25 Shopping Cart Abandonment Statistics

Approximately 69.57% of online shopping carts are abandoned before the purchase stage due to casual browsing, expensive prices, and account creation requirements. We’ve gathered a list of shopping cart abandonment statistics to help you better understand your online customers’ turn-offs and to increase sales.

Below are 25 shopping cart abandonment statistics you need to know, broken down into six categories: general cart abandonment statistics, industry-specific statistics, mobile shopping statistics, abandoned cart email statistics, retargeting ads for abandoned carts, and COVID-19-related abandoned cart statistics.

General Cart Abandonment Statistics for 2020

1. Additional costs are the top reason for cart abandonment

Half of customers who intend to buy leave their shopping carts primarily due to additional costs they didn’t know about until they reached the checkout page. These costs include shipping, price increases for items in larger sizes, and taxes.

Statista data mirrors Baymard Institute, with consumers citing high shipping costs, low purchase intent, and stockouts as the reasons for their abandoned carts.

To find out why your customers are abandoning carts, ask them. Kaumudi Tiwari, product marketer at Zonka Feedback, recommends setting up a way for customers to provide feedback via your website. “Display a pop-up where visitors navigate away from the checkout screen, including a simple question asking something like, ‘Did you face any issues while making a purchase?’ Survey reports will help you analyze and plan the changes you should make to reduce cart abandonment.”

For tips on collecting customer feedback, we offer several templates in our guide to customer satisfaction surveys.

2. The average checkout flow has about 15 form fields

More than 20% of shoppers have abandoned a cart because the checkout process is too long or convoluted. The average checkout flow has 14.88 form elements—that’s a whole lot of data input. According to Baymard, the ideal checkout has 7–8 form fields—about half of what the average shopper has to go through.

When building your checkout flow, minimize the number of steps and forms. Include only what you absolutely need to be able to complete the transaction. It’s also a good idea to use an ecommerce platform like Shopify that allows for customer profiles with saved payment information to make future checkouts faster and easier.

3. Americans purchase 58% of what they put in their cart

Cart abandonment rate benchmarks might make you think online shoppers are casual browsers rather than “shoppers,” but Americans do end up purchasing more than half (58%) of what they actually put in their cart.

4. 53% of shoppers will abandon if your pages take longer than three seconds to load

Website speed is a significant factor in shopping cart abandonment. Statistics show that 53% of online shoppers will leave their carts if they have to wait more than three seconds for a webpage to load. Additionally, 80% of these shoppers will never return due to the sluggishness of the website.

As your business grows, it’s important to perform regular tests to ensure that what worked yesterday still works today. More customers visiting a site can boost the bandwidth needed to run smoothly. You’ll need to evaluate your internet service providers’ capabilities, website host’s storage capacity, and the rest of your website’s platforms and plugins to ensure website visitors can maneuver your site without issues.

5. You’ll lose half of customers if checkout is longer than 30 seconds

Consumers have limited patience for other parts of the checkout process too. They’ll wait nine seconds for the next page in the checkout to load, 10 seconds for a text code, 10 seconds for credit card verification, 11 seconds for live chat responses, and 12 seconds for email confirmation.

That’s a lot to stay on top of. One key is automation. Here are some resources to help you learn more about using automation in your small business:

• Best Workflow Automation Software
• Best Sales Automation Software
• CRM vs Marketing Automation: Definition, Cost and Providers

6. 76% of shoppers won’t return to your site after a poor experience

More than three-quarters of online shoppers won’t even come back to your website if they have a negative first experience. Negative experiences could include long load times, poor usability, and low-quality product images.

7. American consumers ditch 11 carts per year

Over the course of a year, the average American shopper will abandon 11 online shopping carts. That’s almost one shopping cart every month.

To avoid abandonment, it’s important to reduce friction for customers. “This can be reducing steps and clicks, but friction also comes in the form of questions and uncertainties that potential customers may have,” said Chris Henderson, product growth at Easyship. “It’s critical that shipping information is complete and clear. This not only includes price, but also expected delivery lead times, courier, and import taxes and duties if selling internationally.”

