Remarketing – how to recover abandoned carts?

Why do customers abandon their carts—and what can we do about it?

Cart abandonment is one of the biggest challenges facing online stores. Regardless of the industry, the statistics remain relentless—up to 7 out of 10 users leave a website without completing a purchase, even after adding items to their cart. The reasons vary: hidden shipping costs, an overly complicated payment process, a lack of appropriate payment methods, the need to register, or simply distraction. However, each of these situations represents not only a lost sale but also an opportunity—a chance to win back a customer through well-planned remarketing.

Remarketing, defined as re-engaging with users who have already interacted with a brand, has become one of the most effective tools for increasing conversions in e-commerce. Well-planned remarketing campaigns can recover even tens of percent of abandoned carts and significantly increase shopping cart value. The key, however, lies not only in technology but also in understanding shopping behavior, appropriate segmentation, and tailored messaging—both in terms of content and the point of contact with the customer.

In this article, we'll explore how to effectively implement remarketing in your e-commerce strategy, what tools to use, how to avoid common mistakes, and what to measure to actually recover lost revenue. You'll also learn how to create campaigns that not only remind you of an unfinished purchase but build long-term customer loyalty. If you run an online store and want to close sales effectively, this guide is for you.

What is remarketing?

Remarketing is a marketing strategy that involves re-engaging with users who have visited a website but not completed a purchase. It's most often implemented through advertising campaigns (e.g., Google Ads, Facebook Ads) or automated emails that remind users of abandoned shopping carts and encourage them to complete the transaction. The key to remarketing is leveraging user behavioral data—such as products viewed, items added to cart, or time spent on the website—to personalize the message and increase the likelihood of conversion.

In the context of e-commerce, remarketing is becoming not only an effective but also a vital tool in the fight for customer attention. In times of increasing competition and increasingly short user attention spans, reminders about unfinished purchases can be crucial to finalizing the transaction. Thanks to advanced analytical systems and automation, remarketing can be precisely tailored to the behavior and preferences of individual users, significantly increasing its effectiveness.

The scale of the abandoned shopping cart problem in e-commerce

Abandoned shopping carts are a global problem that affects nearly every industry operating online. According to data from the Baymard Institute, the average cart abandonment rate is around 70%. This means that only 3 out of 10 users who add a product to their cart complete the purchase. In some industries—especially those with longer decision-making processes, such as electronics, furniture, or luxury goods—this rate can be even higher.

The scale of financial losses resulting from abandoned carts is also significant. According to estimates, global e-commerce sites lose hundreds of billions of dollars annually due to uncompleted transactions. At the same time, as much as 45% of this lost revenue can be recovered through effective remarketing—especially within the first 24 hours of a cart abandonment.

Understanding the reasons for cart abandonment and implementing appropriate remarketing activities is therefore becoming not only a way to increase sales but also to improve the customer experience and build a stronger relationship with the brand. Remarketing is no longer an add-on, but a mandatory element of any effective e-commerce strategy.

Why do customers abandon their carts?

The most common reasons for abandonment

Shopping cart abandonment isn't accidental—it's the result of specific barriers and discouragements that emerge during the shopping process. In research conducted by Baymard Institute, respondents most frequently cited the following reasons:

– Unexpected additional costs – hidden fees, high shipping costs, taxes or handling fees are one of the main reasons why users abandon their purchase at the last stage.

– Too complicated or long purchase completion process – the more steps and forms to fill out, the greater the risk of cancellation.

– No preferred payment method – limited payment options often effectively block conversions.

– Need to register or create an account – users often don’t want to spend the time to create an account for a one-time purchase.

– Technical issues or poor website performance – slow loading times, shopping cart errors or lack of mobile responsiveness can effectively discourage customers.

– Comparing offers – some users treat their shopping cart as a “wish list” to return later or check competitor prices.

Understanding these obstacles is the first step to eliminating them—and to creating an effective remarketing campaign that addresses real user concerns.

The Psychology of Online Shopping Decisions

The e-commerce shopping process is not just a logical calculation but also a complex psychological mechanism. Users make purchasing decisions based on emotions, impulses, and cognitive heuristics, which are often unconscious. Shopping cart abandonment can be the result of a momentary impulse, decision fatigue, distraction, or a lack of urgency.

