Calculate how much revenue your abandoned carts represent — and what a recovery flow can return.
Total shopping carts initiated per month
Orders that reached checkout completion
Average value of a completed order
Typical cart recovery via email/SMS flows
Abandonment % = (1 − Orders ÷ Carts) × 100In plain English
Abandonment rate = (1 − orders / carts) × 100. Recoverable revenue = abandoned carts × AOV × recovery rate.
Worked Example
(1 − 900/3000) × 100 = 70% abandonment. 2,100 carts × $95 × 8% recovery = $15,960/month recoverable.
The standard 3-email recovery sequence: Email 1 (1 hour after abandonment): "Did you forget something?" — no discount, just reminder. Email 2 (24 hours): social proof, reviews, address objections. Email 3 (72 hours): time-limited discount (5–10%) for hesitant buyers.
SMS recovery (sent 30 minutes after abandonment) typically achieves 2–3× the recovery rate of email alone. Combined email + SMS flows recover 12–18% of abandoned carts in most stores.
| Recovery Method | Recovery Rate | Avg Revenue/Email | Best For | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Single email (1hr) | 3–5% | $5–8/email sent | Low-touch stores | |
3-email series | 8–12% | $8–15/email sent | Most stores | |
Email + SMS | 12–18% | $12–22/message | High-AOV | |
Full automation + AI | 15–22% | $15–30/message | Scale stores |
Source: Klaviyo E-commerce Benchmark 2025 · Attentive SMS Report 2024
Showing shipping cost only at checkout
The #1 cause of cart abandonment is unexpected costs at checkout. Display estimated shipping early (on product page or cart page) to eliminate the surprise.
Requiring account creation before checkout
Mandatory account creation kills conversions. Always offer guest checkout. You can capture the email during checkout and invite account creation post-purchase.
Not testing recovery email timing
The 1-hour window for the first recovery email is based on when purchase intent is highest. Test 30 minutes vs 1 hour vs 3 hours — optimal timing varies by product category and price point.