8. The 2019 holidays had a stable abandonment rate

In 2019, cart abandonment rates were 71.3% on Black Friday and 85.16% on Cyber Monday. These figures are standard for the holiday shopping season.

During the holidays, it’s important to add extra incentives to get shoppers to buy. If possible, guarantee shipping by a certain date, offer free gift wrapping, or include the option to add a gift receipt and message with the purchase. Small extra touches like these can be the difference between an abandoned cart and a closed deal.

Industry-Specific Cart Abandonment Statistics for 2020

9. Travel companies have the most abandoned carts

The airline industry and the travel industry have the highest cart abandonment rates of all, 87.87% and 81.31% respectively. Most customers who visit airline websites use the booking platform to get an idea of how much their travel costs will be or to compare pricing options. Customers do this in advance of their trip so that they can plan appropriately.

To minimize the number of customers who start the buying process solely to price flights, include features on your booking page that provide links to third-party platforms offering price comparisons. You can also add filters that customers can use to check total pricing for alternative seat classes and dates before they reach the checkout stage.

10. The automotive industry also suffers from high abandonment rates

According to Statista, cart abandonment rates are high for automotive (96.88%) and car rentals (92.04%). This is likely similar to the challenges airline and travel companies face, where consumers use pricing as part of their research and planning process and don’t always have a high intent to convert.

Again, consider integrating third-party booking tools onto your website to make it easier for users to check out. You might also consider some sort of email capture so that you can build and nurture relationships and stay top of mind when they are ready to commit.

11. Department stores, fashion, and jewelry have the highest retail abandonment rates

According to SaleCycle, within the retail sector, jewelry websites experience the highest loss of sales with a cart abandonment rate of 88.6%, not far ahead of adjacent categories like department stores (87.37%) and fashion sites (87.28%).

However, fashion websites enjoy a 51.39% conversion rate from online shoppers using their mobile devices. The majority of sales for fashion websites take place on mobile devices, even though 48.61% of shoppers prefer to use desktops for purchasing.

One way to lower the cart abandonment rate in these industries is to pay special attention to the mobile experience. This includes everything from researching and browsing through purchasing.

One way to speed up the mobile purchasing experience is by offering one-click checkout options with Apple Pay, Google Pay, Fast, or Shop Pay. Most major ecommerce platforms, including Shopify, offer options for speedy checkout in addition to site templates and themes that are optimized for mobile devices.

Mobile Cart Abandonment Statistics for 2020

12. Most carts are abandoned on phones

Barilliance conducted its own analysis—its average cart abandonment rate came in at 77.73% for 2019. In that same year, carts on phones were abandoned just over 80% of the time, while tablets were about average and computers were abandoned at a lower rate.

13. Mobile device sales have grown by 23%

Despite high cart abandonment rates, mobile devices have seen a big leap in sales conversion rates, from 9% to 32% in 2019 alone. Though mobile ecommerce sales still lag behind desktop, growth shows that consumers are becoming more accustomed to purchasing online using their smartphones.

To capitalize on this trend of mobile commerce, ensure your online store is mobile-optimized every step of the way. This includes your landing pages, product pages, and every step of the checkout process. You can also create user-friendly mobile apps to allow users to shop more conveniently on their devices.

14. Online shoppers abandon on mobile to purchase on desktop

While mobile traffic dominates overall at 53%, ecommerce businesses still experience the highest sales conversion rate—56%—through desktop. Online shoppers prefer to use their mobile devices to browse products but complete the purchase on their desktops.

Employ checkout technology that allows users to log in and save their carts. This way, they can move seamlessly between devices to perform the tasks they want.

15. More than half of retailers aren’t prepared to support mobile sales

Retailers are still struggling to keep up with mobile technology, and 52% admit they’re still ill-prepared to support consumer demands for mobile sales. This includes artificial intelligence (AI), chatbots, and augmented or virtual reality. However, it will only be a matter of time until experts develop tools that will make this advanced technology affordable.