One key element of shopping psychology is the so-called loss aversion effect—users experience the fear of loss more strongly than the desire for gain. Remarketing can therefore be effective by creating a limited time frame for purchases (e.g., "Free shipping today only!") or by informing about low stock levels (e.g., "Only 2 left").

Another important mechanism is social proof - a customer is more likely to return to the purchase if he sees the opinions of other buyers, the number of purchases or the information that "this product was just added to the cart by another person.".

The use of these psychological aspects in remarketing campaigns allows not only to remind about the purchase, but also to effectively influence the user's emotions and motivation to complete the transaction.

Types of remarketing in the context of abandoned carts

Display remarketing (banner)

Display remarketing is a form of graphic advertising that appears to users after they leave an online store on other websites (e.g., news portals, blogs, classifieds sites). Using cookies, the advertising system recognizes the visitor and presents them with a graphic reminder about the product or store.

While this type of remarketing is less personalized than other forms, its strength lies in its broad reach and the ability to maintain brand awareness in the customer's mind. It's a worthwhile use for building brand recognition and subtly reminding customers about unfinished business.

Dynamic remarketing

Dynamic remarketing is a more advanced version of a display campaign, where ad content automatically adapts to specific user actions. For example, a customer viewed specific sneakers and later sees them displayed on a banner with the current price, discount, or availability information.

This solution requires integration with a product feed and an advertising platform (e.g., Google Ads, Meta Ads), but in return, it offers highly tailored messaging and higher conversion rates. Dynamic remarketing is ideal for large product ranges and frequent product rotation.

Email remarketing (recovery campaigns)

One of the most direct and effective forms of abandoned cart recovery, email remarketing involves automatically sending messages to users who have added products to their cart but not completed their purchase. Key elements include:

– Timing – the first message should be sent within 1–3 hours of the cart abandonment.
– Personalization – the email should include the specific product, its name, image, and any incentive (discount, free shipping, recommendation).
– CTA (call to action) – a clear, distinct, and unambiguous encouragement to return to the cart.

These types of messages achieve high open rates and conversions, provided they are well designed and non-intrusive.

SMS remarketing and push notifications

More and more brands are using even more direct channels—short text messages or push notifications (on phones or browsers). Their biggest advantage is immediate contact and extremely high message visibility.

– SMS – ideal for urgent occasions (e.g., a discount expires today), short content, and a limited customer base.
– Push notifications – effective in mobile apps and browsers, they require prior user consent but can quickly encourage users to return to the site.

It is worth remembering that these channels have their own specificity and require careful planning - sending them too often may be perceived as intrusive.

E-mail remarketing step by step

When and how to send messages

Response time is crucial in email remarketing campaigns. Research shows that the highest cart recovery rates come from emails sent within the first 60 minutes of abandonment. The optimal strategy involves a series of 2-3 emails, spaced out over time:

– Email 1 – sent after 1–3 hours: a gentle reminder with a cart summary.
– Email 2 – after 24 hours: another call to action, often with an element of time pressure or a discount.
– Email 3 – after 48–72 hours: last chance, often with additional benefits (e.g., free shipping).

It is important that the campaign is GDPR compliant – email addresses must come from users who have consented to receiving marketing communications.

Content, CTAs, and Personalization

The content of your message has a huge impact on your campaign's effectiveness. It should be concise, clear, and focused on the key goal: bringing users back to their cart.

– Headline and preheader – they must grab attention and clearly communicate the intent. For example, "You left something in your cart..." or "Your cart is still waiting!"
– Body copy – personalized, relating to specific products. It's worth adding images, the product name, price, and a link directly to the cart.
– Call to action (CTA) – a clear button like "Complete purchase" or "Back to cart." The CTA should be clearly visible and unambiguous.

Additional elements that increase effectiveness include reviews from other customers, a money-back guarantee, limited availability, and bonuses for completing the purchase.

Campaign Automation: Tools and Frameworks

Automation is key to effective email remarketing on a larger scale. Marketing automation systems allow you to create cart abandonment workflows that trigger automatically based on user behavior.

A well-designed workflow takes into account not only the delivery time and content of the message, but also the recipient's response (e.g., clicking, not opening, completing the purchase). The system automatically ends the campaign if the user completes the transaction, preventing unnecessary messages and improving the user experience.

