How to Create an Abandoned Cart Automation for Your Shopify Store

Creating an abandoned cart automation for your Shopify store can help recover lost sales by reminding customers to complete their purchases. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to set this up:

How to Create an Abandoned Cart Automation for Your Shopify Store

Step 1: Access Your Shopify Admin

1. Log in to your Shopify account.
2. Once logged in, you will be directed to your Shopify admin dashboard.

Step 2: Navigate to Settings

1. From the Shopify admin dashboard, click on "Settings" in the bottom left corner.
2. Select "Checkout" from the settings menu.

Step 3: Configure Abandoned Checkout Emails

1. Scroll down to the "Order processing" section.
2. Look for the "Abandoned checkouts" subsection.

Step 4: Set Up Email Timing

1. Under "Email customers who abandon their checkout," select the timing for when the email should be sent. The options are:
   • 1 hour after abandoning checkout
   • 6 hours after abandoning checkout
   • 10 hours after abandoning checkout
   • 24 hours after abandoning checkout
2. Choose the option that best fits your strategy. Typically, sending an email within a few hours is more effective.

Step 5: Customise the Email Template

1. Click on "Customise email" to open the email template editor.
2. Edit the subject line and email body to make it more engaging. Personalise it by including the customer’s name and the items they left in their cart.
3. Use a clear and compelling call-to-action to encourage customers to complete their purchase.
4. You can add discount codes or special offers to incentivise customers to return and complete their purchase.

Step 6: Save Your Settings

1. After customising the email template, click the "Save" button to apply your changes.
2. Ensure that the "Automatically send abandoned checkout emails" option is enabled.

Step 7: Test the Abandoned Cart Email

1. To test the automation, abandon a checkout process on your store with a test email.
2. Wait for the configured time to ensure that the abandoned cart email is sent correctly and appears as expected in the test email inbox.

Additional Tips

1. Frequency of Emails: Avoid sending too many follow-up emails as this can be perceived as spam. One or two well-timed reminders are usually sufficient.
2. Email Content: Keep your email content clear and concise. Highlight the benefits of completing the purchase and include high-quality images of the abandoned products.
3. Mobile Optimisation: Ensure that your emails are mobile-friendly, as many customers will open them on their smartphones.
4. Analytics and Tracking: Use Shopify's analytics to track the performance of your abandoned cart emails. Monitor open rates, click-through rates, and recovery rates to optimise your strategy.

Conclusion

Setting up an abandoned cart automation for your Shopify store can significantly increase your sales by reminding customers to complete their purchases. By following these steps and customising your emails effectively, you can recover lost revenue and improve your overall conversion rate. If you encounter any issues or need further assistance, Shopify’s support resources and community forums are valuable resources.