7 Proven Ways to Reduce Cart Abandonment and Recover Lost Sales

Cart abandonment is one of the biggest challenges for online store owners. According to industry reports, nearly 70% of online shopping carts are abandoned before the customer completes the purchase. That’s a lot of potential revenue slipping away. The good news? With the right strategies, you can dramatically reduce those numbers and recover lost sales.

In this post, we'll cover seven proven tactics to help you tackle cart abandonment head-on and turn hesitant shoppers into loyal customers.

1. Simplify the Checkout Process

A complicated or lengthy checkout is one of the top reasons customers abandon their carts. If your checkout has too many steps, unnecessary fields, or confusing navigation, shoppers will give up before finalizing their purchase.

What you should do:

• Limit the number of form fields to the essentials (name, address, payment info).
• Offer guest checkout options so customers aren’t forced to create an account.
• Use clear progress indicators to show shoppers how many steps remain.
• Optimize the mobile checkout experience — slow or clunky mobile checkouts kill conversions.

The smoother and faster your checkout process, the fewer people you’ll lose at the finish line.

2. Be Transparent About Costs Early

Unexpected costs like high shipping fees, taxes, or additional charges at checkout are major triggers for cart abandonment. If a customer clicks “checkout” only to see a total far higher than expected, they’re likely to back out.

What you should do:

• Display shipping costs, taxes, and fees as early as possible — ideally on the product page or in the cart summary.
• Consider offering free shipping thresholds (e.g., “Free shipping on orders over $50”) to encourage higher order values.
• Use a shipping calculator so customers can estimate costs upfront.

When there are no last-minute surprises, customers feel more confident completing the purchase.

3. Offer Multiple Payment Options

Some customers abandon their carts simply because their preferred payment method isn’t available. In today’s diverse eCommerce market, flexibility is a must.

What you should do:

• Offer major credit/debit card options as a baseline.
• Add popular digital wallets like PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Shop Pay.
• Consider offering Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) options like Afterpay or Klarna, especially for higher-ticket items.

More payment choices mean fewer reasons for a shopper to walk away.

4. Use Exit-Intent Popups

An exit-intent popup is a last-chance message that appears when a user moves their mouse to leave the checkout page or close the tab. It’s a simple, effective way to capture abandoned sales in real time.

What you should do:

• Offer an incentive like a 10% discount, free shipping, or a limited-time offer.
• Keep your message clear and value-driven: “Wait — don’t leave empty-handed! Here’s 10% off your order.”
• Include a prominent call-to-action (CTA) button like “Claim My Discount” or “Finish Checkout.”

It’s a well-timed reminder that can convince a wavering shopper to stay.

5. Send Automated Cart Abandonment Emails

Email follow-ups are one of the most effective ways to recover abandoned carts. A well-crafted reminder can bring customers back and nudge them toward completing their purchase.

What you should do:

• Set up automated cart recovery emails to go out within one to three hours of abandonment.
• Include the abandoned items, product images, pricing, and a direct checkout link.
• Sweeten the deal with a discount code or free shipping if the customer returns.
• Use a friendly, conversational tone that encourages action without sounding pushy.

Many eCommerce platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce offer built-in tools or plugins for this.

6. Build Trust with Security Badges and Clear Policies

Customers hesitate to share their personal and payment details if they don’t trust your site. Trust signals can reassure them that it’s safe to buy.

What you should do:

• Display recognized security badges like Norton Secured, McAfee Secure, or SSL certificates on checkout pages.
• Clearly link to your return policy, shipping policy, and customer service options.
• Use customer reviews and testimonials on product pages and checkout screens.

The more credible and secure your store appears, the more confident customers will feel completing their purchases.

7. Retarget Abandoned Visitors with Ads

If customers abandon their carts and don’t respond to emails, retargeting ads can bring them back. These ads follow users around the web, displaying the products they left behind and nudging them to return.

What you should do:

• Use platforms like Facebook Ads, Instagram Ads, and Google Display Network to run cart retargeting campaigns.
• Show personalized ads featuring the exact items customers abandoned.
• Test incentives like free shipping, discounts, or limited-time offers in your ad copy.

A well-placed retargeting ad keeps your store top-of-mind and gives customers another reason to convert.

Final Thoughts

Cart abandonment will always be a part of eCommerce, but you don’t have to accept those losses. By simplifying your checkout, being transparent about costs, offering diverse payment options, and following up with smart emails and retargeting ads, you can recover a significant chunk of those missed opportunities.

Start implementing these seven strategies one by one — you’ll likely see your cart abandonment rate drop and your sales climb.