Shopping cart abandonment reasons and how to fix them

If you run an online store, you’ve likely faced one of the most frustrating challenges in ecommerce: shoppers adding products to their carts and then leaving without completing the purchase. This incredibly frustrating habit is known as shopping cart abandonment, and it’s one of the biggest bugbears in retail.

Understanding shopping cart abandonment reasons is essential for any business that wants to reduce lost sales, improve customer experience, and increase conversions. When you identify why customers walk away during the checkout process, you can create clever shopping cart abandonment solutions to address these issues.

The impact of tackling this issue is incredible. According to shopping cart abandonment statistics, the average cart abandonment rate is around 70%. That means for every ten customers who add items to a shopping cart, only three actually follow through with the purchase. For online retailers, that’s a massive amount of lost revenue, but also a massive opportunity.

In this article, we’re going to break down the most common shopping cart abandonment reasons and give you real, practical strategies to fix them. By the end, you’ll understand not only why customers leave but also how to bring them back with smart cart recovery tactics.

How bad is it, really?

Before diving into causes, it’s important to understand the scope. Across industries, the average cart abandonment rate is shockingly high. According to various cart abandonment statistics, here’s what online retailers face:

• Overall abandonment rate: 70%, according to the Baymard Institute, based on 49 different studies.

• Mobile abandonment: usually higher, can be as high as 80% (Flowium).

• Impact on revenue: 18 billion dollars are lost yearly, due to cart abandonment (Flowium).

Think about it this way: if your store has an average order value of $50 and you lose 70 out of every 100 carts, the revenue loss adds up quickly. Even small improvements in the checkout flow can recover thousands of dollars.

Calculating your cart abandonment rate

If you get 200 completed transactions from 1000 initiated shopping carts, your cart abandonment rate will be 80% as calculated below:

[1 – (200/1000)] * 100

= [1 – 0.2] * 100

= 0.8*100

= 80%

This formula can be easily used for quick results on shopping cart abandonment rate on your e-commerce site.

Common shopping cart abandonment reasons

Now that you understand the numbers and calculations, let's look at some of the most common reasons for shopping cart abandonment.

1. Unexpected extra costs

One of the leading reasons people abandon their carts is the shock of unexpected fees. Customers may add items thinking they’re within budget, only to find high shipping costs, taxes, or hidden fees revealed at the final step.

This sudden change in price feels like a bait-and-switch, and many shoppers will abandon immediately. Research shows that extra costs are responsible for over half of all abandoned carts.

How to fix it

The key is price transparency. Shoppers want to feel in control of their spending, not blindsided at checkout. Here’s how you can reduce abandonment caused by unexpected costs:

• Show shipping options and costs early: Offer a shipping calculator or estimate on the product page or cart page so customers know before they commit.

• Be upfront about taxes and fees: If regional taxes apply, display them as soon as the customer enters their location rather than at the last step.

• Offer free shipping thresholds: Many retailers reduce abandonment by setting a minimum order value for free shipping (e.g., “Free shipping on orders over $50”). This not only prevents drop-offs but can also increase average order value.

• Bundle costs into product pricing: Some businesses absorb part of the shipping fee into the product price to make “Free Shipping” possible, a psychological win for shoppers.

• Highlight promotions and savings: If you can’t avoid costs, balance them with clear savings (“Save 20% today” or “Bundle & Save”).

By addressing unexpected costs upfront, you create a more trustworthy online shopping experience and keep customers moving smoothly toward checkout.

2. Complicated checkout flow

A long, clunky, or confusing checkout process is another top culprit. If shoppers encounter too many form fields, unclear navigation, or unnecessary steps, they lose patience.

For example, asking for a customer’s phone number when it’s not required can create friction. The longer the checkout page, the higher the chance of abandonment.

How to fix it

The solution is to create a fast, seamless, and intuitive checkout flow that respects your customers’ time. Here’s how:

• Streamline form fields: Only ask for essential information (name, address, payment details). Each extra field increases friction.

• Use autofill and address lookup: Let customers quickly fill in details using saved information from their browser or mobile device.

• Show progress indicators: If your checkout requires multiple steps, display a progress bar so customers know where they are in the process.

• Enable one-click checkout options: Payment solutions like Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, or Shop Pay remove the need for repetitive form-filling.

• Test and optimize: Regularly test your checkout flow with real users or A/B tests to identify where drop-offs happen and fix pain points.

A smooth checkout experience isn’t just about speed, it’s about removing obstacles that prevent online shoppers from completing their purchase.

3. Mandatory account creation

Forcing users to register before buying can kill conversions. Many online shoppers just want a quick purchase, not another login to remember. Without an option for guest checkout, they may simply leave.

