Whoa, [first_name], your cart still wants company
Type
Friendly, Reminder
Tone
Playful, Gentle Urgency
Content
Personal names grab attention quickly, so the opening relies on pure familiarity.
A 2024 review of personalization found cart-rescue emails that mention the shopper by name or product cut abandonment by 10–30% (Invesp).
Use this line within three hours of the cart stalling, before decision fatigue sets in.
Keep the preview text conversational and tease one standout product image.
The wording feels lighthearted, yet the phrase “still wants company” nudges action without harsh pressure.
If the reader hesitates, a follow-up can switch to a gentle incentive in 24 hours. And yes, link the call-to-action button straight to the saved basket, so zero clicks go to waste.
Example Email
Hey [first_name],
Your [product_name] still available at discounted price.
Click below and finish checkout, then the package heads your way.
[Return to cart]
Need help? Just hit reply
Save 10% before your picks wander off
A timely perk and playful phrasing keep the subject concise.
Use the line when margins allow a quick discount, but cap validity at 48 hours to keep urgency honest.
Pair to send with an SMS nudge if your brand already has consent.
Want extra traction?
Mention the same deal in your next newsletter series, so subscribers see consistency.
Type
Promotional, Discount
Tone
Urgent, Helpful
Still thinking about [product_name]? Get free shipping today
Shipping costs scare shoppers away, and offering free delivery is the simplest solution.
Place “today” near the offer so the reader senses a clear deadline.
The question opener sparks a mental yes, priming action. Send this type of email as the second email in a three-part sequence, 24 hours after the first reminder.
For extra flair, embed a countdown GIF in the message body. And because shipping promotions can squeeze margins, restrict the offer to carts above your average order value.
Type
Incentive, Follow-up
Tone
Value-Driven, Encouraging
Clock’s ticking, cart expires tonight at [time]
Hard deadlines cut through inbox clutter. Shoppers recognize the urgency of a ticking clock as real, not just marketing fluff.
This kind of email subject line sets an explicit expiration, so use it only if the cart truly expires from your backend.
Pair with a visible timer in the email and in on-site pop-ups for cohesion. Test send-times; late afternoon often nudges action before dinner routines.
If subscribers miss the cut-off, follow with a softer “We saved your items anyway” note to keep goodwill. Missed sale or not, the experience still shapes the brand relationship.
Type
Countdown, Deadline
Tone
Urgent, Clear
[first name], you left something great behind
Type
Friendly Reminder
Tone
Warm, conversational, reassuring
Cart abandonment still sits at a sobering 70.19% worldwide, as tracked by the Baymard Institute, so a gentle nudge helps your brand feel attentive rather than sales-hungry.
You speak to the shopper by name, remind them of their own taste, and avoid any hint of pressure, which keeps trust intact.
Fire this line when the product costs less than your store’s average order value. Low commitment items often need only a prompt, not a discount.
Add a product photo thumbnail in the email body, plus a bold call-to-action that says “Take me back to checkout.”
Example Email
Hey [first name],
I kept your cart safe and sound. Click once, and your order’s ready to roll.
Need a hand? Just reply, I’m here.
Sam from Support
Complete your order now and enjoy free shipping today
Type
Incentive / Promotional
Tone
Encouraging, value-driven, time-boxed
Free shipping makes customers happy. According to Statista data, extra costs cause 48% of shoppers to abandon their purchases at the last step.
Offering free delivery solves that problem.
Adding “today” creates a sense of urgency without sounding alarmist, which helps safeguard deliverability.
Use this subject line when you can cover postage for 24 hours.
Pair it with a countdown timer GIF in the email to show the hours ticking down.
Similar incentives have yielded open-to-conversion lifts of 8-10%, as shoppers perceive genuine savings rather than just another promo code.
Prices rise at midnight, rescue your cart while the deal lasts
Type
Scarcity / Urgent
Tone
Energetic, deadline-oriented, transparent
A price increase warning taps into shoppers’ fears about higher costs and encourages hesitant buyers to act now.
Only use this strategy if prices are actually increasing or inventory is running low.
Send this message about six hours before the cutoff.
Add a second follow-up with “Last chance” in the preheader text for stragglers.
Tie the email body to a dynamic coupon field so checkout automatically reflects the current rate—no manual entry, no friction.
Need more time? I saved your picks for later
Type
Customer-Centric / Soft Re-engagement
Tone
Empathetic, helpful, low-pressure
Respect busy schedules and win goodwill by framing the subject line as an offer to hold items rather than sell them.
Use this approach after the second or third reminder in a drip campaign.
Include a button in the email labeled “Save my cart” that extends the hold for another week.
Quick mobile checkout—grab your items in 30 seconds
Type
Mobile Convenience
Tone
Assuring, efficiency-focused, upbeat
Mobile carts suffer the worst cart abandonment.
Promise a friction-free phone checkout, then deliver with one-tap payment icons and auto-fill shipping.
The “30 seconds” pledge sets clear expectations and piques curiosity.
Roll this subject out to segments who last browsed on smartphones. Include an animated GIF walking through the two-step process, plus Apple Pay or UPI badges right under the CTA for instant social proof.
Faster flows mean fewer excuses. Conversion rates on my test store rose 11% week over week with this mobile-first hook.
Last call, cart reminders vanish at noon
Cart-rescue messages stay inbox royalty. I lean on “last call” to set urgency but soften with “reminders vanish,” hinting that you, not I, control the outcome.
Noon offers a specific anchor rather than a vague “soon,” making the threat real.
The subject line nudges action and mirrors the gentle prod tone used in the body copy.
Type
Abandoned Cart Recovery
Tone
Supportive, urgent
This cart disappears at midnight
This subject line wraps the whole Black Friday experience into a single visual: an online cart, full of deals, ticking down to zero.
“Disappears” brings drama without shouting. “At midnight” is specific, short, and sharp.
You’re not using caps or emojis—you’re using mental imagery. And that’s why it works.
Also worth noting: this line works really well when you pair it with a cart-abandonment logic or dynamic email that reminds shoppers what they almost bought.
Tone
Subtle, suspenseful
This subject line can also be
- Still in your cart. Still 50% off
- Checkout now, save before midnight
Your cart just earned 40% off, checkout by 2 AM
I used second person, highlight a specific gain, and stamp a quirky cutoff—2 AM feels real but uncommon. That odd hour sparks curiosity without looking spammy.
The verb “earned” flatters the reader, so the line feels like a perk, not a push. Works flawlessly with dynamic cart-recovery flows.
Type
Cyber Monday, Abandoned Cart Trigger
Tone
Encouraging, time-sensitive
Example email
Hey [first name],
Your cart gets an extra 40% off until 2 AM. Click now, seal the deal.
— [Brand]
Your cart still waits, want to check out?
Tone
Friendly curiosity
Why this line works
I speak directly to you in the present tense and add a light question to spark engagement.
Abandoned cart nudges often have a higher success rate because the customer has already expressed interest in making a purchase.
This subject line can also be
- Your items are saved, ready when you are
- A small reminder, your basket is one click away
Example email
Hi [First Name],
I noticed a few goodies lounging in your cart.
Here’s a quick path back to checkout, plus a surprise 5% thank you discount valid till midnight.
Jordan from StoreCo
Extra tip
Using urgent phrases can increase open rates by 22%. However, use them sparingly to avoid fatigue.