Segmentation and personalization – the key to effectiveness

Matching the message to the stage of the sales funnel

Not every user who abandons a cart is at the same point in the purchasing process. Therefore, effective remarketing shouldn't rely on a one-size-fits-all message. Instead, it's worth segmenting your audience based on their activity and tailoring your message to their intent. Example segments:

– New users – first contact with the store, unfamiliar brand. Here, it's worth focusing on building trust, reviews, certifications, and a money-back guarantee.
– Returning customers – they're already familiar with the brand, so reminder content and loyalty offers, such as a discount for regular customers, will be more effective.
– Users with a high cart value – you can test upselling strategies or add a benefit that justifies the larger expense, such as free shipping.
– Mobile vs. desktop customers – messages should be optimized for the specific device, including in terms of form and content length.

Segmentation allows you to create more precise campaigns that better meet customer needs and expectations – which translates into higher conversion rates.

Product recommendations and storytelling

Remarketing doesn't have to be limited to reminders about abandoned carts. You can go a step further and enrich the message with product recommendations based on the user's previous activity. If a customer added sports shoes to their cart, you can suggest matching accessories: technical socks, a shoe bag, or care products. This not only increases the likelihood of return but also the average order value.

It's also worth incorporating storytelling elements that reinforce the campaign's emotional message. Instead of writing, "Your cart is still waiting," you can use a narrative format, for example,
"Your new sneakers are waiting to accompany you on your next workout. Don't let them disappear—go back to your cart and complete your order."

Personalization doesn't have to be limited to a name—it can also encompass the style of messaging, benefits tailored to a given product category, and previous shopping behavior. Remarketing designed this way not only increases the chance of recovering an abandoned cart but also builds stronger customer relationships and the image of a committed and attentive brand.

Optimizing the shopping cart page and purchasing process

Minimizing friction points

Every additional step, form, or distraction in the shopping process increases the risk of cart abandonment. Therefore, the first step in an abandoned cart recovery strategy should be eliminating friction points. Ensure:

– A short and intuitive shopping path – the fewer clicks to complete a purchase, the better. One-page checkout is now standard in many successful stores.
– The ability to purchase without registration – the requirement to create an account is still one of the most common reasons for abandonment. It's worth offering a "Checkout as a guest" option.
– Clear process steps – the user should know how many steps remain until the transaction is completed. A simple progress bar or numbered steps create a sense of control and predictability.

Technical and UX optimization of the purchasing process is often the most profitable investment in the entire e-commerce – it works long-term and affects every sales channel, not just remarketing.

Cost transparency and simplified checkout

High or unexpected costs that arise only at the order completion stage are one of the main reasons for cancellations. To prevent this, you should:

– Clearly communicate shipping costs and any additional fees on the shopping cart page, or even earlier.
– Offer free shipping above a certain amount—this is a proven strategy for increasing cart value and reducing abandonment.
– Keep forms to a minimum—only the essential information: name, address, email, and phone number. Long forms unnecessarily lower conversion rates.

It is also worth using automatic data completion functions (e.g. via saved browser addresses or integration with Google/Apple accounts), which reduces time and effort on the client's side.

Security and trust (trust signals)

Before users enter their card details or order a product in a new store, they need to feel safe. If the checkout process isn't trustworthy, cart abandonment is almost certain. Therefore, it's important to ensure:

– Visible security certificates (SSL, payment certificates, icons of well-known transaction systems).
– Customer testimonials and reviews – especially in the shopping cart and on the payment page, it's worth including authentic reviews confirming the quality of services.
– Clear returns policy

Case studies and good practices

Examples of effective remarketing campaigns

To better understand the potential of remarketing, it's worth examining specific implementations from companies that successfully recover abandoned carts. Here are three distinct examples from industries with different profiles:

1. Online Clothing Store (Mid-Price Range):
This clothing brand implemented a three-step email sequence for abandoned carts. The first email was sent after one hour and included a product reminder. The second email, after 24 hours, offered a 10% discount code. The third, after 72 hours, informed the customer that the offer had expired.
Results: 28% of users returned to the site, and 17% completed their purchase. The average order value increased by 12%.

2. Premium Electronics Store:
Building trust and supporting the purchase decision was key here. The company leveraged dynamic Google Ads remarketing with product reviews, availability, and warranty information.
The result: the campaign's CTR increased by 31%, and conversion from users who saw the remarketing ad was 9%—well above the industry average.

