99+ Best Abandoned Cart Email Subject Lines for Your Inspiration

There is one thing in particular that all E-commerce entrepreneurs dread to think about: Customers walk away from their online stores without completing the transaction.

And it is not just a bedtime nightmare, it’s a reality.

Nearly 70% of all shopping carts are abandoned, leaving a staggering $4.6 trillion on the table annually.

There is no way to prevent this, but one thing is for sure: you shouldn’t sit there and watch customers leaving your store without a “fight.”

You should remind them about what they are missing with a solid abandoned cart email campaign.

As a matter of fact, automated abandoned cart emails can generate $5.81 in revenues per recipient. This KPI depends heavily on the number of recipients and the size of orders and is certainly worth fighting for.

Through this blog post, we intend to shed light on 99+ subject lines as well as various practices, which will help you improve your chances to redeem your abandoned shoppers.

Let’s explore!

Why should you send abandoned cart emails to your customers?

Abandoned cart emails are triggered emails sent out after a cart is abandoned with the purpose of motivating the consumer to recover his/ her cart. With abandoned cart emails, you can connect with people who were once engaged with your business, and gently nudge them through the virtual checkout line.

So, how can these emails benefit you?

• Abandoned cart emails help recover your sales, and improve your revenue and conversion rates.

• Abandoned cart emails improve customer relationships. You can re-engage with abandoners, interact with them, and thus build a positive relationship with them.

• Abandoned cart emails improve customer experience. You can find out why the shopper abandoned their cart, then improve customer experience by showing you care and finding them a personal solution. It’s also possible to improve future customer experience by solving this issue to prevent future cart abandonment for that reason.

However, many marketers struggle with one of the most vital components of an abandoned cart email: the subject line.

99+ Best abandoned cart email subject lines

Email subject lines are directly tied to your open rates, so the ones you write for your abandoned cart emails can actually make or break your efforts to convert customers.

Your abandoned cart emails could have the most eye-catching creative, the most compelling offer, and the cleverest copy. However, it’ll mean nothing if your emails go unopened.

So, in this section, let’s spark some inspiration by exploring best abandoned cart email subject lines. We’ll divide them into 9 types for your convenience.

1. Classic subject lines

Classic email subject lines use a modest approach with traditional phrases. In this case, “traditional” doesn’t mean either old or outdated. Rather, it means a minimal, modest message style.

The purpose of this type is to plan a thought inside the shopper’s mind - that they have visited your online store and left some items in the cart.

A classic subject line is simple, to-the-point, and should be somewhat similar to this:

Rhyming words never fail to catch someone’s attention, and Huckberry used this element in its abandoned cart email subject line. Some email marketers term this as the “oops approach.”

This type of subject line works well when the customer is assumed to have been interrupted during the checkout process. That means the cart is abandoned when the customer’s attention is diverted due to some other issue that is unrelated to the shopping done. In such cases, this type is the right one to go for.

Some classic subject lines for you:

1. You left something behind (Moschino)
2. Hey, did you forget to open this? (Dollar Shave Club)
3. Don’t miss out on your cart full of awesomeness at 80sTees.com (80sTees)
4. Your shopping bag misses you (Dote Shopping)
5. Don’t leave your items behind (Adidas)
6. Ooops, you forgot something (J Crew)
7. We saved your cart for you
8. Your cart is waiting
9. Finish your purchase
10. Reminder: there are items in your cart

2. Discount subject lines

Recent studies show that 90% of consumers use discount coupons. Actually, Baymard research suggests that nearly half of customers abandon their cart because of extra costs, such as shipping, tax, etc.

To bring back such customers and redeem those almost-lost sales, you should address their pain point right away - in the email subject line itself.

Below is an example from Tattly:

It’s simple and clear.

Some discount subject lines for you:

1. Don’t miss 10% off your entire cart. (Framebridge)
2. 20% off sitewide today - Your freshly roasted cart expires soon (Bean Box)
3. The style(s) in your cart just went on sale! (Old Navy)
4. Treat yourself, 10 off for 48 hours (Lavish Alice)
5. Enjoy this discount on your next order with Fab! (Fab)
6. How about 20% off your bag? (Morphe)
7. Forget your shades? Save 15% now! (Shwood Eyewear)
8. Hey there, still shopping? Here’s $10 off (Koh Australia)
9. Empty your cart with X% off
10. We have $X just for you!

3. Humorous subject lines

Humor can work effectively as a sales technique. Yes, we know what you are thinking: There’s nothing funny about abandoned carts. But, guess what? If you don’t try, you’ll never know.

The challenge here is to figure out how well your brand or product can adapt to a humorous approach, as well as how high the stakes are if it fails. If you’re promoting products that are fairly benign, like fashion apparel or artifacts, a humorous approach might not cause you much harm, even if it goes down. However, humor is a dicier proposition for people who sell something more serious, such as mobility aids and equipment.

