Someone found your store, liked a product enough to add it to the cart, maybe even typed in their email at checkout, and then left. The phone rang. The delivery fee surprised them. They wanted to ask their sister first. Or they just got distracted.
That person is the warmest lead your store will ever have. An abandoned cart email is a friendly reminder that brings them back to finish what they started, and once it's set up, it runs on its own.
In this guide I'll show you a simple 3-email flow, how to set it up in Shopify or Klaviyo, when to send each email, copy you can adapt in English and Roman Urdu, when a discount makes sense (and when it hurts you), and a few tweaks for cash-on-delivery markets like Pakistan and India. The settings below come from Shopify's and Klaviyo's help centers, checked on 28 October 2026. Both tools update their menus often, so if a button has moved, search their help center for "abandoned checkout".
Abandoned cart vs abandoned checkout (it matters)
These two get mixed up all the time, and they trigger at different moments:
- Abandoned cart: the person added something to the cart and left. You might not know who they are yet.
- Abandoned checkout: the person reached checkout and entered their contact details, then left without paying or placing the order.
Klaviyo's abandoned cart flow guide uses "abandoned cart" as the umbrella term for both. A flow triggered by Added to Cart targets abandoned carts, and a flow triggered by Started Checkout targets abandoned checkouts. Klaviyo says Started Checkout fires once the customer has filled in their contact information and moved to the next step, and that most of its pre-built abandoned cart flows use that trigger.
For a small store, I'd start with the abandoned checkout flow. These people showed the strongest intent, and you definitely have their email. Add the cart flow later.
Option 1: Shopify's built-in abandoned checkout email
If you're on Shopify and don't use another email tool, you already have this. Shopify's abandoned checkout automation page explains how it works now:
- Where it lives: in your Shopify admin, go to Apps > Messaging > Automations and choose the Abandoned checkout template.
- Default timing: a new abandoned checkout automation waits 10 hours before sending. You can change the wait time by editing the workflow in Shopify Flow.
- Who gets it: by default, it only goes to customers who are subscribed to email marketing. You can change the To: field to All customers.
- Where it works: only for the Online Store and Buy Button sales channels. Checkouts from POS, the Shop app or third-party channels don't get it.
- No going back: if you're still on the older abandoned checkout email under Settings > Checkout, Shopify says switching to the new automation is permanent.
Shopify also says abandoned checkouts older than three months are deleted automatically from your admin, so if you want to learn from them, export them with your orders now and then.
One more detail worth knowing: under Orders > Abandoned checkouts you can send someone their checkout link by hand. Shopify warns that anyone who opens that link can continue the checkout, and you can't expire a link after sending it. So only send it to the customer it belongs to, never in a group chat.
Option 2: A Klaviyo abandoned cart flow
Klaviyo gives you more control: several emails, SMS if you want it later, and different paths for first-time and returning customers. Klaviyo's guide recommends these settings, and they're the ones I'd copy:
- Integrate Shopify first. The flow depends on store events, so connect the store before you build anything. If you want the Added to Cart flow on Shopify too, Klaviyo says you need to turn on the Track behavioral events setting.
- Pick the pre-built flow from the flow library. It already contains the dynamic block that shows the product image, title, quantity and price, plus a button back to the cart. Klaviyo suggests saving that block before you redesign the email, because it's hard to rebuild by hand.
- Add the flow filter "Placed Order zero times since starting this flow." Klaviyo checks filters before every email, so anyone who buys stops getting reminders. Without this, people who already paid can get a "you forgot something" email, which looks careless.
- Optionally add "Has not been in this flow in the last X days." This stops someone who abandons carts regularly from getting the same reminders again and again.
- If you run both flows, add "Started Checkout zero times since starting this flow" to the Added to Cart flow, so nobody gets emails from both.
- Turn off Shopify's own abandoned checkout email. Klaviyo says to turn off your platform's default messages so customers don't get duplicates.
Don't forget the boring part: your emails need to actually land in the inbox. If you're sending from your own domain, make sure SPF, DKIM and DMARC are set up for both Shopify and Klaviyo.
