This article emphasize on one of the most effective ways to recover lost customers after they abandon their carts: Abandoned Cart Emails. We analysed 13 of India’s biggest ecommerce companies on how they send abandoned cart emails.

The 13 stores we compared are:

1. Flipkart

2. Amazon

3. Bluestone

4. Lenskart

5. Fabfurnish

6. Purplle

7. UrbanLadder

8. Pepperfry

9. Giftease

10. Fern n Petals

11. Babyoye

12. Snapdeal

13. Jabong

We used 6 parameters to score abandoned cart emails from each company. The details of these 6 parameters and why they matter is as follows:

Here’s the consolidated scorecard

(Snapdeal and Jabong did not send any abandoned cart email in 48 hours of abandoning the cart. So we were essentially reduced to 11 candidates.)

Now, let us discuss these parameters in brief.

#1. Product Abandoned in the Cart

It sounds elementary to include an image, buy-link and other small details about the product that was abandoned in abandoned cart emails. This not only reminds the user about the product that they almost bought but also gives them an opportunity to review the product again and give it a second thought. However, a staggering 50%+ (6/11) ecommerce companies did not include the image and details about the product that was abandoned.

Take a look at Purplle’s abandoned cart email:

Problems: No Abandoned Cart Product, No Recommendations

Now, take a look at Urban Ladder’s abandoned cart email

Problems: No Abandoned Cart Product, No Recommendations

#2. Call to Action

Most emails (9/11) had a call to action to take the customer back to the web-store. However, Pepperfry & Babyoye did not have a clear call to action to direct the user to the store directly from the email. This is a big mistake that is overlooked on their part.

Pepperfry’s abandoned cart email

Problems: No Abandoned Cart Product, No Call to Action, No Product Image, No Recommendations, Offers Discount

Now, take a look at Baby Oye’s abandoned cart email:

Problems: No Abandoned Cart Product, No Call to Action, No Product Image, No Recommendations

#3. Relevant Product Recommendations

None (11/11) of the abandoned cart emails had any product recommendations in the mail. Ecommerce companies must understand that users abandon products because they are either skeptical about the design or are not happy with the price. Not sending relevant recommendations of similar products doesn’t build a case for users to see more designs and also see a varied price range. Everyone loses here. Let us take a look at how Flipkart and Amazon did it.

Flipkart’s abandoned cart email

Problems: No Relevant Recommendations

Amazon’s abandoned cart email

Problems: No Relevant Recommendations

#4. Responsive

All 12 Abandoned Cart Emails were responsive. That’s nice!

#5. Short n Sweet

Abandoned cart emails should be short and address the point right away. Too much information about the company or the categories that the company provides is simply not worth it. However, 50% (6/12) companies sent long emails detailing different things like terms and conditions, showcasing categories. None of them really addressed the abandoned cart item

 FabFurnish’s abandoned cart email:

Problems: Way too Long, No Relevant Recommendations, Offers Discount

Lenskart’s abandoned cart email

Problems: Way too Long, No Relevant Recommendations

Bluestone’s abandoned cart email

Problems: Way too Long, No Relevant Recommendations, Unrelated Category Promotion

#6. No Discount

Sending discounts in abandoned cart emails sets wrong expectations. The focus of abandoned cart emails should be to showcase more products, thus, giving user a flavor of your product offerings. Simply sending discount coupons to encourage checkout doesn’t boost customer loyalty. 4/11 stores still replied on discount coupons to win back customers. Take a look.

Ferns n Petals’ abandoned cart email

Problems: Way too Long, No Relevant Recommendations, Offers Discount

Giftease’s abandoned cart email

Problems: Way too Long, No Abandoned Cart Product, No Relevant Recommendations

Conclusion

Abandoned cart emails need to be well thought about. You can’t use the same mail for every user. Realize that each customer is different and deserves a personalized email. Stop spamming and start engaging!

Here’s how TargetingMantra goes about Abandoned Cart Mails:

Why is this better?

– Abandoned Product Included with details and pictures

– Clear Call to Action

– Relevant Recommendations

– Responsive

– Short & Sweet

– Doesn’t offer any discount

Note: We at Inc42 take our ethics very seriously. More information about it can be found here.