Retailers have abandonment issues! How e-commerce sites can reduce cart abandonment

“I want those shoes! Not the ones you’re recommending because you don’t have my size, those shoes!” I yelled this at my computer screen a few nights ago when a retailer did not have the shoe size I wanted. “Gah! Now I have to look elsewhere, maybe I should just buy them from Amazon.”

I am not alone in my cart abandonment story. According to 29 unique studies examined by The Baymard Institute, the average rate of cart abandonment is 68%. Cart abandonment is a serious issue for retailers, and has helped spawn the entire retargeting marketing industry. So, do I expect a retailer to have my personal size and preferred style available at all times? No, that’s not efficient. Instead, retailers should do something simple; just let me know when my item will be back in stock. I know, sounds crazy simple but it’s a tactic few retailers use. Retargeting can be a good route, but think about it from the customer’s perspective. They went to your site, you didn’t have what they wanted, then for weeks you taunt them with pictures of items they can’t have. How rude!

So how can you resolve your cart abandonment issues? The truth is, I didn’t really need those shoes right then. I just need to know that I will get them eventually. So how do you resolve the cart abandonment issue?  Email and text alerts work great. A simple checkbox like the one below serves two distinct purposes; it eases my troubled mind and opts me into a mobile program.

See more on how Stuart Weitzman integrates mobile messaging into their ecommerce site.

By letting me know I will have those badass kicks when they arrive, I am a much happier customer. Since, I happily shared my mobile phone number, I might receive a message like the one below:

Now, retailer, you have something really special, my digits. You have my number, my permission to send me messages, and you know my shoe size. Now start sending me some sweet deals on fly new shoes. Without this tiny little notification widget on your website I was unsatisfied, infuriated, and heading to a different retailer. Add in a “notify me when available button” and I am happy, planning on heading back to your site, and a new member of your loyalty program.