Abandoned cart emails for Shopify: timing, wording and examples
· 2 min read · MAALI team
Plenty of shoppers start checkout and leave: they got distracted, wanted to compare, or weren't sure about shipping costs. An abandoned checkout email reminds them, and it's one of the simplest automations a store can turn on.
How it works on Shopify
When a shopper enters their email at checkout and leaves without paying, Shopify records an abandoned checkout. You can send them a reminder with a link straight back to their cart.
- Shopify's built-in reminder: in Settings → Notifications (or Marketing → Automations, depending on your plan), turn on the abandoned checkout email and choose when it sends.
- Email apps: Shopify Email, Klaviyo, Omnisend and others offer abandoned checkout flows with more than one email.
Only people who agreed to receive marketing should get marketing emails, so check the consent settings in your email platform and the rules where your customers live.
When to send
A common approach is up to three reminders:
- About 1 hour after they leave, while they still remember.
- About 24 hours after, for people who meant to come back later.
- Optionally, after 2 to 3 days, as a final reminder.
Stop the sequence as soon as they buy. Test what works for your store; if your products are considered purchases, a slightly longer gap can make sense.
What to say
Email 1: a simple reminder
No discount yet. Many people just got distracted.
Subject: You left something in your cart
Your Linen Wrap Dress in Sage is still waiting. We've saved your cart, so you can pick up where you left off.
[Return to my cart]
Questions about sizing? Just reply to this email and we'll help.
Show the product photo, name and price. Make the button obvious.
Email 2: answer the doubts
Address the reasons people hesitate:
- shipping costs and delivery times,
- your returns policy,
- sizing or compatibility help,
- a few real reviews of the product.
Email 3: a last nudge (optional incentive)
If you offer an incentive, this is where it belongs. Be careful: if every abandoned cart gets a discount, some customers learn to abandon on purpose. Free shipping or a small gift can work as well as a percentage off, and protects your margins.
Make the emails better
- Subject lines that say what's inside. Clear beats clever.
- The product front and centre. Photo, name, price, and a link back to the cart.
- A real reply address. Abandoned carts often hide a question; let people ask it.
- Mobile first. Most shoppers will open it on their phone.
Fix the checkout too
Emails recover some of the sales, but a smoother checkout loses fewer in the first place. Show shipping costs early, offer the payment methods your customers use, and make your returns policy easy to find from product pages.
How MAALI helps
Your free Store Brain checks whether your store runs an email marketing platform and compares you with three competitors, and your 30-day plan puts email capture where it belongs in your priorities. Email flows, which draft these emails in your brand voice, are coming next.
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