Below is a good example of how 321 Kiteboarding injected humor into its abandoned cart subject line and copy.

There’s always a risk in pushing a joke until it almost breaks. Nevertheless, sometimes it can be a lot of fun and highly rewarding too. To successfully use humor as bait, you should know your audience very well. Also, ensure that you test the waters before diving in headfirst.

Some humorous subject lines for you:

1. Your cart has a hard time letting go (Shop Runner)
2. Your cart is sobering up (Whisky Loot)
3. Going fast: grab the treasures in your cart before they go proof (Food52)
4. Your pretty purple boxes are waiting! (Stuart Weitzman)
5. You’ve got this one in the bag (literally) (Abercrombie & Fitch)
6. Wine abandonment cry for help (Vinomofo)
7. You left your stuff at our place… (Shinesty)
8. Open up and say wowie zowie (Dollar Shave Club)
9. Your cart has found love again. I hope it’s YOU.
10. Oh, NO. Your cart just slid down the stairs. SAVE IT!

4. Scarcity-driven subject lines

Have you heard about the famous cookie experiment by Worchel, Lee, and Adewole (1975)? In this experiment, they asked 200 female undergraduates to rate chocolate chip cookies.

They put 10 cookies in one jar and 2 cookies in the other jar.

All the cookies were the same, but the ones from the 2-cookies jar got a higher rating than the 10-cookies jar. Why? Because they were more scarce.

Studies show that humans are more motivated by the prospect of losing something rather than the prospect of gaining something. And that is why scarcity can work well in abandoned cart email subject lines.

Take a look at the email from Zalando:

It mentions the recipient’s name and then triggers their fear of missing out (FOMO).

Notice how the scarcity continues in the email’s first sentence:

Scarce items often have a higher perceived value, which makes them more attractive in the customer’s mind. Plus, scarcity is a simple strategy to apply to your email subject lines no matter what you are selling.

Some scarcity-driven subject lines for you:

1. Uh oh, your cart is about to sell out. (JRINK)
2. View your cart now before it expires! (MAC Cosmetics)
3. Just a couple left… (Huckberry)
4. Get it before it’s gone… (ASICS Tiger)
5. There’s still time! (AllSaints)
6. Don’t miss out! (Sweaty Betty)
7. We’ve held your cart for a limited time only (Crate and Barrel)
8. It’s still in stock - but not for long (American Giant)
9. Eek - something you like is almost sold out! (Mod Cloth)
10. Ending in 10…9…8… (AYR)
11. This is your only chance.
12. Final call to regain your cart
13. It is raining orders! We are unable to hold on to your cart…
14. It is either now or never. Few stocks left.
15. All eyes are on your cart. Own it.

5. Curiosity-driven subject lines

What distinguishes humankind from other living creatures is our unique ability to ask why. We are naturally curious by nature, and using this knowledge in your email subject lines can be a powerful weapon of persuasion.

Think of it like an itch you have to scratch. You simply must satisfy your craving. You can trigger this curiosity with “ mysterious” email subject lines - the ones that the recipient can’t help but click to find out more.

Take a look at this email from Brooklinen:

But what?!

We really want to know what comes next. And once you open the email…

Using curiosity in your abandoned cart email subject lines to trigger more opens can be effective. However, make sure you satisfy the curiosity inside the email.

Unfulfilled curiosity will ultimately lead to frustration, and you don’t want to end up with frustrated prospects. (Just imagine an itch you weren’t allowed to scratch - terrible!)

Some curiosity-driven subject lines:

1. You forgot something… (Pandora)
2. Forget something? (American Apparel)
3. Something caught your eye? (Sweaty Betty)
4. unlock a dreamy deal (Brooklinen)
5. Let’s get it on your wall! (Framebridge)
6. Eyeing something? (Everlane)
7. Ready when you are (Prose)
8. You know you want them (Bobbie Brown)
9. Nudge Nudge (Birchbox)
10. Just lookin out for you 🙂 (AYR)
11. Too busy to read this email? (Bonobos)
12. STOP BUYING US (Chubbies)
13. We want to give you money (Dollar Shave Club)
14. Is it your lucky day?
15. We’ve got something for you…

6. Flattering subject lines

Everyone loves a good compliment.

Whether it is for your new haircut or the new pair of jeans, it feels good, right?

And it doesn’t even matter if the compliment is genuine or not. Wait, we’re not saying you should lie to your audience - you shouldn’t!

Instead, try offering a compliment in your email subject line to encourage the recipient to open your email, as Kikki K does:

Referring to the abandoned item in the cart, Kikki K opens a curiosity gap and reassures the recipient that they made the right choice adding this product to their cart.

They also emphasize it inside the email by writing, “We noticed you left some favorites in your bag.”

