How to Make More Money from Your Existing Email List Without Ads

Cart abandonment is the silent revenue killer of ecommerce. According to industry data, nearly 70% of all online shopping carts are left behind, untouched, full of potential that never turns into profit. That’s millions of dollars lost—unless you have a system in place to bring those buyers back.

Enter Klaviyo’s Abandoned Cart Flow—a powerful, automated sequence designed to help you recover lost sales, nurture potential customers, and build stronger buyer relationships. Whether you're running a Shopify store or scaling your DTC brand, this flow is your ticket to turning ghost carts into golden checkouts.

In this guide, we’ll walk through:

• Why shoppers abandon their carts
• How to set up and optimize Klaviyo’s abandoned cart flow
• What to include in each email to maximize conversions
• How to use incentives, personalization, and testing to boost revenue
  Let’s put those forgotten carts to work.

Understanding Cart Abandonment and Its Revenue Impact

Why Shoppers Abandon Their Carts

Let’s break the myth: most people don’t abandon their carts because they changed their minds. They abandon because something broke the momentum—and often, it’s fixable.

Common reasons include:

• Unexpected shipping costs at checkout
• Complicated or lengthy checkout process
• Lack of trust (missing reviews, unclear return policies)
• Comparison shopping or getting distracted
• No urgency to complete the purchase
  
  

The good news? These hesitations can often be addressed—and reversed—with a smartly timed, value-packed email.

The Revenue Potential of Recovering Abandoned Carts

Recovering even 10% of abandoned carts can significantly boost your bottom line. That’s because these customers have already shown strong purchase intent. Unlike cold prospects, they’re familiar with your brand and one click away from checking out.

Stat to know:
Brands using Klaviyo’s abandoned cart flow have reported recovery rates of 10–20%, and in some niches, even higher.

This is revenue you already earned—you just have to reclaim it.

Key Metrics to Monitor

Track these KPIs in Klaviyo to measure and improve performance:

• Cart Abandonment Rate: Percentage of customers who add to cart but don’t complete checkout
• Recovery Rate: Percentage of abandoned carts recovered through email
• Revenue from Flow: Direct revenue generated by the abandoned cart sequence
• Open and Click Rates: Gauge engagement and email relevance
  

Setting Up Klaviyo’s Abandoned Cart Flow

Setting up an abandoned cart flow in Klaviyo isn’t just a checkbox task—it’s an opportunity to strategically win back potential buyers. With the right configuration, you’ll be automating recovery and building trust at scale.

Essentials of a High-Converting Flow

A great abandoned cart flow starts with smart triggering and intentional timing.

• Trigger Logic: Start the flow when a user adds a product to their cart but doesn’t complete checkout within a specific time window. You can segment based on whether they’re logged in, a returning visitor, or a first-time shopper.
  

• Timing Sequence:
  

  1. Email 1 (1 hour after abandonment) – A gentle reminder, showing the product(s) they left behind.
     
  2. Email 2 (24 hours later) – Introduce urgency or scarcity (e.g., “Your cart is about to expire!”).
     
  3. Email 3 (3 days later) – Offer an incentive (if needed) and reinforce trust (e.g., easy returns, customer reviews).
     
• Exclusions Matter: Exclude people who purchased within that window or are already in another campaign. You don’t want to hit buyers with redundant emails.
  
  

Components of a Killer Email

There’s art and science in every email. Each one should include:

• Subject Line: Grab attention with curiosity or urgency.
  • Examples: “Still thinking it over?” / “Complete your order before it’s gone!”
    
    
• Visuals of the Abandoned Product(s): Seeing the item again increases emotional recall and desire.
  
• Clear CTA: “Return to Cart,” “Complete My Order,” or “Claim It Now” with a bold, tappable button.
• Copy That Connects: Remind them of what they loved. Reinforce value and eliminate hesitation.
• Trust Boosters: Mention free shipping, secure checkout, reviews, or return policies to ease objections.
  

Optimizing for Conversions with Personalization and Incentives

Once your flow is live, it’s time to fine-tune for performance using personalization and conversion psychology.

Personalization That Converts

Generic emails get ignored. Personalized ones get clicked.

Here’s how to level up your abandoned cart flow:

• Dynamic Product Blocks: Use Klaviyo’s dynamic blocks to pull in the exact product(s) left in the cart. Bonus points for personalized image thumbnails.
• Behavior-Based Copy: Customize email text using user attributes (like name, location, or loyalty status), or insert product use cases relevant to their shopping behavior.
• Smart Subject Lines:
  
  • “Still thinking about your blue running shoes?”
  • “Hey Sarah, your yoga mat’s waiting!”
    Personalization makes it feel like you see your customer—because you do.

When and How to Use Incentives

You don’t always have to lead with a discount—but when used smartly, it’s effective.

• Wait Until Email 2 or 3: Don’t discount too early. Try reminding and personalizing first.
• Tiered Offers: Use behavioral segmentation to offer higher discounts to higher cart values or returning customers.
• Non-Discount Alternatives:
  
  • Free shipping
  • Loyalty points
  • Bonus gifts (e.g., “Order now and get a free sample”)
    These increase perceived value without devaluing your products.

Testing and Refinement

The beauty of Klaviyo? It’s built for testing.
what-is-klaviyo-complete-guide

• A/B Test Subject Lines: Try curiosity vs. urgency vs. benefit-driven lines.
• Test Layouts and Timing: Does a more minimalist layout convert better? Is 2 hours too soon or just right?
• Monitor Your Flow Performance: Use Klaviyo analytics to track:
  
  • Open & Click rates
  • Flow conversion rate
  • Revenue generated per email

Then rinse, optimize, and repeat.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is an abandoned cart email flow?
   It’s an automated email sequence that reminds users to complete their purchase after leaving items in their cart.
2. How soon should I send the first cart abandonment email?
   Send the first email 1–2 hours after the cart is abandoned for the best chance of recovery.
3. Should I offer discounts in cart recovery emails?
   Only when needed—try reminders and personalization first, then offer incentives as a last nudge.
4. What platform works best for cart flows?
   Klaviyo is top-tier for ecommerce, especially when integrated with Shopify, WooCommerce, or BigCommerce.
5. How do I measure success?
   Track recovery rate, revenue per flow, email opens, and click-through rates inside Klaviyo’s analytics dashboard.