Abandoned carts are among the biggest pain points for eCommerce businesses. Suppose you own an online store. Someone adds a product to their cart but right before they check out, their phone rings and they get distracted. The purchase is put on hold. Possibly forever. Unless you send a great cart abandonment email. And a great cart abandonment email starts with a captivating subject line.
Crafting great abandoned cart email subject lines is the first step in recovering your lost revenue. Abandoned cart emails are not just reminders, but a strategic way to recapture attention and close the sale. These emails have incredibly high open rates, so they are an excellent tool to win back subscribers after they have shown an interest in your brand.
Below you’ll find the best abandoned cart subject lines curated from well-known brands plus our own suggestions for inspiration.
Top Abandoned Cart Subject Lines To Use
We’ve gathered the greatest abandoned cart email subject lines to get you inspired and help restore otherwise lost revenue. They are also categorized depending on the purpose behind them.
You can also copy this doc and keep a handy list of engaging subject lines.
- Oops… You left something in your cart!
Hey! Forgetting something?- Complete your order now.
- Your items are still waiting for you
- We saved your cart for you!
- Reminder: there are items in your cart
- Looks like you may have forgotten something…
- Cart reserved!
- P.S. Your shopping bag is waiting…
- You left some pretty things in your bag
- [BRAND NAME]: Did you have checkout trouble?
- Still deciding?
- Finish Up Your Order
- Still Interested?
- Yay! Good news about your order…
- A gentle reminder
- You left without saying goodbye.
- Take another look
- You want it, we got it!
- We noticed you checking us out…
- Don’t leave a good cart behind…
- Finish what you started
- Your order status
- Was there a problem checking out?
- Got a minute?
- There’s still time!
- This deal’s waiting on you
- What you’re missing out on
- Your shopping cart is about to expire!
- Act fast if you still want your items!
- Hurry – we can’t hold your Shopping Bag!
- Hurry back while your items are still in stock!
- Why wait? Your saved items can ship free today.
- You can still make it yours at [BRAND NAME]
- Let’s check this off your list
- Last chance to lock in 30% off
- Don’t miss out! Get it before it’s gone…
- Just a couple left…
- Uh oh, your cart is about to sell out.
- LAST CHANCE – Take 15% off your Cart
- Tick-Tock! Your Cart Is on Standby
- Last Call for Your Online Shopping Spree
- Don’t Let Your Dreams (and Discounts) Slip Away!
- SOLD OUT (almost)
- Ready to buy? Get happiness now
- Order Status: Incomplete
- Complete Your Skin Care Regime
- Did you ghost us?
- This stuff can’t mail itself to you.
- Remember me?
- View Your Cart Now Before It Expires!
How Does FREE SHIPPING Sound?- You Have Some Unfinished Business!
- Can’t Stop Thinking About Me?
- We have something you want!
- Checkout & claim extra rewards!
- You have great taste in [PRODUCT CATEGORY]
- These will look good on you
- Eyeing something?
- You forgot something unforgettable.
- Trust your instincts.
- You’ve Got an Eye for [PRODUCT CATEGORY]
- Unclaimed Items Waiting!
- A Gift For You
- Don’t you deserve the best?
- Complete your shopping now for extra loot.
- Hi, stranger. Long time no see.
- Is it really over?
- We can’t wait for you to get your order
- Quick! Here’s a discount on your purchase…
- €6 discount extended but not for long
- Looking for a sign? Free shipping.
- Extra 20% just for you, ending soon
- Did you forget me? enjoy complimentary next day shipping
- Your basket AND discount are about to be gone
- Here’s 15% off your cart
- Price drop on your favorite items
- The price dropped for something in your cart
- Do you know what suits these products? Good discount.
- We added a special discount to your cart.
- We’re not giving up on you! 20% Discount waiting
- Hey there, still shopping? Here’s $20 off!
- Get 50% off before it’s too late – my boss doesn’t know I’m doing this
- You didn’t check out — we’re checking in
- Oh no! We were ready to ship your order!
- Your order is NOT on the way…
- You’ve got a message from your cart!
- Hi there, nice cart…
- Your Cart’s a Drama Queen – Let’s Give it Some Attention!
- Your cart has abandonment issues
- Trust no one. Guard your shopping bag.
- You didn’t check out — we’re checking in.
Your Cart Called… It Needs You! Let’s Answer Its SOS 
- You know it’s a steal, so let’s do this!
- Your Cart’s Giving You the Silent Treatment – Break the Ice!
- Your Cart’s Practicing Mindfulness – It’s Waiting for You to Be Present!
- We’re holding your products hostage!
- Still have [PRODUCT] on your mind?
- We set [PRODUCT] aside for you. Act fast!
- [PRODUCT] might be the one – Shipping and returns are both free
- Everybody loves [PRODUCT]
- Your [PRODUCT] Essentials Are Ready for Checkout!
- Your Must-Have [PRODUCT CATEGORY] Are Still in Your Cart!
