An abandoned cart email is an email sent after a customer leaves a website’s checkout process without completing their purchase. Abandoned cart emails are most often used by ecommerce businesses to regain revenue lost after an online shopping cart is abandoned.

The goal of an abandoned cart email is to prompt a potential customer to return to their checkout process and complete their purchase. Abandoned cart emails can be highly effective because they target an audience who is extremely likely to buy. When consumers abandon carts due to distraction, a simple email follow-up may be all that’s required to convert the sale.

Abandoned cart emails can be sent as individual emails or as a series. They typically include a link back to the consumer’s shopping cart and may also include a discount code designed to increase the probability of a purchase.