Use the abandoned cart trigger in automated campaigns

***Note: The abandoned cart feature is currently under maintenance and not active. The trigger may still appear in your campaign settings, but it is temporarily unavailable. We will update this article as soon as the feature becomes available again. We appreciate your patience while we work on this update.***

Table of contents

• Overview
• Key benefits
• How to enable the abandoned cart trigger
• Requirements
• Who will receive the email?
• FAQs
• The takeaway

Overview

We are thrilled to announce the upcoming launch of the new "Abandoned Cart" trigger in Automated Campaigns. This feature enables you to reclaim lost revenue by automatically sending emails to parents and guardians who have placed items in their cart but have not completed their purchase. It’s perfect for implementation during peak season. 

Key benefits

• Turn abandoned carts into extra sales with timely reminders for busy parents and guardians.
• Earn more, effortlessly, with a system that runs 24/7 in the background.
• Quick and seamless setup that integrates with existing automated campaigns.
• Enhance the customer experience with thoughtful, well-timed follow-ups.

Cart recovery – data and insights

Our analysis shows that 19–40% of shopping carts remain incomplete after a visit.
We conservatively estimate that around 10% of these shoppers return to finalize their purchase after receiving a reminder.

In addition, data indicates that returning shoppers often spend more than originally intended. This means that cart recovery not only helps regain lost sales, but can also increase the average order value. 

How to enable the abandoned cart trigger

Follow these steps to enable the trigger:

1. Go to Automated Campaigns and select the campaign you want to edit.
2. Click Add notification.
3. Under Trigger & filter, choose After a cart is abandoned.
4. Pick a send delay: 1 hour, 3 hours, or 24 hours. Best practice: Use only one abandoned cart email/text per campaign.
5. Select the time frame for sending (emails and texts sent via automated campaigns are not sent during silent hours).
6. Design your message: Create a custom email or select the preloaded [Abandoned Cart] template in your account (available in English and French).
7. If you are personalizing the email and including a banner, as illustrated in the sample email below, check best practices for banners. 

To make customization easier, start with our standard template and adapt the text for your target region and language. Simply copy the text (CTRL+C on Windows or CMD+C on Mac) and paste it into the email text form (CTRL+V on Windows or CMD+V on Mac), then adjust as required.

• US/CA:
  • Subject: You left something in your cart
    Header: Ready to check out?
    Body:
    Hi [[First Name]],
    Looks like you didn’t get a chance to finish your order.
    The items in your cart are still waiting for you, and checkout only takes a minute.
    Click below to pick up where you left off and complete your order today.
    [[Customer.photos]]
    [[Customer.login]]
    [[Photographer.company]]
• UK:
  • Subject: You left something in your cart
    Header: Ready to check out?
    Body:
    Hi [[First Name]],
    Looks like you didn’t get a chance to finish your order.
    The items in your cart are still waiting for you, and checkout only takes a minute.
    Click below to pick up where you left off and complete your order today.
    [[Customer.photos]]
    [[Photographer.login_url]]
• CA (French):
  • Subject: Vous avez laissé quelque chose dans votre panier
    Header: Prêt à passer à la caisse?
    Body:
    Bonjour [[First Name]],
    il semble que vous n’ayez pas eu le temps de finaliser votre commande.
    Les articles dans votre panier vous attendent toujours, et le paiement ne prend qu’une minute.
    Cliquez ci-dessous pour reprendre vos achats et compléter votre commande dès aujourd’hui.
    [[Customer.photos]]
    [[Customer.login]]
    [[Photographer.company]]

Save your settings. [Optional] [US/CA only] Select SMS instead of email. Ensure the campaign is saved in the job.

We currently do not provide prefilled text messages. Instead, we’ve prepared ready-to-use SMS templates: Simply copy the text (CTRL+C on Windows or CMD+C on Mac) and paste it into the text form (CTRL+V on Windows or CMD+V on Mac), then adjust as needed.

US/CA:

• Don’t miss your pictures! Your photo order is waiting. Complete it today: [[Customer.login]] [[Photographer.company]]
• You still have portraits in your cart. Keep those memories safe - finish your order here: [[Customer.login]] [[Photographer.company]]
• Your child’s photos are almost yours! Complete your order now: [[Customer.login]] [[Photographer.company]]

UK: 

• Don’t miss your pictures! Your photo order is waiting. Complete it today: [[Photographer.login_url]]  [[Photographer.company]]
• You still have portraits in your cart. Keep those memories safe - finish your order here: [[Photographer.login_url]]  [[Photographer.company]]
• Your child’s photos are almost yours! Complete your order now: [[Photographer.login_url]]  [[Photographer.company]]

French:

• Vous avez laissé des articles dans votre panier. Complétez votre commande dès aujourd’hui: [[Customer.login]] [[Photographer.company]]
• Vos photos sont encore disponibles. Finalisez votre commande ici: [[Customer.login]] [[Photographer.company]]
• N’oubliez pas de confirmer votre commande. Accédez à votre panier maintenant: [[Customer.login]] [[Photographer.company]]

Requirements

• You must use automated email campaigns in jobs where the campaign includes a notification triggered by abandoned carts.
• If sending texts, register your Twilio account [for US & CA customers].
• Customer email addresses must be uploaded to the job. A phone number is not sufficient to create a customer in the system.
• Note: This feature does not support manual one-time messages.

Who will receive the email?

The email or text will be sent to any customer who:

• Has a valid email address assigned to their job.
• Is subscribed to job communications.
• Has visited the shop, added items to their cart, and remained inactive for over 1 hour.

Standard consent rules apply. Unsubscribed customers will not receive emails or texts.

If they return later, add more items, and abandon again, they will requalify.

FAQs

Can I see the status of the Abandoned Cart email in my Campaign Performance Dashboard?
Yes, it will be reflected in the CPD if linked to a job's campaign.

The email link directs parents to the login page. Is it malfunctioning?
No, this is expected behavior. Use clear CTA buttons like "Return to My Cart." Direct-to-cart links are coming soon.

Is the trigger compatible with all shop types?

It works with the old shop, the new shop, and the Prepay shop setup.

Why aren't my abandoned cart emails being sent?
Ensure the campaign is active, the trigger is saved, the customer has a subscribed email, and the delay has passed. Emails are not sent between 8 pm and 9 am local time.

A parent says their cart is empty after logging in. Why?
This may be due to cart expiration (e.g., batch shipping was selected but is no longer available), logging out, cookie clearing, or switching devices. 

Is it possible to send an SMS reminder instead of an email?
Yes, SMS is an available alternative.

If a customer returns to the cart after their job coupon or voucher has expired, will they still be able to use it? 

No. Once the voucher has expired, it will be automatically removed from the cart.

Can I set the email trigger for 15 minutes instead of 1 hour?
No, the current options are 1, 3, or 24 hours.

What happens if the gallery is archived after the customer has received the email?
If a job is archived, the link leads to the shop, but customers can't access the gallery.

Is it possible to add the trigger to all existing campaigns?

In this initial release, you will need to add the trigger to your campaigns manually. We are already planning further improvements and will share updates with you as soon as they become available. 

The takeaway

The Abandoned Cart trigger is a powerful and automated way to recover sales that may otherwise be lost. With a pre-built template, a customization option, and seamless campaign integration, it's a high-impact feature ideal for peak-season efficiency.