Send three abandoned cart emails over about 48 hours: a reminder within an hour, an objection-handling email with reviews and your guarantee around 24 hours, and a final email at 48 hours with an incentive only if your margins allow. Separate abandoned checkout from abandoned cart, and exclude anyone who has already purchased.
The three-email structure
| Timing | Goal | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 hour | Reminder with product image | Catch people who got distracted |
| 24 hours | Reviews, guarantee, FAQs | Answer the hesitation |
| 48 hours | Last chance, optional small incentive | Final push |
Why people abandon
- Unexpected shipping cost
- Not sure it will work for them
- Comparing with another brand
- Distracted or not ready
Email two should tackle these directly.
Avoid training discount hunters
If every abandoned cart gets 15% off, customers learn to abandon. Lead with proof and service; use incentives sparingly.
Set up in Klaviyo
Use "Started Checkout" for the checkout flow and "Added to Cart" for the cart flow, with a filter so nobody gets both. See the Klaviyo Core Flows Blueprint.
Lifetime value calculator
Frequently asked questions
How many abandoned cart emails should I send?
Three over about 48 hours is a strong default.
Should abandoned cart emails include a discount?
Not by default. Try proof and reassurance first, and test a small incentive in the final email only.
What's the difference between abandoned cart and abandoned checkout?
Abandoned checkout triggers when someone starts checkout and leaves; abandoned cart triggers when they add to cart but don't start checkout. Checkout abandoners are closer to buying.
Written by Shimeez Bok, founder of Growth Alchemy, an ecommerce growth studio in Auckland, New Zealand.