- [NAME], can we make a deal?
- Ummmm [NAME]… We gotta talk
- [NAME], Still Thinking About It?
- [NAME], did you see something you like?
- [NAME], come grab the [PRODUCT] you deserve.
- Thinking about you, [NAME]…
- Tired of leaving empty-handed, [NAME]?
- [NAME], item(s) in your cart are selling fast!
- Come back, [NAME]! We never got closure
- Do it in the name of self-care, [NAME]
- Hey [NAME], Your Wishlist Misses Your Attention!
- Hi [NAME]! Your Shopping Adventure Awaits Completion!
- [NAME], Your Cart’s Waiting Patiently!
- Last chance for gifts to arrive in time.
- Santa’s getting away!
- Still need a Valentine’s Day gift?
- It’s cold outside, but we’ve kept your cart warm.
- Trick or Treat?
- Sorry to scare you, but we only have X [PRODUCTS] left.
5 Examples Of Brilliant Abandoned Cart Email Subject Lines
The best inspiration can come from examining how other eCommerce brands approach the issue of cart abandonment in their campaigns.
Let’s explore five notable abandoned cart email examples and why they work:
1. Timberland
Subject line: Can’t Stop Thinking About Me?
Timberland employs humor to make its email subject line unique. This intriguing subject line tries to make subscribers check again what exactly they can’t stop thinking about. The CTA button is clever (“treat yourself”), nudging the readers into rewarding themselves.
Inside the rest of the email, you can find more product suggestions in case your original item choice wasn’t “the one.” Finally, there is a subtle reminder about the free delivery and returns offered.
Want to create your own cart abandonment email? Pick one of Moosend’s templates, add your details, and set up an automated trigger so you don’t miss a sale.
2. Forever 21
Subject line: Yay! Good news about your order…
Forever 21 has another clever strategy to make users open the email. Their subject line is as if the reader has actually purchased something. Upon opening the email, urgency strikes. You see a big 24-hour countdown timer and a clear CTA prompting you to finalize your purchase.
The layout is simple so as not to confuse the reader. The upper part of the campaign is in a prominent yellow color to be extra eye-catching.
3. Ettitude
Subject line: You have $20 waiting for you 
Ettitude chooses to entice subscribers with a discount. This strategy can sway readers who make purchases based on affordability. Readers immediately see the value straight from the subject line. Offering incentives to your potential customers is a great idea for online stores to make more sales and restore revenue that would be lost otherwise.
4. Under Armour
Subject line: How Does FREE SHIPPING Sound?
Under Armour incentivizes users to complete their orders by offering free shipping. This incentive is put in the subject line to appeal to users who hesitate to act due to the shipping costs. Inside the campaign, we can see large, high-quality product images to remind readers what they were planning to buy. What’s more, the brand chooses simplicity focusing on white space.
5. Nutriseed
Subject line: Your Order Information
Nutriseed’s abandoned cart subject line attracts attention since it states that the content of the email is about your order. Even though the reader hasn’t purchased yet, it’s highly likely that they will with the brand’s free shipping code attached to the campaign.
Overall, the campaign structure is simple and elegant, leading users quickly to the CTA button that prompts them to return to their cart.
Actionable Tips To Write Better Abandoned Cart Email Subject Lines
People decide whether they will open your email or not based on the subject line they see. And since email subject lines can help create a positive first impression, you have all the more reason to optimize them.
Below you’ll find some practical tips to follow in order to craft highly effective abandoned cart subject lines for your campaigns.
- Stand out with emojis: You can make your subject lines eye-catching by using emojis. Emojis are also effective for younger audiences.
- Create urgency: You have more chances at successful conversions if you make people feel they’re going to miss a great product, deal or discount. Countdown timers can also nudge your audience to act.
- Apply personalization: Make your subject lines feel personal by using your subscribers’ names, location, or product(s) they checked out.
- A/B test: You can test different subject line variations to find which one yields better results. The winning variation is then sent to the rest of your email list automatically. Some of the best email marketing services allow you to test both subject lines and email content.
- Provide incentives: Make subscribers feel special by offering them something that matters. Free shipping, discounts, coupons and free gifts are among the top incentives you can give.
- Avoid all caps: All caps may look like a good idea to attract attention, but it’s actually harmful since it triggers email spam filters. This can cause your campaign to land in the spam folder.
Recover Lost Sales With Smart Abandoned Cart Subject Lines
What kind of messaging would you choose for your cart abandonment email campaigns? Carefully consider your audience, experiment with A/B testing, and optimize your abandoned cart subject lines based on the data you get from your email marketing service.
And yes, you guessed correctly. With email automation software, abandoned carts will run on autopilot while recovering your lost sales. To do it effectively, create a free Moosend account and use its workflow editor to set up your strategy.
The post 120+ Smart Abandoned Cart Subject Lines To Boost Open Rates appeared first on Email Marketing Automation Platform for Thriving Businesses.
