Definition
An abandoned cart sequence is an automated email flow triggered when a shopper adds items to the cart but leaves without buying. Its purpose is to recover revenue by reminding the shopper and removing obstacles to purchase.
A typical sequence sends multiple messages over a short window: a first reminder shortly after abandonment, a follow-up that adds social proof or addresses common objections, and a final message with urgency or an incentive to close the sale.
Timing is important; most buyers decide quickly, so the first send usually happens within hours. Measure the sequence by recovered revenue and cart recovery rate, and test send timing, incentives and copy to improve it.
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Related Glossary Terms
Abandoned Cart Email
An abandoned cart email is a triggered message sent to online shoppers who added items to their cart but did not complete the purchase.
Abandoned Cart Email
An abandoned cart email is an automated message sent to customers who added items to their online shopping cart but left without completing the purchase. It is one of the highest-converting email types in ecommerce.
Back-in-Stock Email
A back-in-stock email is a triggered message sent to shoppers who requested notification when an unavailable product becomes available again.
Batch Sending
Batch sending is the practice of delivering a single email campaign to a large list in groups or waves rather than all at once.
Behavioral Email
Behavioral email is a message triggered by a subscriber's action, inaction, or engagement pattern, making it more relevant than scheduled broadcast sends.
Broadcast vs Triggered Email
A broadcast is sent to a segment at a set time, while a triggered email fires automatically based on a specific subscriber action, event or condition.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is an automated flow of reminder emails sent to shoppers who left items in their cart, designed to bring them back to complete their purchase.
Most effective sequences use 2-4 messages, starting quickly after abandonment and escalating, with a final incentive or urgency push to close the sale.
Send the first reminder within a few hours of abandonment, since shopping intent fades quickly. Earlier, well-timed sends tend to recover more revenue.