How to Reduce Abandoned Carts in an Online Store
Reducing abandoned carts starts not with a pop-up and a coupon, but by measuring where the customer drops off. Show the final price earlier, shorten the checkout process, check payments and use reminders only when you have a reason to send them.
Ивелин КириловChief Technology Officer (CTO)
Владислав БарковManaging Director
What Is an Abandoned Cart, Exactly?
An abandoned cart is a cart with a product added to it but no completed order. It is a stronger signal than simply viewing a product, but it does not automatically mean that the customer was ready to pay.
The reason may be unexpected delivery costs, a card that does not work, the lack of a preferred courier or simply comparing your offer with another store. So do not group all cases into one overall figure. Separate cart additions, started checkouts, entered email addresses, selected delivery options, started payments and completed orders.
This will help you understand whether the problem lies with the offer, the form, the courier, the payment provider or the tracking. Someone who sees an unexpected fee when selecting delivery needs a different fix from someone whose card transaction was declined.
How Can You Find Out Why Customers Do Not Complete Their Orders?
Start with data from the store and analytics system. Break down the results by device, traffic source, product, cart value, delivery and payment method. If the problem occurs mainly on mobile, check the speed, fields, keyboard and visibility of the order button.
Then place test orders as a real customer would. Go through the process on a phone and a computer, using a card and cash on delivery, with delivery to an address and to a courier office. Check what happens with an incorrect phone number, an incomplete address, a declined card and an interruption during payment.
Also check whether the cart is saved correctly. The link in the reminder should restore exactly the selected products, not open an empty store. When connected to an ERP, compare stock levels, prices and promotions between the store, warehouse and order management system.
| What the data shows | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Many cart additions, few started checkouts | Unclear price, delivery or terms | Price including VAT, delivery, delivery timeframe and returns |
| Many started checkouts, few orders | Long form or mandatory registration | Guest checkout, number of fields, errors and mobile version |
| Declines mainly when paying by card | Problem with the payment provider or 3D Secure | Logs, error messages and an alternative method |
| Orders from ads but few purchases | Mismatch between the ad and the page | Price, availability, delivery and the promise in the ad |
| Abandonments on higher-value carts | Insufficient trust or unclear terms | Company details, warranty, returns and support |
How Can You Show the Final Price Earlier?
Customers should not have to fill in a long form to find out how much they will pay. Show the product price including VAT, estimated delivery cost and delivery timeframe on the product page or in the cart.
If delivery depends on the address, explain this clearly. Offer a choice between delivery to an address and to a courier office when the courier allows it. The cash-on-delivery fee, inspection fee or charge for another service should not appear as a surprise on the final screen.
Cash on delivery remains important for many Bulgarian stores, but it is not the right choice for every business. Compare completed orders, refusals and the costs associated with the method. For products with a higher risk of unclaimed parcels, card payments may change the calculation.
Free shipping is not a universal solution either. If you use a threshold message, it must update correctly when products are added or removed. Check your margin, courier cost and average order value before promising this benefit.
How can you shorten the checkout process?
Allow customers to place an order without registering. You can offer an account after the purchase, when the customer already has a reason to come back. Ask for only the information needed to fulfil the order: name, phone number, email, address or office, and payment method.
Use address autofill, clear labels and specific error messages. “Invalid phone number” is more helpful than “An error occurred.” Data already entered should not be deleted when the customer corrects one field.
The button should say what will happen: “Order and pay” or “Confirm order”. Before it, show the products, total amount and delivery method. On mobile, check that the keyboard does not cover the active field and that the button remains easy to tap.
When does an abandoned-cart email make sense?
Email is useful only when the customer has provided their address and you have a legal basis for sending the message. Do not collect email addresses covertly or mix a transactional notification with a marketing subscription. Keep proof of the consent given.
Start with a short reminder without a discount. Show the products, price, availability and a link to the saved cart. A follow-up message can answer real questions about delivery, returns, size or warranty.
Do not offer a discount to every customer. That trains people to wait for a coupon. A discount or free shipping makes sense only if the margin allows it and measurement shows that the additional orders cover the cost.
The automation should stop after a completed order, a refusal or the product going out of stock. If the price or availability has changed, say so clearly. The cart link should not lead to a product that can no longer be ordered.
How can you use remarketing without chasing every visitor?