This issue is especially relevant for first-time buyers who don’t yet trust your brand enough to create an account.

How to fix it

The fix is to give shoppers control and flexibility:

• Enable guest checkout: Always offer a guest checkout option for quick, frictionless purchases. This can significantly reduce cart abandonment rates.

• Promote account benefits post-purchase: Instead of forcing registration upfront, invite customers to create an account after they’ve completed their order—highlight perks like faster checkout next time, order tracking, or loyalty rewards.

• Use social logins: Options like “Sign in with Google” or “Continue with Facebook” simplify account creation and reduce password fatigue.

• Make accounts optional, not mandatory: Frame account creation as a convenience rather than a requirement, something that makes shopping easier, not harder.

By letting customers choose how they want to buy, you improve trust, reduce barriers, and increase the likelihood they’ll complete their purchase.

4. Limited payment options

Imagine finding the perfect product, only to discover that the store only accepts credit cards. Lack of flexible payment methods like PayPal, Apple Pay, or Buy Now Pay Later is a major reason for abandonment. Different demographics prefer different payment options, and failing to meet those needs directly impacts your users checkout experience, which will impact your conversion rate.

How to fix it

The solution is to offer diverse, trusted payment methods that match customer expectations:

• Add popular digital wallets: Support options like PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Amazon Pay for convenience and trust.

• Offer Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL): Tools like Klarna, Afterpay, or Affirm appeal to cost-conscious shoppers and can boost average order value.

• Include local payment methods: If you sell internationally, integrate region-specific solutions (e.g., iDEAL in the Netherlands, Alipay in China).

• Clearly display accepted payments upfront: Show icons for accepted methods on product and cart pages to reassure customers before checkout.

• Ensure mobile compatibility: Many digital wallets are mobile-first, so make sure your checkout is optimized for smaller screens.

By offering flexible, secure payment methods, you reduce friction, expand your reach to different demographics, and capture sales that would otherwise be lost.

5. Security concerns

If your ecommerce sites don't look trustworthy, customers won’t enter their payment details and personal information. Missing SSL certificates, no visible trust badges, or outdated site design can all lead to doubts.

Online shoppers need reassurance that their credit card information is safe. Without it, the cart becomes an abandoned cart.

How to fix it

The fix is to remove doubt and build visible trust at every stage of checkout:

• Secure your site with HTTPS/SSL: Always use SSL certificates so browsers show the padlock icon, signaling a safe environment. More on "What is an SSL certificate and how does it work" here.

• Display trust badges and payment security logos: Logos from Visa, MasterCard, PayPal, Norton Secured, etc. help reassure shoppers.

• Highlight policies clearly: Prominently show money-back guarantees, refund policies, and customer support availability.

• Showcase real reviews and testimonials: Social proof reduces skepticism and helps validate your store’s credibility, sign up to platforms like TrustPilot and Reviews.IO to embed real customer reviews on your site.

• Keep design modern and professional: Outdated or clunky websites raise red flags, invest in a clean, user-friendly layout.

By demonstrating security and professionalism upfront, you give customers the confidence they need to complete their purchase instead of walking away.

6. Slow sites and technical issues

Performance matters. A checkout page that loads slowly or glitches during payment can derail the entire checkout process. Mobile users are especially sensitive to speed, and delays cause frustration.

If a user has to refresh multiple times or sees error messages, chances are they’ll abandon the cart entirely.

How to fix it

The solution is to optimize website performance and ensure a smooth, reliable checkout:

• Improve page load speed: Compress images, leverage browser caching, and use a fast hosting provider to reduce load times (more on how to up website speed here).

• Optimize for mobile devices: Ensure your checkout pages are responsive and function seamlessly on smartphones and tablets.

• Regularly test checkout flow: Use QA testing or real-user monitoring to catch glitches before they impact customers.

• Minimize redirects and pop-ups: Extra redirects or unnecessary scripts can slow performance.

• Use reliable payment gateways: Ensure payment processors are stable and compatible with your platform to avoid errors mid-transaction.

By providing a fast, glitch-free checkout, you keep customers engaged and reduce the risk of checkout abandonment due to "technical issues".

7. Confusion and lack of trust

Shoppers want confidence that they can return or exchange items if needed. If your online store has unclear return policies, or worse, hides them until the last minute, potential customers will hesitate to commit. Without transparency, the perceived risk of purchase outweighs the reward.

How to fix it

The solution is to make policies clear, fair, and easy to find:

• Prominently display your returns policy: Include a link on product pages, the shopping cart, and checkout pages.

• Keep policies simple and concise: Avoid long, legalistic text; use bullet points for clarity.

• Offer hassle-free returns: Free or easy returns increase customer confidence and reduce abandonment.

