Lost Sales: How WhatsApp Business Can Recover Abandoned Carts
23 October 2023
In mobile commerce, there are many cases in which a technical error during payment or an overly complex checkout process keeps customers from going through with a purchase. This is backed by the fact that based on surveys, more than 80% of shoppers, on average, said that they abandon their carts when any issue, big or small, occurs during the checkout process, be it transaction failures, form fill errors, transaction failures, or anything else.
Every day, cart abandonment accounts for a significant loss of revenue for many online businesses worldwide. But despite that, it is a problem that continues to be overlooked. Thankfully, with the help of WhatsApp Business, solving this concern is easier. With its robust and automated features, brands can make some headway in reducing the effects of abandoned carts on their bottom line.
WhatsApp for Cart Recovery
According to several studies, the average cart abandonment rate globally is just below 70%, which is a number high enough to be a constant headache for organisations across the world. This begs the question: how can businesses mitigate these potential losses?
Given the convenience and limitless reach of email, it is only natural to think of it as a great solution for sending abandoned cart reminders. But despite being one of, if not the most profitable channel for e-commerce, email is not exactly great for abandoned cart reminders due to their low open rates that generally hover somewhere between 20-25%.
In contrast, WhatsApp boasts an astounding 98% open rate. Add on the fact that billions of people worldwide are now using the app as their main messaging platform, and you are sure to reach more customers and effectively encourage them to complete their purchases. Remember that, in most cases, when a customer has second thoughts about a product, they may still be in the purchasing zone.
By working with a WhatsApp business solution provider, you can access the WhatsApp Business platform and its many features, like automated and timely reminders, that help prevent potential sales from abandoned carts from slipping away at the very last moment.
5 Steps to Win Back Lost Sales with WhatsApp Business
Below are five strategies that use the popularity and power of the WhatsApp Business platform to re-engage customers with abandoned carts and turn this problem into an opportunity for revenue growth and conversion.
1. Notify of special discounts or limited-time promotions
Discounts and promotions continue to be a highly effective way of motivating customers to finally click ‘Buy’. Thus, whenever you hold limited-time promotions for your offerings, notify all your customers with abandoned carts by broadcasting a WhatsApp cart recovery message that lets them know they can seize great savings by finishing their transactions now.
2. Implement cart abandonment reminders
Make the most of the WhatsApp Business platform’s automation capabilities by scheduling cart abandonment reminders occasionally. These friendly messages can still work even when you do not have any promotions running, as simply getting customers to revisit their cart at a later time when they have a different mindset is often enough to encourage them to continue their purchase.
3. Create FOMO
Statistics show that the fear of missing out (FOMO) is why around 60% of consumers make purchases within 24 hours. This phenomenon can help a lot in recovering abandoned carts, and with the help of a well-crafted WhatsApp cart recovery message, you can compel shoppers to return and complete their purchases. When making these messages, emphasise how fast their wanted items are selling out or how popular it is among your audience to create a sense of scarcity.
4. Offer personalised shopping assistance
When customers do not immediately respond to your first or second reminder, do not hesitate to send a follow-up message that takes a different route.
In this case, you could offer them personalised shopping assistance by clearing their confusion surrounding a product or helping them discover other variants of the products they want more easily, be it finding the right fit, sizing, and so on.
In short, this follow-up message aims to help customers with any concerns regarding the products in their cart or assist them in finding the right products for their needs.
5. Share social proof
Reviews and opinions from other buyers, also known as social proof, are some of the many important factors that convince shoppers that they will not regret making certain purchase decisions.
Thus, consider including social proof in your WhatsApp cart recovery messages to get your customers to finally pull the trigger, whether it be customer reviews, testimonials, product images, or anything else that can authentically provide the quality and satisfaction guarantee that your products offer.
Conclusion
Recovering abandoned carts is a challenge every online business has to overcome. By leveraging the ever-popular WhatsApp messaging platform and the powerful WhatsApp Business Platform, brands can more easily reach out to their customers who did not go through with their purchases and win them back. The strategies above are only a few of the many ways you can address your cart abandonment problem, as well as transform lost opportunities into re-engaging your potential customers.
Partner with Moobicast today and start recovering abandoned carts by getting your own WhatsApp Business Platform access, complemented by our cutting-edge features, dedicated support, and sophisticated analytics. Besides WhatsApp Business, we provide other marketing solutions, such as mass SMS messaging designed specifically for large SMS campaigns. Don’t hesitate to contact us and learn more about how we can help you achieve success with your digital marketing strategies.