You’ve done the hard part. A shopper landed on your site, scrolled through your beautifully curated collection, clicked ‘Add to Cart,’ and came close to sealing the deal. But then… nothing. Silence. Another cart floating in the retail void.
If you’re like most eCommerce brands, you know this pain all too well. Shoppers with high intent, those who genuinely want to buy, can still walk away at the last second. Yes, it may feel like watching a game-winning shot bounce off the rim.
Why does this happen, especially when the shopper clearly showed intent to purchase? And what’s more, what can you do to pull them back in?
Here are some questions to ask yourself, and figure out where you can do better.
Are you tracking the right data on your site?
Every visitor leaves some clues. Every click, pause, scroll, and bounce tells a story.
When shoppers who had every intention of buying something still abandon their carts, their behavior up to that point is one of the greatest tools in solving a mystery. Collecting on-site customer data is your next-gen detective tool. Of course, you need to collect it with ethics and intelligence.
Tracking with Google
To get better control over customer data, you can use Google Tag Manager Server-Side, which allows tracking to run through your own server, no longer relying on the visitor’s browser. When paired with a consent management platform like Usercentrics, this setup gives you more transparency, better control over user data, and sharper marketing insights.
All while staying compliant with privacy regulations. It also helps improve site performance by reducing third-party script load times.
Heatmaps and session recordings
Have you ever examined site heatmaps? They can show you which buttons get hovered over, where the cursor lingers, and which product images get zoomed in on. Combine that with season recordings, and you’re suddenly a fly on the wall of every customer’s shopping experience.
Did people scroll back and forth between two products? Did they spend ten minutes reading the shipping policy? The stuff they hesitate about can tell you a lot about what’s making them unsure.
Where did they come from, and why does it matter?
It’s not all about visuals, though. You’ll also need to know their referral source. For instance, did they come from a price comparison engine or an Instagram ad? Through that you can easily spot their motivation. So, you can tag your visitors and segment them.
Is this their first visit or their fifth? Did they abandon the shipping stage? Have they clicked on your return policy before? When you have all the answers lined up, you can see a detailed picture of intent versus friction.
Predictive analytics to the rescue
Don’t think of all these analytics as a waste of time. Take big and successful brands for example. They’re no longer reactive. They use predictive analytics to recognize when a user is showing signs of hesitating and trigger exit-intent offers, chat nudges, or reminders just before they’re gone.
This is a good tactic because it looks like they’re catching someone at the door only to gently remind them what they are leaving behind. The point is to make it without shouting or being too desperate.
Do your visuals make people want to buy?
People buy products, yes, but they also buy the experience of owning them. For that reason, your photography needs to sell the story, otherwise you might lose even the most enthusiastic shopper.
A large part of cart abandonment comes down to uncertainty. ‘Will this look good on me/in my home?’ ‘Is this really what I think it is?’ If your images don’t remove that doubt, people will bounce off your site.
Online shopping is a bit tricky since customers can’t try or touch your product, so your visuals have to do all the heavy lifting.
Enter Digital Twins: Faster, smarter product photography
Imagine having to wait for three weeks if not more for a proper picture? What if something goes wrong with scheduling a shooting crew? What if you have to wait for the perfect lighting, especially if you’re aiming at taking pictures in nature? And what about post-production? These are all steps you might be dependent on. But there’s a way to do this faster.
Digital twins are virtual replicas of real products created using 3D modeling technology. They allow brands to showcase their items from every angle, in different settings, and even in motion—without needing physical photoshoots. This means faster, more flexible, and often more cost-effective product visuals.
Check out this article from Omi on How Digital Twins are transforming product marketing, to see how virtual product photography through 3D image creation can speed things up. Often without even needing a camera. At the end of the day, it’s not how the photo was made, but how well it reflects the customer’s feelings.
It's not just what they see, it's how they see it
A single sterile product shot on a white background isn’t enough anymore. People want to see your product in motion, in real-life situations, and from every angle imaginable. You need lifestyle images, model shots, 360-degree views, and even short videos.
Let’s say you’re selling a handcrafted leather bag. If you saw a picture of it just sitting on a table, would you think it was worth $320? But show it packed for a weekend runaway, or over someone’s shoulder at a cafe or street or park, or maybe when they open it shows a perfect laptop fit – and that’s another story, isn’t it? With great photographs of the product, people could see their future with it.
Being consistent is also important. Don’t have one product look like it was photographed in a studio, and the next one look like a casual Instagram post. That just interrupts the flow. Visual trust is real. People might ask ‘Does this brand look professional? Is it worth my money?’ and your image should answer with a confident ‘yes.’