When to send each email
Klaviyo's pre-built abandoned cart flows wait 4 hours before the first email. Its guide recommends sending the first message 2 to 4 hours after someone starts checkout and a second one 20 to 48 hours later, and it says that, based on its research across ecommerce customers, 2 to 3 messages perform best. Shopify's default single email goes out after 10 hours.
Here's the 3-email schedule I'd start with:
| When | Job | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. The reminder | About 3 to 4 hours after checkout started | "You left this behind." Show the product and a clear button back to checkout |
| 2. The question answerer | About a day later | Answer the doubt that stops people: delivery, payment, size, returns |
| 3. The last nudge | About 2 to 3 days after the first email | Final reminder. This is the only place a discount might go |
Klaviyo also points out that bigger, more considered purchases (it uses mattresses as an example) may do better with a longer delay than small, everyday items. If you sell furniture or expensive electronics, give people more breathing room.
Should you offer a discount?
Klaviyo's advice is clear: don't put a coupon in the first email. It can train customers to abandon carts on purpose just to get the discount. If you want an incentive, save it for the final email, or only offer it to people who've never bought from you before.
I agree with that, and I'd add one more filter: only discount if your margin can take it. Here are a few alternatives that cost less than a percentage off:
- Free delivery on this order
- A small free add-on that's cheap for you and nice for them
- Faster dispatch if they order today
If you do use a code, make it unique. Klaviyo's unique coupon codes guide shows how to generate single-use Shopify codes inside a flow, and for abandoned carts it suggests a code for people who haven't bought before that's only active for 2 to 4 days. A short window gives a real reason to act. Note that Klaviyo adds a 24-hour grace period to codes that expire after a set number of days or hours, to allow for sending delays.
The 3 emails: copy you can adapt
Swap the [brackets] for your details. Keep each email short enough to read on a phone without much scrolling. The dynamic product block does most of the work, so the words only need to give context and a push.
Email 1: The reminder (no discount)
Subject: Did you forget something, [First name]?
Preview text: Your [product name] is still waiting for you.
Hi [First name],
You left something in your cart at [Store name]. We've saved it for you, so you can pick up right where you left off.
[Product block]
[Button: Complete my order]
Got a question about size, delivery or payment? Just reply to this email or message us on WhatsApp at [number]. A real person will answer.
Email 2: The question answerer
Subject: Quick answers before you order
Hi [First name],
People usually ask us these before ordering [product type]:
- How long is delivery? [X to Y working days] to [main cities].
- Can I pay cash on delivery? [Yes, COD is available / Here's how payment works].
- What if it doesn't fit or arrives damaged? [Your real return or exchange policy in one line].
Your cart is still saved here: [Button: Back to my cart]
Use this email to remove the doubt, not to repeat the product description. If you're not sure what that doubt is, look at the questions people send you on WhatsApp and Instagram before they buy.
Email 3: The last nudge (optional discount for first-time buyers)
Subject: Last reminder: your cart is about to clear
Hi [First name],
This is our last reminder about the [product name] in your cart.
[For first-time buyers only: Here's [X% off / free delivery] with code [unique code]. It works until [date].]
[Button: Finish my order]
If you've changed your mind, no problem. We won't email you about this cart again.
Only say the cart "clears" or stock is low if that's true. Fake urgency gets noticed, and it makes every later email less believable.
A Roman Urdu version (for email or WhatsApp)
Many shoppers in Pakistan reply faster to Roman Urdu. Here's Email 1 in a friendly tone:
Subject: [First name], aap ka order adhoora reh gaya
Assalam o Alaikum [First name],
Aap ne [Store name] par [product name] cart mein daala tha, lekin order complete nahi hua. Hum ne aap ka cart save kar diya hai.
[Button: Order complete karein]
Delivery, size ya payment ke baare mein koi sawal ho to is email ka jawab dein ya WhatsApp karein: [number].
If you want help drafting more versions, the prompts in my ChatGPT product descriptions guide work well for this kind of short copy. Just fact-check delivery times and policies yourself.