3. Cosmetics Store with its Own App.
The company integrated its mobile app with an automatic push notification system. A notification was sent two hours after a cart abandonment, with a reminder and an additional recommendation (e.g., a cream that complements the selected serum).
The result: 20% of carts recovered in the app and an 8% increase in average order size.

Results analysis: CTR, recovered basket, ROI

Measuring the effectiveness of remarketing campaigns involves not only analyzing the conversion rate, but also monitoring indicators such as:

– CTR (Click-Through Rate) — A high CTR indicates that the remarketing message is relevant and engaging. In well-optimized email campaigns, it can exceed 15%, and in display ads, it can be 2–4%.
– Cart Recovery Rate — The percentage of users who, after interacting with the campaign, completed their purchase. Effective campaigns achieve 10–30%, depending on the industry and channel.
– ROI (Return on Investment) — Remarketing often has a very high return on investment because the campaigns are precisely targeted and directed to users already interested in the product.

The most effective campaigns combine various channels and activities: email, dynamic ads, recommendations, content personalization, and a well-designed shopping cart page. A key best practice is continuous data-driven optimization—testing creative, segments, shipping times, and benefits (discount vs. free shipping).

Remarketing isn't a one-time event, but a process. Companies that treat it as an integral element of their sales strategy consistently increase both conversion and customer lifetime value.

The most common remarketing mistakes and how to avoid them

Excessive number of messages

Overly intensive remarketing can be counterproductive. Bombarding users with numerous emails, push notifications, and ads in a short period of time can be perceived as intrusive and irritating, leading to unsubscribing from your mailing list or ad blocking.

How to avoid this?

– Limit the number of messages—2-3 reminders is the maximum that doesn't compromise the recipient's comfort.
– Set the frequency of display ads (frequency capping) so that users aren't shown dozens of times a day.
– Allow users to easily unsubscribe from notifications, for example, in a mobile app or via a link in an email—this builds trust and a positive brand image.

No testing (A/B testing)

One of the most common mistakes in remarketing is running a campaign blindly—without comparing different versions of messages. Without testing, it's difficult to determine which creative, headline, CTA, delivery time, or discount performs best.

How to avoid this?

– Regularly test different versions of emails (e.g., with and without a discount, with a different CTA, with different graphics).
– In display campaigns, test different ad layouts and messages.
– Analyze results not only in terms of CTR, but also conversions and cart value—sometimes a more engaging email doesn't necessarily translate to better sales.

Ignoring mobile and cross-channel

The modern user browses offers on various devices - often starts shopping on the phone and finishes it

Measuring the effectiveness of a remarketing campaign

Key metrics: open rate, conversion rate, ROAS

Remarketing effectiveness shouldn't be assessed intuitively—it requires systematic monitoring of specific metrics. Here are the most important metrics to track:

– Open Rate – This primarily applies to email campaigns and measures the percentage of recipients who opened the message. A good open rate for abandoned cart emails is typically 30–50%. A low score could indicate a poorly chosen subject line, an unattractive preheader, or a poor sender reputation.

– Click-Through Rate (CTR) – measures the percentage of recipients who clicked on a link (e.g., back to cart). In remarketing campaigns, email CTR can reach 10–20%, while display ads can reach 1–5%. This is a key indicator of user engagement.

– Conversion Rate – This is the percentage of users who complete a purchase after interacting with the campaign. Successful campaigns can achieve conversions of 10–30% for abandoned carts.

– Recovery Rate (Basket Recovery) – A metric that measures how many abandoned carts were recovered thanks to remarketing efforts. This is a measure of the campaign's direct impact on sales.

– ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) – determines how much revenue each zloty spent on advertising generates. For example, if you invest PLN 1,000 in a campaign that generates PLN 5,000 in revenue, the ROAS is 5:1. This is a key indicator of the financial effectiveness of remarketing.

Goal setting and return on investment analysis

Every remarketing campaign should have a clearly defined goal—for example, recovering 20% ​​of abandoned carts, increasing average order value by 10%, or improving email conversion rates by 5 percentage points. Only then can effectiveness be reliably assessed.

