Abandoned Cart Emails: 3 Sequences That Recover Sales

An abandoned cart sequence that works for most small stores is three messages: a plain reminder 30 to 60 minutes after the shopper leaves, a second message at 24 hours, and a last one at 48 to 72 hours, with any discount held back until the second or third message. The need is large, because Baymard Institute puts the average documented cart abandonment rate at 70.22% across 50 studies. The payoff is also measurable: in Klaviyo's 2026 benchmarks, abandoned cart flows drive the highest average revenue per recipient of all flows, $6.77 for email and $4.48 for text messages.

Key facts

• 70.22% is the average documented cart abandonment rate, from studies ranging from 55% to 84% (Baymard Institute).
• 42% of US online shoppers have abandoned a cart because they were just browsing or not ready to buy (Baymard Institute).
• $6.77 is the average revenue per recipient of a Klaviyo abandoned cart email flow; the top 10% of brands reach $13.70 (Klaviyo).
• 35.75% open rate, 1.51% conversion rate and $2.54 revenue per email were the 2025 averages for Omnisend abandoned cart emails (Omnisend).
• 39.46% of shoppers who clicked an Omnisend abandoned cart email went on to buy (Omnisend).
• 76% of automation orders on Omnisend came from abandoned cart and welcome messages combined (Omnisend).

Why do shoppers abandon their carts?

Not every abandoned cart is a lost sale you can win back. Baymard's survey found that 42% of US online shoppers have abandoned simply because they were browsing. An email can still bring them back once they are ready.

The rest of the reasons point to problems a reminder email cannot fully solve on its own. Excluding the browsers, the top reasons are extra costs being too high (40%), slow delivery (20%), and not trusting the site with card details (19%). That shapes what the emails should say. If shipping costs drive people away, a message that states the shipping price or a free shipping threshold answers the objection directly. If trust is the problem, the email should show returns terms, payment options and contact details, not only the product photo.

It also means email is a second line of defense. Baymard estimates that the average large ecommerce site can gain a 35.26% increase in conversion rate through better checkout design alone. Fixing the checkout first means fewer carts need rescuing.

What results should you expect from abandoned cart emails?

The two largest email platforms for online stores publish their own benchmarks. They measure slightly different things, so read them side by side rather than as one number.

Metric	Klaviyo 2026 (average)	Klaviyo 2026 (top 10%)	Omnisend 2025 (average)
Email revenue per recipient	$6.77	$13.70	$2.54 per email
Email click rate	6%	11.3%	3.84% click to sent
Email open rate	Not published in the report	Not published in the report	35.75%
Email conversion rate	Not published in the report	Not published in the report	1.51%
SMS revenue per recipient	$4.48	$8.69	Not published
SMS click rate	10.3%	18.5%	Not published

Klaviyo's figures come from an analysis of over 110,000 Klaviyo customers across industries, and revenue per recipient counts the whole flow. Omnisend's figures are per delivered email, which is why its revenue number is lower. Industry matters too: Klaviyo reports that home and garden and hardware stores report an average abandoned cart RPR around $15 for email, more than twice the overall average.

Omnisend also reports that recovered carts carry real value, with an average order value of $168. Treat these numbers as a yardstick, not a target.

When should each email in the sequence go out?

• First email: 30 to 60 minutes. Omnisend advises that you delay your first email by 30 to 60 minutes, and warns that anything faster than five minutes feels aggressive and may reach people before they have truly left. Klaviyo's sample sequence uses a slightly longer gap, a simple email reminder after 2 to 4 hours.
• Second email: 24 hours. Both platforms place the second touch at about a day after abandonment.
• Third email: 48 to 72 hours. Klaviyo's example ends at 48 hours; Omnisend's second at 24 hours and a third at 72 hours completes the sequence.

Two refinements help. First, add quiet hours. Omnisend notes that a cart closed at 11 PM plus a 30 minute delay produces an email that is buried by morning, and suggests restricting your flow to 6 AM and 9 PM. Second, slow the sequence for expensive or considered products, where Omnisend says a two-hour or four-hour delay might outperform one hour. Make sure the flow stops as soon as the shopper buys, so nobody gets a reminder for an order they already placed.

Sequence 1: the reminder only flow (no discount)

This flow suits stores with tight margins, premium brands, and anyone worried about teaching customers to wait for a code.

1. 30 to 60 minutes: a short reminder with the product image, name, price and a single button back to the cart.
2. 24 hours: answer the likely objection. State shipping costs and delivery times, the returns window, and add two or three customer reviews.
3. 72 hours: a last note that the cart is still saved, plus a way to reply with questions or two related products.

Omnisend's example from To'ak Chocolate uses trust signals instead of a discount, with the subject line "Forgetting something important?" and an open rate of 56.2%.

Sequence 2: the escalating incentive flow

This flow suits price sensitive shoppers and stores with room in their margins. Omnisend outlines it this way: email one, a basic reminder sent after 30 minutes; 24 hours later, email two provides a 5% discount; after 24 hours, your last recovery email offers 10% off.

1. 30 minutes: the plain reminder, with no offer.
2. 24 hours: a small code, such as 5% off, with a clear expiry.
3. 48 hours: a final, slightly larger offer, then stop.

A deadline gives the discount a reason to be used now. Omnisend's Creality example offered a 5% discount code with a 24-hour expiration under the subject line "Still Thinking It Over? Here's 5% Off to Help You Decide!", which reached a 54% open rate.