Why high-intent shoppers abandon carts - it's not just what they see
Are you asking questions at the right time?
Have you ever been to a boutique and almost bought something, but you changed your mind at the last moment? Sure you were, we all were. But imagine the store owner catching up to you outside the door and asking, ‘Was there something missing? I’d love your feedback.’ You might actually tell them, but only because they asked.
Well, that’s what your website should be doing. Inviting your shoppers to leave their feedback and encouraging them when they do.
Get real feedback
You can use product survey questions (Attest’s list is a great place to start) to really get in touch with what your customers think and feel. It’s like having a direct line to their honest opinions. Because if you don’t ask the right questions, how else are you going to improve?
A lot of eCommerce brands just post FAQs and hope people find what they need. That’s fine, but it’s not enough. Real connections come from asking the right questions at the right moment. And that’s exactly what product surveys help you do.
Make it easy to answer
Don’t ask people to write you an essay. After all, we’re not in school anymore and some are going to skip that step, and then where are you with your expected answers that were supposed to fix everything? Be simple and up to the point.
Ask something like: ‘What stopped you from checking out today?’ or ‘What’s one thing you wish this product included?’ it would also be nice if you’d use multiple choice or emoji-based responses. You’d be surprised how many people will give you feedback.
Keep the connection going
Your behavior after people leave the cart is important as well. Cart abandonment emails still work, but only when they’re personal, respectful, and occasionally even a little playful.
You could show them a picture of a product they left behind, yes, but a better action would be to ask ‘Still thinking about this one?’, 'Did something go wrong during checkout?’. Or you can simply add a one-click feedback button inside the mail: ‘Let us know why you didn’t finish.’
Collect, learn, improve
The info you collect isn’t for the sake of curiosity. You’re trying to improve your business so don’t be shy–but don’t be pushy either. Over time, you’ll start to notice some patterns. Maybe 30% of people leave because shipping wasn’t clear. Maybe 15% got distracted and forgot. These are fixable matters–if you bother to ask.
How transparent is your shipping and returns info?
One of the top reasons shoppers abandon carts is because they’re blindsided by additional costs. Shipping fees, taxes, or vague delivery estimates that show up only after they've invested time in choosing a product? Dealbreaker. You’ve built up desire, and now they feel like you changed the rules.
Transparency is what you should apply here. If your shipping is free, scream it from the rooftops. It often attracts more buyers, even if your products are a bit costly compared to the times when you charged for the shipping.
It is the psychology of shopping, so why not apply it? If it’s not, make that info easy to find early on. The more straightforward your pricing is, the less likely customers will feel tricked. And if you can’t compete on price? Compete on clarity.
Your return policy matters too. Especially for fashion and lifestyle brands, shoppers want to know they can back out if the item isn’t perfect. A flexible, easy-to-read return policy builds trust, and trust converts. Don’t bury it in the footer. Make it part of the conversation right when someone’s considering adding to the cart.
The internet is full of pictures and feedback of people trying products that don't fit them as they imagined or as advertised, and guess who they blame? Try to avoid that kind of commercial.
Some brands even integrate real-time delivery dates during checkout, which adds a level of commitment. ‘Order in the next 2 hours for delivery by Thursday’ creates urgency while setting honest expectations.
Is your checkout process hassle-free?
There’s something sacred about the checkout stage. It’s where intent becomes action. And yet, so many brands make this moment feel like filling out a government form. Every extra field, redirect, and password request is a chance to lose someone.
High-intent shoppers often ditch because the process is just too annoying. They might be on their phone, in a rush, or simply overwhelmed by the number of steps. The fix? Streamline everything.
Offer guest checkout. Save cart data. Allow for one-click options with Google Pay, Apple Pay, or Shop Pay. Keep forms short and auto-fill-friendly. And make sure your site loads quickly, especially on mobile.
Even a 1-second delay can drop conversion rates significantly. People are more impatient nowadays than they were in the past. Might be because of the fast life, too many commitments, obligations, and tasks at work or in private life. So, make the process easy for your fellow human and shorten the process as much as you can. Or make it fun at least.
A pleasant checkout experience feels like confirmation, not interrogation. It should be as smooth as clicking ‘buy’ and getting a thank-you message seconds later. Anything less, and your cart might join the others left behind.
You can also employ a strategy where people check in once and stay checked in for every future purchase. That way, they only have one form to fill, only once. Every purchase after that would be easy and simple.
Why high intent shoppers abandon carts - checkout process
