it’s far less stressful.
Founder
Nevena Komazec
Before Retention Side, 90% of our sales came from one-time buyers. Now returning customers drive most of our revenue, and checkout abandonment emails alone add 5 figures each month.
Founder
Faraz Zaidi
These testimonials are reproduced from our client reviews. They describe individual client experiences, not a forecast for your brand.
Talk through your
cart recovery challenge
Tell us where shoppers leave, what they put in their carts and how recovery currently works.
We will discuss the current setup, the gaps worth investigating and whether Retention Side is the right partner.
Cart recovery
questions
Are cart and checkout abandonment the same?
No. A cart event and a checkout-start event represent different stages of intent and need separate tracking and exclusions.
Can email fix checkout problems?
It can answer questions or remind shoppers, but a broken payment method or unexpected shipping charge needs a store-level fix.
Should the first recovery email offer a discount?
Not by default. We test reassurance and product value before deciding whether an incentive is needed.
How do you avoid sending reminders after a purchase?
Purchase events, exclusions and flow exits must be checked during implementation and ongoing review.
What result should we measure?
Completed recovered orders and their value, with offer cost and audience health included. Attributed revenue alone does not establish incrementality.
Explore the strategy
and the work
Abandoned Cart Emails for Ecommerce Stores (Full Guide)
Explore the research, examples and practical considerations behind cart recovery.
Connect welcome and recovery
See how welcome communication builds product understanding before a shopper reaches checkout.
Email marketing for ecommerce
Explore Retention Side’s research, strategy, segmentation, automation and ongoing testing services.