7 Proven Ways to Reduce Cart Abandonment in Your Shopify Store

As of 2025, research indicates that over 70% of online retail shopping carts are abandoned before the purchase is completed.

Cart abandonment is a challenge for both small and large ecommerce businesses, but its impact is felt most acutely at scale.

For example, if your Shopify store attracts 125,000 visitors per month with an average order value of AED 489.31 and a visitor-to-sale conversion rate of 0.92%, increasing your conversion rate by just 0.5% could generate an additional AED 308,125 per month or nearly AED 3,697,500 per year.

These numbers highlight why conversion-rate optimisation is essential for any ecommerce business. But where should you begin?

Cart abandonment occurs when a customer adds items to their online shopping cart but fails to complete the purchase. Common causes include complex checkout processes, high shipping costs, and unexpected fees.

Several Key Reasons why shoppers leave their carts behind:

The average abandonment rate hovers just above 70%, with AED 954.2 billion in lost orders recoverable through improved checkout flow and design.

Calculating Cart Abandonment Rate

You can calculate your store’s rate using this formula:

Cart Abandonment Rate = (Number of Abandoned Carts ÷ Number of Carts Created) × 100

Example: If 100 visitors add items to their carts but only 40 complete the purchase, your cart abandonment rate is:

(60 ÷ 100) × 100 = 60%

1. Personalise the Shopping Experience with First-Party Data

With third-party cookies declining, first-party data is crucial. By analysing customer behaviour, you can:

• Recognise returning visitors and adapt to their preferences.
• Offer personalised product suggestions, exclusive discounts, and faster checkout.
• Maintain a consistent experience across devices and sessions.

Tailoring the shopping journey reduces friction and addresses core reasons for abandonment.

2. Send Abandoned Cart Emails

Cart recovery emails are highly effective. Klaviyo data shows:

• Open rate: 41%
• Click rate: 9.5%
• Revenue per recipient: AED 19.7 – 24.7

Shopify integrations with Klaviyo allow automated abandoned cart emails and SMS campaigns, helping you recover lost sales with minimal effort.

3. Launch a Rewards Programme

Loyalty programmes encourage repeat purchases and higher spend. Apps like Smile and LoyaltyLion let customers earn points for purchases, referrals, and reviews, creating loyal advocates for your brand.

4. Use Live Chat

Live chat can resolve queries in real-time, reducing the likelihood of abandonment. Shopify Inbox integrates chat across multiple channels, offering personalised support and product recommendations to keep customers moving towards checkout.

5. Offer Multiple Payment Options

Limited payment methods are a major reason for abandoned carts. Offer options such as:

• Credit/debit cards
• Digital wallets (Shop Pay, PayPal, Google Pay, Apple Pay)
• Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) solutions

Shopify Payments simplifies setup and ensures international compatibility.

6. Simplify Checkout

A fast, simple checkout reduces friction. Two-thirds of consumers expect to check out in four minutes or less.

• Use side carts to make navigation easier.
• Enable Shop Pay for fast, secure payments with saved details.

To activate Shop Pay:

1. Go to Settings > Payments in your Shopify admin.
2. Click Manage under Shopify Payments.
3. Enable Shop Pay and click Save.

7. Use Exit-Intent Popups

Exit popups capture abandoning visitors with offers such as discounts or free shipping. Brands like Truly use popups like “spin to win” to increase conversions.

Tools like Privy track visitor behaviour, display targeted popups, and integrate coupons and product data seamlessly. Average conversion rates for cart abandonment pop-ups are around 17%.

• Retargeting Ads: Use Shopify Audiences to display ads to high-intent shoppers across Meta, Google, Pinterest, TikTok, Snapchat, and Criteo.
• Build Trust During Checkout: Display estimated delivery times, secure checkout logos, and clear shipping policies.
• Social Proof: Highlight customer reviews and testimonials to reassure shoppers.
• Easy Returns: Shopify’s self-serve returns tool simplifies returns, refunds, and inventory management.
• Push Notifications: Engage customers with personalised updates on abandoned carts or product launches.

Cart abandonment is a major challenge, but Shopify provides the tools and insights to tackle it effectively. By personalising experiences, simplifying checkout, offering multiple payment methods, and using retargeting strategies, you can recover lost sales and boost revenue.

Take action today with KazeDigital let our ecommerce experts help optimise your Shopify store, reduce cart abandonment, and maximise conversions.