• Communicate deadlines clearly: Specify how long customers have to return items to set clear expectations.

• Highlight customer support: Provide live chat or easy contact options to answer questions quickly.

By making your return and exchange process transparent, you reduce purchase anxiety, build trust, and encourage shoppers to complete their orders.

8. Comparison Shopping and Distractions

Sometimes, customers add items to a shopping cart just because they are window shopping. Maybe they'll come back later, maybe it's just a wish list. They might leave to check competitors or get distracted on social media and never return.

While not all of these scenarios are preventable, there are ways to encourage shoppers back into the checkout flow.

How to fix it

The solution is to re-engage customers and create urgency:

• Send cart abandonment emails: Remind customers of the items they left behind, include images, and personalize the message to increase relevance.

• Offer incentives: Small discount codes, free shipping, or limited-time offers can motivate customers to complete the purchase.

• Use retargeting ads: Display the products on social media or other websites to bring users back.

• Show stock levels and urgency: Highlight low inventory or time-limited promotions to encourage faster action.

• Save carts for later: Let customers return to their cart without having to start over; email reminders can include a direct link.

By combining gentle reminders, incentives, and urgency, you can recover carts even when customers leave to compare prices or get distracted, turning potential losses into completed sales.

Shopping cart abandonment statistics

When implementing these strategies, tracking results is key. Naturally, the most important measure is the cart abandonment rate calculation we talked about above, but there are a few more stats you can keep an eye on...

Conversion rate

• What it is: The percentage of shoppers who complete their purchase after entering the checkout flow.

• Why it matters for cart abandonment: A higher conversion rate indicates that fewer customers are leaving their carts behind. Tracking this metric helps you decide whether changes to your checkout process, payment options, or checkout page design are actually reducing abandonment. For example, if your conversion rate increases after adding a guest checkout option, it confirms that removing friction improved results.

Average order value (AOV)

• What it is: The average amount spent by customers per completed transaction.

• Why it matters for cart abandonment: Abandoned carts don’t just affect the number of orders, they also impact revenue per order. By monitoring AOV, you can see if strategies like free shipping thresholds, bundling products, or offering limited-time incentives encourage customers to not only complete their purchases but also spend more. A higher AOV means your interventions are successfully recovering carts and boosting revenue.

Drop-off points in the checkout flow

• What it is: Specific steps in the checkout process where shoppers leave without completing a purchase.

• Why it matters for cart abandonment: Identifying drop-off points helps you pinpoint friction areas, such as long forms, mandatory account creation, or unexpected fees. Understanding exactly where shoppers abandon their shopping cart allows you to implement targeted solutions. For example, if many users abandon at the payment step, you might not have enough payment methods. Adding more could help you convert.

Recovery rate from abandoned cart emails

• What it is: The percentage of abandoned carts recovered through email reminders or follow-ups.

• Why it matters for cart abandonment: Not all abandoned carts can be prevented upfront, so recovery strategies are crucial. Tracking the recovery rate lets you measure how effective your abandoned cart email campaigns are. You can test email timing, subject lines, personalization, and incentives to see what boosts open rate and what successfully brings shoppers back to complete their purchase. High recovery rates directly translate into recovered revenue and a lower overall cart abandonment rate.

Ready to battle cart abandonment rates?

Shopping cart abandonment reasons are varied, but most come down to friction, cost, or trust. From unexpected extra costs and complicated checkout processes to limited payment methods and security concerns, each barrier can be addressed with the right strategy.

Implementing shopping cart abandonment solutions like transparent pricing, simplified checkout, flexible payment options, and strong trust signals can dramatically improve your checkout experience. Pairing these with smart cart recovery tactics, can help you reclaim lost revenue and boost overall sales for your ecommerce business.

The bottom line? By understanding shopping cart abandonment reasons, why customers leave, and creating solutions to keep them engaged, you can turn abandoned carts into completed checkouts, bumping your ecommerce sales up and up.

FAQs

What is a good shopping cart abandonment rate?

The average rate is around 70%, but it varies by industry and device. Anything below that is pretty good.

Why are the main shopping cart abandonment reasons?

Common shopping cart abandonment reasons include unexpected costs, long checkout processes, limited payment options, lack of trust, slow site performance, and, because they were only window shopping in the first place. Some of these are fixable, some are just a part of running an online store.

How can I recover abandoned carts?

Use abandoned cart emails, retargeting ads, and incentives like discounts or free shipping to encourage shoppers to complete their purchase.

Does mobile use affect cart abandonment?

Yes, mobile users often abandon carts more than desktop users due to slower load times and less convenient checkout experiences.

Can offering guest checkout really help?

Absolutely. Allowing customers to check out without creating an account reduces friction and can significantly lower abandonment rates.