Order Abandonment Rate
Definition
The order abandonment rate is the percentage of shoppers who add products to their cart or begin checkout but leave the store before completing the purchase.
Good or Bad?
Good if the rate is low and most carts lead to completed sales.
Bad if many customers leave without buying, which means lost revenue and possible issues in the buying journey.
Why does it matter?
It directly impacts your revenue.
A high abandonment rate can signal problems with trust, pricing, payment methods, or user experience.
Common Mistakes
- Not tracking abandonment separately from general bounce rate
- Forgetting to set up abandoned cart recovery emails
- Ignoring mobile checkout optimization
How to Improve It?
- Send automatic reminders with cart recovery plugins
- Offer limited-time discounts to win back potential buyers
- Make checkout shorter, smoother, and more mobile-friendly
Recommended Plugin
Email Verification for WooCommerce
This plugin ensures you collect valid emails before checkout is completed, which helps you follow up on abandoned carts and recover lost sales.
Real-World Example
A user adds items worth $100 to their cart but never finishes checkout, an email is sent the next day with a small discount to complete the order.
The user returns and finalizes the purchase, reducing the abandonment impact.
Related Terms
- Cart Abandonment
- Checkout Optimization
- Conversion Rate
- Email Recovery Campaign
FAQs
What is a good order abandonment rate?
It varies, but anything below 60 percent is considered decent in eCommerce.
How is order abandonment different from cart abandonment?
Cart abandonment includes users who add items but never start checkout.
Order abandonment refers to users who start checkout but don’t finish.
Can WooCommerce track abandonment automatically?
Not by default, but there are plugins that allow detailed tracking and recovery emails.
