According to statistics, 7 out of 10 customers abandon their carts. However, an Abandoned Cart email can only be sent when Omnisend can identify the shopper.
Omnisend offers advanced cart-tracking technology, so visitors don't have to be subscribed to receive an Abandoned Cart email. This article explains the requirements, tracking methods, and platform-specific differences.
Before You Begin
To send an Abandoned Cart email, Omnisend must identify the shopper before they abandon the cart. Identification happens when the shopper:
Clicks a link in any Omnisend email you've sent them.
Submits an Omnisend Signup Form (popup, flyout, landing page).
Enters their email at checkout (for Abandoned Checkout only—not Abandoned Cart).
Places their first order (WooCommerce only).
Anonymous visitors who add items without completing any of these actions cannot trigger Abandoned Cart emails. To maximize tracking, use Signup Forms and send Email Campaigns regularly.
Abandoned Cart vs. Abandoned Checkout
Omnisend uses two separate automations to recover lost sales:
Abandoned Cart: Shopper adds items → leaves without starting checkout.
Abandoned Checkout: Shopper adds items → starts checkout → enters email → leaves.
⚠️ Important: If a shopper proceeds to checkout, they immediately exit the Abandoned Cart workflow and enter Abandoned Checkout instead. We recommend reviewing your automation exit conditions and enabling both automations to cover the full purchase funnel.
At What Point is a Cart Considered Abandoned?
A cart becomes abandoned when both of the following occur:
A visitor adds a product to the cart
The order is not completed
The trigger timer starts when the shopper adds, removes, or updates items in the cart. If no further cart activity occurs for the delay period (e.g., 1 hour), the automation sends an email.
To prevent multiple emails from triggering for the same customer, Omnisend sets the Frequency value to 24 hours by default. As a result, a single contact can receive only one Abandoned Cart email within 24 hours. You can adjust the frequency value in the Automation trigger settings.
Tracking Methods
Omnisend uses two methods to track abandoned carts:
Abandoned checkout: A visitor adds a product to the cart and proceeds to checkout. Further operation depends on your store's platform.
Abandoned cart via cookies: After your subscribers complete at least one of the identification steps described in the "Before You Begin" section, Omnisend places a cookie in their browser. This cookie allows Omnisend to recognize them when they abandon a cart:
Clicks any link in your Omnisend Email Campaign.
Subscribes using your Omnisend Signup Form.
As shown in the diagram below, the customer's email address is either sent in the cart package or retrieved from the cookie Omnisend has placed.
Currently, not all platforms use both methods or may have smaller variations in contact recognition. However, Omnisend fully replaces the native automation offered by your platform and, in many cases, extends functionality.
Platform-Specific Tracking Methods
Platform | Description |
Shopify |
|
Bigcommerce |
|
Woocommerce |
|
Magento 1 |
|
Magento 2 |
|
Wix |
|
For all ecommerce stores, the cart recovery URL works across different browsers and devices. If you abandon a cart on desktop and follow the recovery link from your phone, you'll be directed to the checkout page you left. Any discount code or information you provided will also appear.
💡 Custom Platform & Headless Stores: If you're on a custom platform or headless setup, Abandoned Cart requires backend integration. You must:
Sync cart data via the Carts API.
Send cart and checkout events via the Events API.
Identify Contacts using
omnisend.identifyContact()before cart events.
The JavaScript snippet alone is not enough. Check Store Settings → API → API Logs to confirm events are received. See our Custom Platform integration guide for technical details.
Achieving Better Results
If your platform uses cookies for cart tracking, you can increase the number of tracked carts by maximizing cookie coverage:
Send more Email Campaigns. Links in emails place cookies in recipients' browsers.
Enable Omnisend Signup Forms. If a customer signs up via an Omnisend Signup Form, Omnisend places a cookie in their browser.
WooCommerce: Omnisend also places cookies in customers' browsers after they place their first order. After the first order, the customer is identified on your website, even if they didn't complete any other cookie-placing actions.
More cookies → More abandoned carts tracked → More cart reminder emails sent → More carts recovered.
💬 Check some examples of successful Cart Recovery emails.
FAQ
Why isn't my Abandoned Cart automation triggering during testing?
Make sure you're identified before testing:
Subscribe via a Signup Form or click a link in an Omnisend email first.
Add items to cart in an incognito window.
Leave without going to checkout.
Wait for the trigger delay (set to 2 minutes for testing).
If you've tested with the same email in the last 24 hours, use a different email (e.g., [email protected]) or wait 24 hours.
Can I send Abandoned Cart emails to someone who didn't enter their email?
No. Omnisend needs an email address to send the automation. A shopper is identified when they:
Subscribe via an Omnisend Signup Form
Click a link in an email you previously sent
Enter their email at checkout
If they only browse and add items without doing any of these, Omnisend cannot identify them. Use Signup Forms to capture emails earlier in the shopping journey.
I'm on a custom platform. Do I need a developer to set up Abandoned Cart?
Yes. Custom platforms require backend (server-side) integration to sync cart data to Omnisend. The JavaScript snippet alone is not enough.
Your developer must implement:
The Carts API to send cart information
The Events API to track cart and checkout events
Contact identification via
omnisend.identifyContact()before events
See our Custom Platform integration guide for technical details. Check Store Settings → API → API Logs to confirm events are being received.
If you didn't find the answer to your question, contact our Support Team through the in-app chat or at [email protected].