· 8 min read
7 cart abandonment fixes that actually work
Most advice about cart abandonment is generic. Here's what I've seen work in real audits.
Conversion Checkout
Cart abandonment is one of the biggest problems in ecommerce. The average abandonment rate hovers around 70%. For every 10 shoppers who add something to their cart, only 3 actually complete the purchase.
The Dutch average sits at 62% abandonment. If yours is higher, you have a fixable problem. If it’s lower, you still have room to move.
But here is the thing: most advice about fixing cart abandonment is generic and unhelpful. “Simplify your checkout” and “offer free shipping” are true but vague. And before you can fix cart abandonment, you need to know whether your problem starts in the cart or earlier.
Product page friction kills conversions before anyone reaches the cart. Checkout design problems finish them off after. Cart abandonment lives in between, and the fixes are specific.
After auditing dozens of ecommerce stores, these are the seven changes that consistently move the needle. Not theory. Real fixes from real audits.
1. Show the total cost immediately
The #1 reason for cart abandonment is unexpected costs at checkout. Don’t hide shipping costs until the last step.
What to do:
- Display estimated shipping on product pages
- Show running totals in the cart with shipping included
- If you can’t show exact shipping, show a range or minimum
2. Add express checkout options
Every extra form field is a chance for someone to abandon. Express checkout (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Shop Pay) can reduce checkout time by 40%.
What to do:
- Add at least 2 express payment options
- Put them above the fold on cart and checkout pages
- Make buttons large and prominent
3. Make cart editing frictionless
If someone wants to change quantities or remove items, make it easy. Friction here leads to abandonment.
What to do:
- Allow quantity changes without page reloads
- One-click remove buttons
- Easy size/variant changes without going back to PDP
4. Add urgency without being sleazy
Fake countdown timers and “Only 2 left!” messages erode trust. Real urgency works better.
What to do:
- Show actual low stock warnings (if true)
- Display current shipping cutoff times
- Show how many people are viewing the product (if significant)
5. Provide multiple contact options
When people have questions at checkout, they abandon. Give them easy ways to get answers.
What to do:
- Live chat on cart and checkout pages
- FAQ section addressing common concerns
- Phone number visible (even if you prefer chat)
6. Reduce form fields ruthlessly
Every field you add increases abandonment. Only ask for what you absolutely need.
What to do:
- Single name field instead of first/last
- Auto-detect city/state from postal code
- Optional fields should be clearly marked (or removed)
7. Show trust signals at the right moments
Trust signals work, but placement matters. They need to appear at decision points.
What to do:
- Payment security badges near the payment form
- Return policy near the submit button
- Reviews/social proof on the cart page
The bottom line
Cart abandonment isn’t a single problem with a single solution. It’s death by a thousand cuts, and fixing it requires addressing multiple friction points.
Start by identifying your biggest drop-off point in checkout, then work backward from there.
Once you have the cart and checkout experience solid, automated email recovery adds a second layer. These abandoned cart email templates cover the sequences and timing that consistently recover sales without annoying the people who already decided not to buy.
Implementing these changes? Our design subscription covers checkout optimization.
What to read next
Cart abandonment is rarely one problem - it’s friction at multiple points across the checkout funnel.
- E-commerce Conversion Benchmarks Europe 2025 - free guide with European benchmarks to see how your cart abandonment compares
- The €50,000 Ecommerce Mistakes - free guide covering cart and checkout mistakes that cause abandonment
- Why Customers Abandon Checkout - the specific reasons shoppers leave and how to address each one
- Abandoned Cart Recovery Strategies - the full toolkit for winning back lost sales beyond email sequences