What is an Abandoned Cart?
An abandoned cart is a term used in the e-commerce industry to describe a situation when a customer adds items to their online shopping cart but leaves the website without completing the purchase. This can occur for various reasons, such as distractions, technical issues, or a change of mind. Abandoned cart events are crucial for online retailers because they represent potential lost sales and provide valuable insights into customer behavior.
How does the abandoned cart event get triggered in Freshmarketer?
Freshmarketer allows users to set up a specific process for detecting and addressing abandoned cart events. This customizable process aims to help online retailers recover lost sales by tracking customer behavior during checkout and sending personalized reminders if the purchase is not completed within a defined timeframe. Here's how the process works:
When a customer initiates the checkout process, Freshmarketer records the "started checkout" event along with the cart token details. This unique token helps monitor each customer's shopping session progress.
Freshmarketer then keeps track of the customer's actions for the next 15 minutes, providing ample time for them to finalize their purchase.
If the customer does not complete the purchase within the allotted 15-minute window, Freshmarketer recognizes the cart as abandoned and triggers the abandoned cart event.
You can also add a delay block (which can be set to a maximum of 1 hour) to check if the order has been placed.
If the order has not been placed in the specified time, users of Freshmarketer have the option to send personalized messages to the customer via email, SMS, or WhatsApp. These messages can include reminders about the items left in the cart and may offer incentives or support to encourage the customer to finish their purchase.
In essence, Freshmarketer enables users to create abandoned cart recovery journeys and send tailored promotions to improve the likelihood of customers completing their transactions.
Adjusting the Abandoned Cart Journey Timeframe
While Freshmarketer defaults to a 15-minute window for triggering abandoned cart messages, some customers may wish to customize the time frame for their specific needs. To adjust the abandoned cart journey timing to less than 15 minutes, customers can use the “started checkout” event along with the check for the “order placed” event block. Here's how to do it:
In your Freshmarketer account, go to customer journeys, choose the “reclaim abandon carts through WhatsApp template”, and select the "started checkout" event as your trigger.
Set up a time delay based on your desired time frame (e.g., 10 minutes). This time delay will serve as the waiting period to check if the order has been placed during this window.
If the order hasn’t been placed in the specified time frame, you can continue with the setup process to design and send abandoned cart messages via email, SMS, or WhatsApp, as you normally would.
By using the "started checkout" event and incorporating a time delay, you can customize the abandoned cart journey to suit your specific requirements. Remember to continually analyze and adjust your abandoned cart recovery strategies to optimize their effectiveness for your unique customer base.