In Google Ads and Meta, segment people who viewed a product, added it to their cart or started checkout. These groups have different levels of intent and should not receive the same ad.
Show people who added a product to their cart the exact product, but exclude those who have already purchased. Limit ad frequency and align the period with the product. For a quick decision, a reminder that comes too late loses its purpose, while for a more expensive purchase the customer may need more time.
Dynamic ads depend on the product catalogue. The price, availability, image and product URL must be up to date. Track completed orders and revenue after ad spend, not just clicks.
SMS, Viber, WhatsApp or other channels require separate consent and a clear reason for the message. At higher volumes, a CRM system helps prevent you from sending the same reminder through several channels.
How can you build trust before payment?
Display your phone number, email, company details, and delivery and return terms in a visible place. The customer should not have to leave checkout to find out who is behind the store and what will happen after the order.
Place genuine reviews and answers to frequently asked questions close to the purchase decision. Avoid fabricated counters and artificial pressure that you cannot substantiate. They may lead to a click, but they undermine trust.
Show familiar payment methods and explain what happens after the button is clicked. SSL is necessary, but the icon alone cannot make up for missing information about the company, returns and support.
How much does it cost to reduce abandoned carts?
The cost depends on the platform, access to the code, payment provider, courier and the way the store, ERP and CRM system are connected. A small form fix is not the same project as a new checkout with multiple payment methods, couriers and inventory synchronisation.
| Work | What it typically includes | Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Online store and checkout changes | Form, guest checkout, delivery, payment and mobile version | €840-€6,300 |
| Remarketing in Google Ads and Meta | Events, audiences, catalogue, purchaser exclusions and tracking | €250-€2,500 |
| Integration with ERP, CRM or courier | Orders, inventory, prices, customers and statuses via API | Specified in the proposal |
At the higher end of the range are usually older platforms, multiple delivery methods, different prices for companies and individuals, or a non-standard quotation process. In a B2B store, the cart may not be the final step because the customer is waiting for approval, a credit limit or an individual price.
How should you structure the work step by step?
- 01Measure the current funnel
Set up events for adding to cart, checkout started, delivery selection, payment and completed order. Check that purchases are recorded only once and that revenue matches the data in the store.
- 02Go through the checkout as a customer
Test phone, computer, card, cash on delivery, delivery to an address and delivery to an office. Record every unnecessary field, unclear message and discrepancy in the final price.
- 03Fix the biggest obstacle
If delivery details appear too late, start there. If payment is declining transactions, check the payment provider. If the form is too long, enable guest checkout and shorten the fields.
- 04Add cart recovery
Set up email or another permitted channel for reminders. Stop the automation after a purchase, decline or the product selling out, and do not send a link to an outdated cart.
- 05Test one change at a time
Compare completed orders, revenue, average order value and remarketing costs. If you change the form, price, banner and delivery at the same time, you will not know what helped.
What does the problem look like in a real online store?
At Q-Parts.bg, the customer has to find the right auto part by VIN number, make and model, see its availability and understand how they will receive it through the integration with Econt. This shows why reducing abandoned carts is not simply a matter of adding a bigger “Buy” button.
When the store and internal systems do not share the same data, customers may see a product that is no longer available, an outdated price or incorrect delivery information. API integrations connect the store, payment systems, courier, ERP and CRM, so the team does not have to re-enter orders and statuses between systems.
Frequently asked questions
- What abandoned cart rate is normal?
- There is no single normal rate for all stores. Compare your own funnel across periods, devices, sources and payment methods instead of relying on a general figure from someone else’s research.
- Do pop-ups for abandoned carts work?
- They can help, but they will not fix hidden delivery costs, payment problems or a slow checkout. Use them sparingly and for a genuine reason, without offering a discount to every visitor.
- When should I send an abandoned cart email?
- Start with a brief reminder after the customer has left their email address and you have the required consent. A follow-up message can answer questions about delivery and returns, but the sequence should stop immediately after a purchase or when the product sells out.
- Should I offer cash on delivery?
- For many Bulgarian stores, it remains an important method, but the decision depends on the product, margin and risk of unclaimed shipments. Compare completed orders, refusals and costs before enabling it automatically.
- How much does checkout optimization cost?
- The price depends on the platform, payment and courier connections, ERP or CRM logic, and the state of tracking. For an online store, the starting point is €840-€6,300; for specific changes and integrations, the exact scope is defined in the proposal.
