Abandoned cart email mailchimp setup

Abandoned Cart Emails: Recovering Lost Revenue with Mailchimp

In the world of e-commerce, abandoned carts are a frustrating reality. Shoppers browse your products, add items to their cart, and then… disappear. This scenario, while common, represents a significant loss of potential revenue. Fortunately, with Mailchimp, you can implement automated abandoned cart email campaigns to gently remind customers about their uncompleted purchases and entice them to return and finalize their order.

This article will guide you through the process of setting up effective abandoned cart emails in Mailchimp, covering everything from connecting your store to crafting compelling messages that convert.

Connecting Your E-commerce Store to Mailchimp

The first step in setting up abandoned cart emails is to connect your e-commerce platform to Mailchimp. This integration allows Mailchimp to track shopping cart activity and identify abandoned carts. Mailchimp integrates seamlessly with many popular e-commerce platforms, including:

Shopify
WooCommerce
BigCommerce
Magento

The exact steps for connecting your store will vary depending on the platform you are using. However, generally, you will need to:

Log in to your Mailchimp account.
Navigate to the “Integrations” section.
Find your e-commerce platform in the list of integrations.
Follow the on-screen instructions to connect your store, which usually involves installing a plugin or app, and authorizing Mailchimp to access your store data.

Once the connection is established, Mailchimp will automatically sync customer data, including their email addresses and shopping cart contents. Make sure you enable e-commerce tracking within Mailchimp to correctly capture purchase data and abandoned cart information.

Setting Up the Abandoned Cart Automation in Mailchimp

After connecting your store, you can create the abandoned cart automation. This automation will send a series of emails to customers who have left items in their cart without completing their purchase. Here’s how to set it up:

In Mailchimp, navigate to the “Automations” section.
Click “Create Automation”.
Select “Abandoned Cart Email” from the pre-built automation options.
Choose the connected store for which you want to create the automation.
Name your automation.
Click “Begin”.

You will then be taken to the automation workflow builder, where you can customize the trigger, email content, and schedule.

Configuring the Automation Trigger

The automation trigger determines when the abandoned cart email series is initiated. By default, Mailchimp usually sets a delay after the cart is abandoned. You can customize this delay based on your preferences and customer behavior.

To configure the trigger:

Click on the trigger box in the automation workflow.
Adjust the “Delay” setting to specify how many hours or days after the cart is abandoned the first email should be sent. Common delays range from 1 hour to 24 hours.
Consider A/B testing different delays to see which performs best for your audience. A shorter delay might be more effective for impulse purchases, while a longer delay might be better for higher-value items.
Save the trigger settings.

Crafting Effective Abandoned Cart Email Content

The content of your abandoned cart emails is crucial for convincing customers to return and complete their purchase. Here are some key elements to include:

A clear and concise subject line: Grab the customer’s attention with a subject line that clearly indicates they left items in their cart. Examples include: “Did you forget something?”, “Your cart is waiting!”, or “Complete your purchase!”.
A friendly and personalized greeting: Use the customer’s name if available, and start with a warm and welcoming tone.
A reminder of the items in their cart: Display images, names, and prices of the abandoned items to jog their memory and remind them of what they were interested in.
A clear call to action: Make it easy for the customer to return to their cart and complete their purchase. Use a prominent button with text like “Return to Cart” or “Complete Your Order”.
Incentives (optional): Consider offering a discount, free shipping, or another incentive to encourage the customer to complete their purchase. However, be mindful of your profit margins and avoid offering incentives too frequently.
Social proof (optional): Include customer reviews or testimonials to build trust and reassure the customer that they are making a good purchase.
Sense of Urgency: If applicable, add a sense of urgency by mentioning limited stock or an expiring discount.

When creating your email content, keep the following tips in mind:

Keep it brief: Get straight to the point and avoid overwhelming the customer with too much information.
Use high-quality images: Showcase the products in their best light.
Ensure mobile responsiveness: Make sure your emails look good on all devices.
Proofread carefully: Check for any typos or grammatical errors.

