Abandoned Checkout Flow
Triggered when someone begins checkout but doesn't complete purchase.
1 min readLast updated Apr 2026
Reviewed by Golden Digital·Operator-reviewed ecommerce reference
Quick Reference
CategoryEmail Marketing & Klaviyo
Related Terms1
Triggered when someone begins checkout but doesn't complete purchase.
Why It Matters
Checkout abandoners have higher intent than cart abandoners—they entered payment/shipping info. These emails convert at 2-3x the rate of cart abandonment. They're also your last chance to address checkout friction points like shipping costs or payment concerns.
Practical Example
Scenario
A luxury goods brand separates cart and checkout abandonment. Checkout abandoners get faster, more urgent emails with customer service contact.
Calculation
Checkout abandonment converts at 18% vs 8% for cart abandonmentResult
By treating checkout abandoners differently, they recover an additional $120K annually from what would have been lumped into general cart recovery.
Pro Tips
- 1Trigger checkout abandonment flows faster than cart flows (30-60 minutes)
- 2Address common checkout concerns: shipping costs, return policy, security
- 3Offer customer service contact for high-value checkout abandonments
- 4Separate cart and checkout flows for different messaging and timing
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Treating checkout and cart abandonment identically—different intent levels need different approaches
Not investigating why checkout abandonment happens (surprise shipping costs, complicated checkout)
Ignoring technical issues that may cause checkout failures