For better analysis it is worth:

– Compare remarketing results with other channels (e.g., email campaigns or paid search traffic).
– Observe trends over time—for example, whether improved CTR actually translates into increased sales.
– Analyze data by segment—for example, campaign effectiveness among new vs. returning customers.

Tools such as Google Analytics, Klaviyo, Facebook Ads Manager or dedicated e-commerce systems (e.g. Shopify, WooCommerce with plugins) allow you to track the effects of remarketing activities in detail in real time.

Regular campaign analysis and optimization are key to long-term success. Even a well-designed campaign will falter if it isn't continually adjusted to changing customer behavior, seasonality, or A/B testing results.

Remarketing compliant with GDPR and marketing ethics

Marketing consent and privacy policy

In the era of GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), running remarketing campaigns—especially in channels such as email, SMS, or push—requires full compliance with applicable law. Key principles to follow:

– Consent must be voluntary, informed, and unambiguous—the "I agree to receive marketing communications" checkbox cannot be selected by default.
– The user should know for what purpose and under what terms their personal data will be processed—this information must be included in the privacy policy and marketing consent.
– The right to withdraw consent—the customer must be able to opt out of receiving remarketing communications at any time (e.g., via the "Unsubscribe" link in the email footer).
– Obligation to document consent—in the event of an audit, it must be possible to demonstrate when and how the individual expressed consent.

If remarketing takes place in the form of display advertising (e.g. Google Ads, Facebook Ads), users should also be informed about the use of cookies and provided with the ability to manage consent, e.g. using a GDPR-compliant cookie banner.

Transparency towards users

Beyond formal obligations, a key element of ethical remarketing is transparency – users should feel that messages are honest, relevant to their actions, and respect their privacy.

Good practices include:

– Clear communication of the message's purpose—e.g., "You left items in your cart—we're reminding you before they're gone."
– No emotional manipulation—there's no point in using excessive pressure like "Last chance, you'll never buy again!" or artificially generating a sense of threat.
– Segmentation instead of mass marketing—it's better to send a well-tailored message to a smaller group than to bombard everyone with the same message.
– Moderation—one remarketing campaign is helpful, ten is intrusive.

An ethical approach to user behavior brings tangible benefits—increasing loyalty, enhancing brand reputation, and minimizing the risk of complaints or unsubscribes. Furthermore, consumers are increasingly choosing stores that respect their privacy and avoid aggressive sales practices.

Summary and recommendations for getting started

5 steps to implementing an effective remarketing strategy

Remarketing is one of the most cost-effective e-commerce tools when used consciously and comprehensively. To initiate or improve your efforts, it's worth focusing on five key steps:

1. Identify the root causes of cart abandonment.
Before launching a remarketing campaign, analyze data from Google Analytics and UX tools (e.g., Hotjar, Clarity) to understand where and why users abandon their purchases. This will not only allow you to recover carts but also prevent them from being abandoned.

2. Design personalized communication
. Tailor campaign content to user behavior. Consider product type, cart value, purchase stage, and traffic source. Communicate differently with new customers than with repeat customers.

3. Choose the right tools and automate the process.
Use remarketing platforms that allow you to automatically send emails, display dynamic ads, and manage user segments. Klaviyo, Mailchimp, GetResponse, and Facebook Ads are just a few examples.

4. Test, measure, and optimize.
Implement A/B testing—compare different campaign versions, analyze CTR, conversion rate, and ROI. Regular, data-driven optimization is the foundation of effective remarketing.

5. Be GDPR compliant and ethical.
Ensure legal data processing, clear marketing consent, and transparency towards users. Long-term customer trust is much more valuable than a one-time conversion.

What to test and optimize first

To start with, it's worth focusing on the most influential elements of your campaign:

– First email sending time – test whether a message sent after 1 or 4 hours produces better results.
– Email subject line and preheader – these determine email opening. Test different headlines: informative, emotional, urgent.
– Call to Action (CTA) – vary the button content and color, and position in the email or ad.
– Purchase incentives – test whether a discount, free shipping, or product recommendations are more effective.
– Audience segmentation – test different approaches for new vs. regular customers, mobile vs. desktop users, low vs. high basket value.

Launching remarketing doesn't require a huge investment, but it does require awareness, planning, and consistency. Even small improvements can lead to noticeable increases in conversions and revenue. Remember—remarketing isn't just about recovering lost opportunities, but also building loyalty and a better shopping experience.