Some flattering subject lines for you:

1. You’ve got great taste, don’t leave it in your basket! (Michael Kors)
2. You’ve got an eye for design (Herman Miller)
3. You’ve left something epic in your Man Crates cart! (Man Crates)
4. Trust your instincts (Bath & Body Works)
5. [Recipient’s name], we’d look good together (AllSaints)
6. We love your style…

7. Emoji subject lines

According to Econsultancy, email emojis can work “about 60% of the time.” When they work, they can improve open rates by around 25% of a standard deviation.

Here’s how you can effectively use emojis in your email subject line:

However, keep in mind that using emojis in your email subject line is a bit risky, especially when your recipients have various cultures and backgrounds.

Considering this, an emoji might have a different meaning for each. You can test using emojis by an A/B test and see if they work for your brand.

Some emoji subject lines for you:

1. 300 minutes of free shipping - starts now! ⚡ (Vinomofo)
2. There’s still time to save! ⏰ (Happy Socks)
3. 💥 Hurry! Your Cart Expires Soon
4. Did you forget about me, John? 😱
5. Your cart is wondering where you went ❤️
6. Your cart MADE us send this reminder 🙂

8. Brand or Product-related subject lines

“Right, I was just thinking about buying that…”

This is the kind of reaction we often achieve with these abandoned cart subject lines. They include the names of brands or products to remind customers where they almost bought something.

This technique is worth trying. Think about it: customers visit multiple stores while researching products and distractions are always a problem. Giving some specifics could help them recall and get back to the shopping cart.

For example, Man Crates uses the subject line “Still want us to hold your Man Crates order?” with the following email.

By asking a question, the brand pushes recipients to think about the answer. That’s how our brain works: when it hears a question, it instantly starts thinking about how to answer it.

If you include a question in your subject line, you can achieve the same effect. When the recipients are unsure about the answer, they’re likely to open the email to find it. Plus, the question includes your brand name, too, which reminds them where they tried to shop earlier.

Some brand or product-related subject lines:

1. Complete your purchase from Sneaker Standard (Sneaker Standard)
2. Did you forget your Fit Tea? (Fit Tea)
3. You left something at Revzilla.com! (Revzilla)
4. Complete your NOTIQ purchase (Notiq)
5. The Kitchen Kanister is still in your cart (Perigold)
6. Your Man Crates cart is expiring - Save 10% before it does! (Man Crates)
7. Did you forget your Carrera Calibre 5 Day-Date WAR201C? (Crown & Caliber)
8. UNCONDITIONAL: Help with completing your purchase (UNCONDITIONAL)
9. [Recipient’s name], still interested in the Massdrop x MiTo SA Pulse Custom Keycap Set? (Massdrop)
10. You left a Steel HR Rose Gold in your cart (Nokia)
11. Still deciding? Your Dolce- & Gabbana Three-Button Wool Blazer is waiting! (The RealReal-)
12. Only a few left! Aerie Drapey Hoodie (American Eagle)
13. We’re still holding the Angus Queen Beg Gray for you. Act fast if you want it! (Fab)
14. Hey, your [product name] needs you.
15. It’s been so long. Come on and grab your [product name]
16. Your [product name] is waiting for you at [brand name]
17. [product name] is still in your cart
18. You left some stuff in your [brand name] shopping cart
19. Do you still want to buy [product name]?
20. Your [product name] misses you so much!
21. Hold on tight, don’t let [product name] go!

9. Customer service subject lines

This type actively tries to solve customer’s problems for not completing their purchase. Oftentimes, these email subject lines open a conversation with a simple question to learn what the issue was.

For instance, with a simple question, “Everything cool with your transaction?,” Bonobos encourages its recipients to tell their problems and come back to their abandoned cart.

Some customer service subject lines for you:

1. Can we help?
2. Trouble checking out?
3. Was there a problem with your order?
4. Have trouble completing your purchase?
5. How can we help?
6. Was there an issue checking out!
7. Don’t worry about it, we’re here for you!
8. Don’t worry, we’ve saved your cart.

How to write the best abandoned cart email subject lines?

Lastly, in this section, we’ll show some golden rules of writing a catchy abandoned cart email subject line.

• Keep it simple. Don’t choke your email strategy with confusing subject lines. One line of text often determines whether your email should be opened or sent straight to trash. Remember to keep it simple, direct, and to the point.

• Avoid spam folders. You should be aware of spam-trigger words. Avoid using too many exclamation points and writing in all caps. You can read why your emails go to the spam box for detailed information.

• Get personal. A little personalization can go a long way towards developing relationships. The most common way is including your recipient’s first name in your email subject lines. This lets you speak directly to them and make them feel like their experience with your brand is unique.

• A/B test and measure your subject lines. By A/B testing and measuring your subject line performance, you can detect weak points to improve. Keep in mind that you can learn a lot from your failure.

Conclusion

We hope with the help of this article, you can create eye-catching and converting abandoned cart subject lines for your email campaigns.

If you’re ready to take the next step with your abandoned cart email marketing campaigns, our team is right here to help. Feel free to contact us for more information! Thanks for reading!