It’s a good idea to start developing long-term plans to analyze how you can innovate your sales process and stand out from competitors. Small businesses should consider learning how to build their own mobile app with tools like BuildFire and iBuildApp that don’t require coding skills.

16. Mobile users won’t download retail apps due to data security concerns

Mobile retail apps were created to provide convenience to consumers who prefer shopping on their smartphones. However, 59.5% of online shoppers are still wary of using these apps to make purchases due to data security concerns. Another 37.6% of the respondents said they do not want to download current or future merchant apps because they already have too many apps on their phones.

To combat this, add security badges to mobile platforms showing your app is secure. You can also give your app designer reasonable size limits to minimize issues with storage space. If possible, consider adding safety and security certificates within your app, particularly in the checkout process.

17. The PayPal Verified seal is the most trustworthy security seal

Research shows that the more familiar a trust symbol is, the higher it is rated in terms of perceived security. However, while 42% of the respondents say that they are most familiar with the Visa-Mastercard seal, more consumers trust a PayPal seal. One in four survey respondents said that PayPal gave them the best sense of security, and PayPal was the most chosen seal in every age bracket.

Consider adding a trusted payment processor to your online store or app and incorporating their security symbols on your site and checkout pages. Here are some resources to get you started:

• Best Payment Gateways
• Simple Ways to Get an SSL Certificate
• How to Accept Credit Card Payments Online for Free
• Best Ways to Accept Recurring Payments
• Best Merchant Services for Small Businesses

Cart Abandonment Email Statistics for 2020

18. Cart abandonment emails have a 45% open rate

Of all cart abandonment emails sent to browsers, about 45% are opened. Half of the users who open a cart abandonment email will engage, and 21% will click through. Half of the click-throughs result in a purchase.

Keep these cart abandonment statistics in mind when building your automated emails and sequences. Make the copy crystal-clear, and always include an easy-to-see call to action (CTA) so that users know exactly how and where to click to get one step closer to making a purchase.

19. Sending three abandoned cart emails drives 63% more orders

You can send a single abandoned cart email, but retailers that send sequences with multiple emails generally see more success. Abandoned cart email campaigns result in 63% more orders compared to just one email.

This insight is useful when planning an effective email marketing strategy and building out your abandoned cart campaigns. Rather than sending a single email, send a few. Space them apart and include different messaging in each. You might even consider upping the ante and including incentives toward the end of your abandoned cart sequence to encourage the sale.

20. Abandoned cart emails perform best in February

Although companies send the most abandoned cart marketing emails in November for the holidays, February has the best open rates (17.9%), and June the best click rates (3.6%). This indicates that businesses should reconsider their email marketing strategy and not rely on recovering lost sales during big holidays like Black Friday and Christmas.

Cart Abandonment and Retargeting Ads

21. 26% of customers will return to a site through retargeting

According to a study by Invesp, three out of four consumers notice retargeting ads. Retargeted ads have significantly higher click-through rates than typical display ads. People like to be reminded of products they’re interested in but have forgotten about. Overall, 26% of customers will return to a site through retargeting.

A great way to manage this is to employ retargeting ads so that customers who leave your site after browsing receive reminders about their shopping cart even after visiting other webpages. Once they click on the ad, it will return them to the page showing their incomplete order.

22. Personalized retargeted ads can generate 1,300% ROI

Brands that personalize their retargeted ads based on consumer behavior have seen returns on investment (ROIs) of more than 1,300% in their campaigns. This means you should consider sending retargeted ads that showcase the same products that customers previously added to their shopping carts but failed to buy. Statistics show it is more likely to turn into sales compared to displaying a generic retargeted ad that just promotes your company.

Samiksha S. Rawool of Yummy Tummy Recipes has seen success with this. She implemented dynamic retargeting ads as part of her digital strategy, increasing conversions by 23%. She uses the funnel visualization features in Google Ads to set them up. “I can target my audience, shopping cart abandoners, with highly personalized messages and ads with images of products they added into their shopping cart but didn’t end up buying,” she says.

