Most shopping carts are never turned into orders. Part of that is normal: people compare prices, save items for later or are just browsing. But a large part of cart abandonment is caused by problems you can fix.
This guide lists 15 common reasons shoppers abandon their cart and what to do about each, plus how to recover carts that are abandoned anyway.
How to measure cart abandonment
Cart abandonment rate = 1 - (completed orders / carts created)
In GA4, build a funnel exploration with add_to_cart → begin_checkout → add_shipping_info → add_payment_info → purchase (see the GA4 e-commerce tracking guide). The step with the biggest drop tells you where to look first. Split by device and payment method.
Costs and pricing
1. Unexpected extra costs
Shipping, taxes or fees appearing late in checkout is one of the most common reasons for abandonment.
Fix: show shipping costs on product pages and in the cart, show prices including VAT where expected, and add a shipping cost estimator.
2. Shipping is too expensive
Fix: offer a free shipping threshold and show progress in the cart (“€15 to free shipping”). Test whether free shipping above a threshold raises order value enough to pay for itself.
3. Comparing prices elsewhere
Fix: show value clearly (warranty, fast delivery, easy returns, service). Price-match promises work for some stores.
4. Coupon field triggers a search for discounts
A visible “discount code” field sends shoppers to search engines.
Fix: make the field less prominent (a small link that expands), or apply active promotions automatically.
Checkout friction
5. Forced account creation
Fix: allow guest checkout. Offer account creation after the order with one click.
6. Long or complicated checkout
Fix: fewer fields, address autocomplete, sensible defaults, one clear path. Remove anything not needed to fulfil the order.
7. Slow pages
A checkout that takes seconds to respond feels broken.
Fix: speed up cart and checkout specifically. They cannot be fully cached, so server speed, object caching and plugin load matter (see speed up WooCommerce and slow Magento).
8. Errors and unclear validation
Fix: inline error messages next to the field, in plain language. Do not clear the form on error. Monitor checkout errors in your logs and analytics.
9. Poor mobile experience
Fix: large tap targets, correct keyboard types (numeric for phone and postcode), no tiny dropdowns, wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay.
Payment
10. Preferred payment method missing
Fix: offer what your market expects: iDEAL in the Netherlands, Bancontact in Belgium, local options in Germany and elsewhere, buy-now-pay-later where relevant, plus cards and wallets.
11. Payment failures
Failed 3-D Secure, declined cards or provider outages.
Fix: monitor payment success rates per method, offer an easy retry with another method, and keep a backup provider for peak days.
Trust and information
12. Security concerns
Fix: HTTPS everywhere, recognisable payment logos, clear company details and contact information, and real reviews.
13. Unclear returns policy
Fix: summarise the return policy in the cart and checkout (“30 days free returns”), with a link to details.
14. Delivery time too long or unclear
Fix: show a concrete delivery date (“Delivered Thursday”) and offer faster options where possible.
15. Questions without answers
Fix: a short FAQ near checkout and quick help via chat or an AI assistant that knows your policies (see AI customer support).
Recovering abandoned carts
Even with a great checkout, many carts are abandoned. Recover part of them:
- Abandoned cart emails: first within a few hours, then one or two follow-ups (see 10 email flows every store needs)
- Persistent carts for logged-in customers across devices
- Retargeting ads for visitors who gave consent
- Save cart / share cart options for B2B buyers who need approval
Respect consent rules: abandoned cart emails need a valid basis for contacting the customer.
Prioritise with data
Do not fix everything at once. Use your funnel data, session recordings and customer feedback to pick the three biggest problems, fix them, measure, and repeat. More ideas in 30 CRO tips.
Frequently asked questions
What is a normal cart abandonment rate?
Abandonment rates are high across all of e-commerce, and they vary by industry, device and traffic source. Compare your own rate over time and by segment rather than chasing an average.
Should abandoned cart emails include a discount?
Not in the first email. If you use discounts, keep them for later reminders and limit them, otherwise customers learn to wait.
Does a one-page checkout convert better?
Not automatically. A clear, fast, well-designed checkout matters more than the number of steps. Test on your own store.
Want to recover more lost sales?
I analyse checkout funnels and fix the problems that make shoppers leave, on Magento, WooCommerce and Shopify. See my conversion optimisation service or request a checkout review.