GLOSSARY · A
Abandoned checkout
A shopper who reached checkout and left. Shopify records it; email and SMS flows recover it.
WHY IT MATTERS
Why it matters for a Shopify store.
A shopper who reached checkout and left is the warmest lead a store has. Shopify records the checkout once contact details are entered, which makes recovery possible.
Most recovered revenue comes from timely, relevant follow-up rather than discounts — sent through email and SMS flows.
HOW CREATIVE LABS HANDLES IT
What we do about it on every project.
01
Fix the leaks first
Surprise shipping costs, forced account creation and slow mobile checkout cause most abandonment; we fix those before writing emails.
02
Build a short recovery sequence
A reminder within the hour, a second touch with reviews or answers, and an offer only if the margin allows it.
03
Measure recovered revenue
We report revenue from the flow, not just opens, and test timing and content over time.
EXAMPLE
A typical example.
A shopper adds a jacket, reaches the shipping step and leaves when shipping costs appear.
The store shows the free-shipping threshold earlier in the cart, and the recovery email reminds the shopper of the item with its size, reviews and the threshold — no discount needed.
COMMON MISTAKES
What usually goes wrong.
Discounting in the first email
Shoppers learn to abandon for a code. Lead with the product and reassurance.
Using only Shopify's default email
It works, but a Klaviyo or Spoks flow can use browsing data, timing and SMS.
Not excluding buyers
Recovery emails sent after the order is placed confuse customers. Check flow filters.
ABANDONED CHECKOUT
2 questions
Where do I see abandoned checkouts in Shopify?
In the admin under Orders → Abandoned checkouts, with the cart contents and contact details where given.
Is an abandoned cart the same as an abandoned checkout?
No. A cart is abandoned before checkout starts, and you can only follow up if the shopper is already identified, for example a subscriber.
You've reached the end, so now…
Tell us what you're selling.
Send us your store. Within one business day you get a short Loom from a senior: the three things we'd fix first, what it would cost, and whether we're the right team for it.
- No pitch deck, no discovery-call theatre
- You keep the audit whether or not you hire us
- Fixed-scope quotes, no hourly surprises
Prefer to talk? Book 20 minutes with Haniel or call +1 855-764-4977