Tweaks for cash-on-delivery markets
Most abandoned cart advice is written for card-first markets like the US. In Pakistan and India, a lot of people prefer to pay cash on delivery, and their reasons for leaving checkout are often about trust rather than forgetting. A few tweaks:
- Say "COD available" early, in Email 1 or 2, if you offer it. Don't make people dig for it.
- Show the full cost. If delivery charges appeared only at checkout, mention them plainly in Email 2. Surprise costs are a common reason people leave, and hiding them again won't help.
- Give a human contact. A WhatsApp number in every email reassures first-time buyers that there's a real business behind the store. If your products are on a WhatsApp Business catalogue, people can browse there too.
- Keep the abandoned cart email about the cart. Klaviyo also recommends only showing the products the customer left behind, so don't stuff the email with other items.
- Remember the people who never typed an email. If someone added to cart and left before checkout, an email flow can't reach them. That's where Meta ads retargeting on a small budget helps, by showing a follow-up ad to recent site visitors.
Consent and privacy basics
Shopify's automation sends only to email marketing subscribers unless you change it, and Klaviyo's guide tells merchants with customers in regions with data protection laws to check with their legal team before turning the flow on. Rules depend on where you and your customers are, so I can't give you one answer for every country.
My simple approach: offer a clear, unticked "email me offers and updates" box at checkout, send abandoned cart emails to people who agreed, and keep an easy unsubscribe link in every email. This is general guidance, not legal advice. My 5 emails every small business needs post covers the permission basics in more detail.
What to check every week
- Is the flow live and sending? In Klaviyo, look at the flow's analytics. In Shopify, the Messaging Automations page shows performance, and the Abandoned checkouts emails report shows sessions and orders from the reminders.
- Are buyers still getting reminders? If yes, check the Placed Order filter and make sure orders are syncing.
- What did people reply? Replies to Email 2 are gold. Put the common questions on your product page.
- Is the discount email doing anything? If Email 3 isn't bringing orders, test free delivery instead of a percentage, or drop the incentive entirely.
You'll find more guides like this on my blog, and more about me on my home page.
FAQ
When should I send the first abandoned cart email?
Klaviyo recommends sending the first message 2 to 4 hours after someone starts checkout, and its pre-built flows wait 4 hours. Shopify's built-in abandoned checkout automation waits 10 hours by default. Sell big-ticket items? A longer delay can feel less pushy.
How many abandoned cart emails should I send?
Klaviyo says its research across ecommerce customers shows 2 to 3 abandoned cart messages perform best. A reminder, a question-answering email and a final nudge is a simple structure to start with.
Should I include a discount in an abandoned cart email?
Not in the first email. Klaviyo warns that early coupons can train customers to abandon carts for a discount. If you use one, put it in the final email or offer it only to first-time buyers, ideally as a unique code that expires in a few days.
What's the difference between an abandoned cart and an abandoned checkout?
An abandoned cart means someone added a product and left. An abandoned checkout means they reached checkout and entered their contact details before leaving. In Klaviyo these use the Added to Cart and Started Checkout triggers.
Does Shopify send abandoned cart emails automatically?
Only if you turn on the Abandoned checkout automation in the Shopify Messaging app. By default it sends one email 10 hours after checkout to customers subscribed to email marketing, and you can change both the wait time and who receives it.
How do I stop abandoned cart emails going to people who already bought?
In Klaviyo, add the flow filter Placed Order zero times since starting this flow. Klaviyo checks filters before each message, so buyers are skipped from the rest of the flow. Shopify's automation doesn't send if the customer completes a purchase before the email goes out.
Keep reading
- Email marketing for small businesses: the 5 emails to start with (with templates)
- SPF, DKIM and DMARC for small businesses, in plain English
- Meta ads retargeting on a small budget: bring back WhatsApp chats and site visitors
- How to write product descriptions with ChatGPT for Daraz and Shopify
- WhatsApp Business catalogue: how to set it up and sell without a website
- See all posts on the blog
- Back to my home page
Want more like this?
Email marketing and Klaviyo flows are core modules in the digital marketing course I'm launching soon. Follow me on LinkedIn to hear about it first, and catch shorter tips on X and YouTube.