23. Facebook ads can provide at least a 3% conversion rate

Aside from Google, Facebook is one of the most effective retargeting platforms. Shoppers who spend more time engaging with your business on Facebook will be more likely to purchase. According to Wolfgang Digital, 3% of users who “like” your post will convert into paid customers, followed by 4% who share, 4.67% who leave a reaction, and 4.91% who comment. By the time your audience contacts you via Messenger, the conversion rate increases to 9.95%.

This is why ecommerce businesses should make an effort to become more active on social media. Posting pictures of new products and providing updates that keep prospects and customers interested are great ways to start.

Here are some resources to get you started:

• Facebook for Business: Ultimate Guide
• How to Create a Facebook Business Page
• How to Create a Facebook Retargeting Ad

COVID-19 Cart Abandonment Statistics

24. COVID-19 decreased cart abandonment rates

Cart abandonment rates dropped when the COVID-19 pandemic began. In February, even before lockdowns hit the US, rates started dropping. As the pandemic spread to the US, cart abandonment rates started to rise again, though they didn’t quite get back to pre-COVID-19 averages.

As a small business, it’s difficult to plan for unexpected global health crises. It’s important to set your business up with the right tools so you can acclimate to the ever-changing market and external factors that affect your business.

25. Cart abandonment rates for fashion products spiked in April 2020

Cart abandonment rates in the fashion industry have been similarly impacted by COVID-19. Rates significantly decreased early on before leveling out. Early April saw a major spike in cart abandonment rates. This could be attributed to a few things, mainly changing consumer needs. As people settled into their “new normal” in a COVID economy, their shopping habits adjusted accordingly.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Shopping Cart Abandonment Statistics

Shopping cart abandonment continues to pose major challenges for online businesses. While we’ve attempted to help you analyze the data that affects this consumer behavior, you might still have questions. We’ve compiled a list of commonly asked questions about shopping cart abandonment statistics.

What is the fastest way to prevent cart abandonment in terms of incentives?

Since 53% of online shoppers cite extra cost as their top reason for abandoning their carts, offering free shipping can help improve conversion. Another thing you can do is to make sure that there are no hidden costs that customers will only see at the point of payment.

What is the quickest way to prevent cart abandonment in terms of website user experience?

Allowing for guest checkout is the quickest way to improve your conversion rate. Remember that 31% of online shoppers abandon their carts because they are being forced to create an account.

What are the most effective strategies for recovering lost sales from cart abandonment?

Email and ad retargeting are the best solutions for recovering lost sales from cart abandonment. They leverage customer information to create different strategies to reach out and lead customers back to your site to finalize their purchase. Personalization is also an important factor in these strategies to maximize the chances of recovering lost sales.

How can you add personalization to your cart abandonment emails?

Personalization can be as simple as using the shopper’s name in the subject line and email copy. You can also take advantage of information like birthdays, location, and even the time of day you send the email to improve personalization. These small changes have proven to create a significant impact on recovering lost sales. People tend to buy more if they can connect with the brand or product on a more personal level.

What are some examples of the most effective subject lines for cart abandonment emails?

Omnisend analyzed more than 90,000 cart abandonment emails and have found that simple and short subject lines are the most effective:

• “15% Off purchase” – Open rate: 48%
• “Cart left” – Open rate: 45%
• “$20 Off cart” – Open rate: 44.5%
• “Items left” – Open rate: 40%
• “Still shopping?” – Open rate: 39%

The most common characteristics these subject lines share is that they’re short, simple, and provoke curiosity from its recipients. With these results in mind, ecommerce business owners should consider implementing this strategy into their email campaign.

Bottom Line

Simply put, ecommerce websites that fail to convert visitors into customers will not earn any money. Therefore, it is important to understand what motivates and discourages your prospects from completing a sale. Consider the shopping cart abandonment statistics we discussed in the article when coming up with your online sales strategy.

Want to learn more about shoppers’ online buying habits? Read our guide on online shopping statistics and payment industry trends for small businesses.