Sequence 3: the email and SMS flow

This flow suits stores that already collect phone numbers with SMS consent. Klaviyo describes a common three step version: a simple email reminder after 2 to 4 hours, a follow-up text message with a discount after 24 hours, and a final message after 48 hours that includes alternative products or asks for feedback.

1. 2 to 4 hours, email: the reminder with cart contents.
2. 24 hours, SMS: one short text with a link to the cart and, if you use offers, the code.
3. 48 hours, email: alternative products, or a one question survey about what stopped the purchase.

SMS earns its place on engagement. Klaviyo's average abandoned cart text click rate is 10.3%, against 6% for email. Keep texts rare and short, because the consent rules for SMS are stricter than for email (see below).

Should abandoned cart emails include a discount?

Not by default. Klaviyo's answer is "Not necessarily", because discounts can work against you by training shoppers to wait for a discount before buying. Its suggestion is to segment high value carts and only offer an incentive where a single purchase justifies it.

A practical middle ground: no discount in the first email, a small tested one in the second, and a cap on how often one customer gets a cart code. Omnisend recommends testing whether a discount in email two increases conversions or cuts into margins. Compare revenue after discounts, not only conversion rate.

What subject lines work for cart reminders?

The subject lines that perform well are short, specific and sound like the brand. Klaviyo suggests starting by including the recipient's first name and details about the products they left behind. Real examples from Omnisend's 2026 roundup:

Subject line	Approach	Open rate
"Forgetting something important?"	Curiosity, no discount	56.2%
"You came, you saw… but did you conquer?"	Brand voice	55.2%
"Still Thinking It Over? Here's 5% Off to Help You Decide!"	Small discount	54%
"Your cart misses you!"	Playful reminder	51.6%

These are single store results, so treat them as ideas to test. Avoid false urgency such as "Your cart expires tonight" unless the cart or stock really does expire.

What consent rules apply to abandoned cart emails and texts?

A cart reminder that shows products and invites the shopper to buy is marketing in most readings, so plan for marketing rules. This is a summary, not legal advice.

United States, email (CAN-SPAM). Consent is not required to send, but every commercial email must include a valid physical postal address of the sender and clear notice of how to opt out. Once someone opts out, sending further commercial email more than 10 business days after the receipt of such request is unlawful. Under the FTC's rule, a message counts as commercial if a recipient reading the subject line would likely conclude that the message contains the commercial advertisement or promotion of a product.

United States, SMS (TCPA). FCC rules treat a text as a call: the term "call" includes a text message in the relevant provisions. Marketing texts sent with an automatic dialing system need the prior express written consent of the called party, and a person may revoke consent by using any reasonable method. Telephone solicitations are barred before the hour of 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. local time.

United Kingdom (PECR). The ICO's rule is that you must not send marketing emails or texts to individuals without specific consent. The "soft opt-in" exception covers an existing customer who bought (or negotiated to buy) a similar product or service from you, but only if you offered an opt-out when you collected their details and in every message. The ICO also notes its guidance is under review after the Data (Use and Access) Act.

European Union (GDPR). Article 21 gives every person the right to object at any time to the use of their data for direct marketing, and once they object, the data shall no longer be processed for such purposes. The simplest safe setup for EU and UK shoppers is an unticked marketing consent box at checkout, with cart reminders sent only to people who ticked it.

Abandoned cart setup checklist

• Fix checkout basics first: show shipping costs early and offer guest checkout.
• Capture the email address on the first checkout step, with a consent box where the law requires one.
• Build three messages: 30 to 60 minutes, 24 hours, 48 to 72 hours.
• Show the product image, name, price and one button back to the saved cart.
• Answer the main objection (shipping, returns, trust) in the second message.
• Hold any discount until message two or three, with an expiry date.
• Add quiet hours so messages do not land overnight.
• Exit shoppers from the flow the moment they order.
• Include a postal address and a working unsubscribe link in every email.
• Send SMS only to numbers with written marketing consent, and honor STOP replies.
• Review revenue per recipient monthly against the Klaviyo and Omnisend benchmarks.

Frequently asked questions

How many abandoned cart emails should you send?

Three is the common default. Klaviyo describes a common sequence might involve 3 messages, and Omnisend's timing guide also ends at the third email. Omnisend suggests testing two emails against three for your own store.

What is a good abandoned cart email open rate?

Omnisend's 2025 average for abandoned cart emails was a 35.75% open rate. Open rates are inflated by privacy features in some email apps, so revenue per recipient and conversion rate are better measures.

Are abandoned cart emails legal?

Yes, if you follow the consent rules for each region. In the US, CAN-SPAM requires an opt-out and a postal address; in the UK, PECR requires specific consent unless the soft opt-in applies. Omnisend advises that it is good practice to collect opt-ins for marketing emails before triggering cart emails.

Is SMS better than email for cart recovery?

SMS gets more clicks, with a 10.3% average click rate against 6% for email on Klaviyo, but email earns more per recipient ($6.77 against $4.48). Most stores use email first and add one text for subscribers who agreed to SMS marketing.

How soon should the first abandoned cart email be sent?

Between 30 and 60 minutes after the shopper leaves, according to Omnisend, which says sends faster than five minutes feel aggressive. For expensive products, test a delay of two to four hours.