Marketing Dictionary
Cart Abandonment
Definition
When a potential customer starts a check out process for an online order but drops out of the process before completing the purchase.
Deep Dive
Cart abandonment occurs when a potential customer initiates the checkout process on an e-commerce website, adding items to their shopping cart, but then leaves the site without completing the purchase. This phenomenon represents a significant loss of potential revenue for online businesses, as it indicates a strong intent to buy that was ultimately unfulfilled. Common reasons include unexpected shipping costs, a complicated checkout process, security concerns, or simply getting distracted.
Examples & Use Cases
- 1A customer adds three books to their Amazon cart but closes the browser when they see the shipping fee.
- 2Someone fills out all their details for a flight booking on an airline website but abandons the purchase at the payment page due to a slow loading time.
- 3A user adds a software subscription to their cart on a SaaS platform but gets distracted by a notification and never returns to complete the purchase.
Related Terms
Conversion RateCheckout OptimizationRemarketing