Why do customers abandon their shopping carts?

The average cart abandonment rate is 70%. Understanding why customers leave without buying—and fixing those issues—can recover 20-30% of lost revenue.

Top reasons for cart abandonment

Research consistently shows the same issues driving abandonment:

1. Unexpected costs (48%)

The number one reason customers abandon carts is discovering extra costs at checkout—shipping fees, taxes, handling charges, or service fees they didn’t expect.

Solution: Display total costs early. Show shipping estimates on product pages. Use a shipping calculator in the cart. If free shipping isn’t possible, set a clear threshold (“Free shipping over €50”).

2. Account creation required (24%)

Forcing customers to create an account before purchasing creates friction and abandonment, especially for first-time buyers.

Solution: Always offer guest checkout. Present account creation as optional after purchase (“Save your details for faster checkout next time”).

3. Complicated checkout process (18%)

Too many steps, confusing forms, or unclear progress causes customers to give up.

Solution: Minimize form fields (aim for 7-8 maximum). Use progress indicators. Enable autofill. Remove unnecessary questions.

4. Security concerns (17%)

Customers hesitate when they don’t trust a site with their payment information.

Solution: Display security badges near payment forms. Use recognizable payment processors. Show trust signals (SSL, reviews, guarantees).

5. Slow delivery (16%)

If delivery takes too long or the date is unclear, customers look elsewhere.

Solution: Show estimated delivery dates clearly. Offer express shipping options. Be realistic—customers prefer accurate dates over optimistic ones.

6. Website errors (13%)

Technical issues, crashes, or errors during checkout destroy trust and prevent completion.

Solution: Test checkout regularly across devices and browsers. Monitor for errors. Have a clear path to customer support if issues occur.

7. Poor returns policy (12%)

Unclear or restrictive return policies make customers hesitant to commit.

Solution: Display return policy clearly before checkout. Consider free returns for high-margin products. Make the policy easy to understand.

8. Limited payment options (9%)

If customers can’t pay their preferred way, they leave.

Solution: Offer credit/debit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay/Google Pay, and consider buy-now-pay-later options like Klarna for higher-priced items.

The psychology of cart abandonment

Not all abandonment is preventable. Some customers use carts as wishlists, comparing prices, or waiting for sales. However, reducing friction for serious buyers significantly impacts revenue.

Key psychological factors:

• Loss aversion – Unexpected costs feel like losses, triggering abandonment
• Cognitive load – Complex checkouts exhaust mental energy
• Trust – Any uncertainty about security or legitimacy stops the purchase
• Commitment escalation – Each completed step increases likelihood of finishing

How to measure cart abandonment

Calculate your cart abandonment rate:

(1 - (Completed purchases / Carts created)) × 100

Track this weekly and segment by:

• Device (mobile vs desktop)
• Traffic source
• New vs returning customers
• Cart value

Cart recovery strategies

Beyond fixing the checkout, implement recovery tactics:

1. Abandoned cart emails – Send within 1-3 hours, include product images, direct link back
2. Exit-intent offers – Capture email or offer discount before they leave
3. Retargeting ads – Show abandoned products across the web
4. Persistent carts – Save cart contents for returning visitors

Prioritizing improvements

Focus on the highest-impact issues first. For most stores, this means:

1. Showing shipping costs earlier
2. Enabling guest checkout
3. Simplifying the checkout form
4. Adding trust signals

A UX audit can identify your specific abandonment causes through session analysis and checkout funnel review. For the full breakdown of causes and fixes, cart abandonment fixes covers each issue in detail. And checkout optimization tips covers the specific design changes that reduce abandonment at the point of purchase.