Abandoned Cart - Customer Journey (Automations)

Abandoned Cart Settings & Campaign Configuration Guide

Abandoned Cart Setting - Shopify Settings

First things first, it's essential to set up your abandoned cart settings on the Shopify Settings page correctly. This alerts the Patch system when to start checking for abandoned carts. Bear in mind, you don't want to label a cart as abandoned too quickly; the customer might just be taking a break! Most folks on Shopify set this to 1 or 2 hours, and we at Patch are on board with that. Keep in mind, though, this doesn't automatically shoot off the Abandoned Cart messages; it only tells Patch when to check for abandoned carts. After that, head over to Automations, and using the Automation Wizard or building from scratch, you can craft the automation that triggers your recovery messages.

Configuration:

1. Log in to your Patch account, click the dropdown in the top left corner where your business name is and select the first option for Account Settings
2. From the Account Settings page, click on the option for 'Shopify'
3. Under the Abandoned Cart section, check the box to Enable Abandoned Checkout Events
4. Then enter the number of hours you want to wait before the Patch system check for an abandoned cart
5. When ready click SAVE

Crafting Abandoned Cart Automations: Your Customer's Journey

Think of the Abandoned Cart trigger as an event-based block. When Shopify lets Patch know a customer has left their cart, Patch sends a notification along with the customer's info to the Automation block. This triggers the customer journey sequence for that specific customer. But remember, if there are filter settings on the trigger block, the customer needs to match those to set off their customer journey map.

Based on extensive analysis of various Abandoned Cart Campaigns, we've discovered that a first message offering assistance or addressing any questions, rather than straight up sending a link or discount, often leads to better conversion rates. It also boosts customer satisfaction and their overall experience with your brand.

Let's break down the flow and messaging we recommend:

1. Trigger Block - Abandoned Cart -> Wait for X Time -> Check for Order Completion, Incoming TextChat, and Incoming SMS - If any of these events are True/YES, remove the customer from the sequence.
   (We recommend considering the incoming message from a customer to avoid offering assistance if they've already contacted your support teams.)
2. If False/NO -> Send an SMS or Email offering assistance.
   Sample Message: Hey {{ contact.first_name or 'there' }}!
   "Thanks for stopping by {{ account.display_name }}. Noticed you've left a cart unfinished. Need a hand with anything?"

Next, set another delay of 2-4 hours and then send another message with a link to their saved cart, making it super easy for them to pick up where they left off. Including a discount code can help increase conversion rates. A common offer is 'Free Shipping', as that's a major reason many customers abandon their carts.

While we recommend using both SMS and Email messages, remember to get 'expressed consent' for sending marketing messages via SMS. The first message in the sequence can be sent via SMS as it's transactional, not promotional. If you have expressed consent, you can send the next message as an SMS; if not, we suggest an email because it only needs implied consent. For help ensuring your campaigns are compliant, our Customer Success team is always there for you.

Advanced Features:

1. Cart Link URL SmartLink (available at the top of the Abandoned Cart block settings page)
   Just copy the Abandoned Cart SmartText from here and paste it into the content editor of the Send SMS or Send Email trigger block within the same automation.
2. Filter Rules
   Use the filter to choose which customers should embark on the journey. It segments customers based on their data. When the Abandoned Cart trigger block gets a cart abandonment notification, it uses this filter to decide whether the customer fits the journey.
   Note: By default, all contacts that pass through the block are included in the customer journey.

When to use:

The Abandoned Cart trigger block comes in handy when you want to kickstart a customer journey map. A delay action block following it ensures the customer is done shopping before the campaign gets triggered.