Designing Your Abandoned Cart Email Template in Mailchimp

Mailchimp offers a variety of pre-designed email templates that you can use as a starting point for your abandoned cart emails. You can also create your own custom template from scratch.

To edit the email template:

In the automation workflow, click on the “Design Email” button for the email you want to customize.
Choose a template from the Mailchimp template gallery, or select “Start from Scratch” to create your own.
Use the drag-and-drop editor to add and arrange content blocks, such as text, images, buttons, and product recommendations.
Customize the styling of your email, including colors, fonts, and spacing.
Use merge tags to personalize the email with customer data, such as their name and cart contents. Mailchimp automatically provides the necessary merge tags for abandoned cart data.
Test your email to ensure it renders correctly in different email clients and on different devices.
Save your template.

Adding a Series of Emails for Better Results

Instead of sending just one abandoned cart email, consider creating a series of emails to increase your chances of recovery. A typical abandoned cart email series might include:

Email 1: Sent 1-2 hours after abandonment. A friendly reminder about the items in their cart.
Email 2: Sent 24 hours after abandonment. Reiterate the benefits of the products and offer a small incentive (e.g., free shipping).
Email 3: Sent 3 days after abandonment. A final reminder with a slightly larger incentive (e.g., a discount code) or a sense of urgency (e.g., limited stock).

To add more emails to your automation:

In the automation workflow, click the “+” icon between existing emails.
Select “Add Email”.
Configure the delay for the new email.
Design the email content and template.
Repeat as needed to create your desired email series.

Remember to space out the emails in your series to avoid overwhelming the customer.

A/B Testing Your Abandoned Cart Emails

A/B testing allows you to experiment with different elements of your abandoned cart emails to see which performs best. You can A/B test subject lines, email content, incentives, and send times.

To set up an A/B test in Mailchimp:

In the automation workflow, click the “+” icon between existing emails.
Select “A/B Test”.
Choose the element you want to test (e.g., Subject Line, Content).
Create two different versions of the element.
Set the test criteria (e.g., Open Rate, Click Rate, Conversion Rate).
Specify the test duration and audience split.
Start the test.

Mailchimp will automatically track the performance of each version and declare a winner based on your chosen criteria. Use the results of your A/B tests to continually optimize your abandoned cart emails.

Analyzing Your Abandoned Cart Email Performance

Mailchimp provides detailed reports on the performance of your abandoned cart email automation. These reports track key metrics such as:

Open rate: The percentage of recipients who opened your email.
Click-through rate: The percentage of recipients who clicked on a link in your email.
Conversion rate: The percentage of recipients who completed a purchase after clicking on a link in your email.
Revenue generated: The total revenue attributed to your abandoned cart emails.

Regularly review these reports to identify areas for improvement. For example, if your open rate is low, try testing different subject lines. If your click-through rate is low, try improving your call to action or offering a more compelling incentive.

Best Practices for Abandoned Cart Emails

Here are some additional best practices to keep in mind when setting up abandoned cart emails:

Segment your audience: Consider segmenting your audience based on factors such as purchase history, location, or cart value, and tailoring your emails accordingly.
Comply with GDPR and other privacy regulations: Ensure you have consent to send emails to your customers, and provide them with a clear and easy way to unsubscribe.
Monitor your spam score: Avoid using spam trigger words in your subject lines and email content.
Personalize your emails: Use merge tags to personalize your emails with customer data, and address customers by name whenever possible.
Test on different devices: Ensure your emails render properly across various screen sizes and email clients.

Conclusion

Abandoned cart emails are a powerful tool for recovering lost revenue and boosting your e-commerce sales. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can set up effective abandoned cart email automations in Mailchimp that will help you win back customers and increase your profits. Remember to continually test, analyze, and optimize your emails to maximize their performance.