Notice: There is no legacy documentation available for this item, so you are seeing the current documentation.
The cart abandonment campaign in PushEngage is pre-created when you connect your WooCommerce store. By default it sends one push notification when a subscriber leaves without completing checkout. This guide shows you how to enable it and extend it into a three-step recovery sequence – a soft reminder, an urgency nudge, and a final incentive push – so you recover more revenue from every abandoned cart.
Before You Start
- PushEngage is installed on your WooCommerce store and your site is connected in the PushEngage dashboard. See How to Connect PushEngage with WooCommerce if you have not yet connected.
- Cart abandonment campaigns require a PushEngage Growth plan.
- Your store has active push subscribers.
How Cart Abandonment Works
The cart abandonment campaign is directly integrated with your WooCommerce store’s product feed. It fires automatically when a subscribed visitor adds a product to their cart and leaves your store without completing checkout.
The campaign stops automatically for any subscriber as soon as they complete a purchase. Push 2 and Push 3 will not fire for a subscriber who already bought after Push 1.
Step 1: Enable Cart Abandonment
Enable the campaign from the PushEngage Integrations settings.
- Log in to your PushEngage dashboard.
- Go to Settings » Integrations.
- Find the WooCommerce section.
- Toggle Cart Abandonment to on.
- Under Choosing Trigger Campaigns, select the Playbook for Cart Abandonment. Playbooks are the pre-built templates that pull product data directly from your store’s feed. Click Save.
Tip: If you have previously built a custom cart abandonment trigger campaign, you can connect that here instead of using the playbook.
Step 2: Open the Cart Abandonment Campaign
- Go to Campaign » Triggered Campaigns.
- Find the Cart Abandonment campaign in the list and click Edit.
You will land in the campaign editor showing the existing notification sequence. From here you can edit Push 1, add Push 2, and add Push 3.
The 3-Push Recovery Strategy
Plan the timing and purpose of each notification before editing.
| Push | Timing | Goal | Tone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Push 1 | 30 to 60 minutes after abandonment | Remind the subscriber their cart is still waiting | Helpful, low pressure |
| Push 2 | 24 hours after Push 1 | Create urgency around stock or availability | Mild urgency |
| Push 3 | 48 hours after Push 1 | Convert holdouts with a small incentive or stronger CTA | Direct, incentive-led |
Step 3: Edit Push 1 – The Reminder
Click on the first notification in the campaign sequence to edit it.
Set the send time to 30 to 60 minutes after the cart is abandoned.
Available Variables
| Variable | What it inserts |
|---|---|
{productname} | Name of the abandoned product |
{price} | Listed price of the product |
{notificationurl} | Direct link back to the subscriber’s cart |
{bigimageurl} | Product image |
{imageurl} | Your store logo |
Note: Do not remove these variables. They pull live product data from your WooCommerce store at the time the event fires.
Recommended Field Settings
| Field | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| URL | Use {notificationurl} to link directly to the subscriber’s cart page |
| Image | Use {bigimageurl} to display the abandoned product image |
Copy Options for Push 1
| Option | Title | Message |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | You left something behind! | {productname} is still in your cart. Complete your purchase before it sells out. |
| 2 | Did you forget something? | Your cart is saved! {productname} is ready for checkout whenever you are. |
| 3 | Your cart is waiting for you | {productname} is still available at {price}. Head back and complete your order. |
Notification Duration for Push 1
Set the expiry to 24 hours so this notification clears before Push 2 fires.
Enable Keep notification open until user interaction so the push stays visible until the subscriber clicks or dismisses it.
Click Save when done.
Step 4: Add Push 2 – The Urgency Push
- Scroll to the bottom of the campaign editor.
- Click Add Notification.
- Set the send time to 24 hours after the previous notification.
Copy Options for Push 2
| Option | Title | Message |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Still thinking it over? | {productname} is popular. Your cart is saved but stock may not last. |
| 2 | Your cart expires soon! | Don’t lose {productname} at {price}. Stock is limited – complete your order now. |
| 3 | Last chance to grab {productname} | Your saved cart will not be there forever. Complete your order today. |
Notification Duration for Push 2
Set the expiry to 48 hours so this notification clears before Push 3 fires.
Enable Keep notification open until user interaction.
Click Save when done.
Step 5: Add Push 3 – The Incentive Push
- Click Add Notification again at the bottom of the sequence.
- Set the send time to 48 hours after the previous notification (72 hours total from the cart abandonment event).
Copy Options for Push 3
| Option | Title | Message |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Here’s a little something for you | Complete your {productname} order today and use code SAVE10 for 10% off. |
| 2 | We saved you a spot and a deal | Use code SAVE10 at checkout and get 10% off {productname} at {price}. |
| 3 | Your exclusive discount is waiting | Get 10% off {productname} with code SAVE10. This offer will not last long. |
Note: Replace SAVE10 with the actual coupon code you created under WooCommerce » Coupons. See Using Discount Codes in WooCommerce Push Notifications for details.
Notification Duration for Push 3
Set the expiry to 72 hours.
Enable Keep notification open until user interaction.
Click Save when done.
Review the Full Sequence
Once all three notifications are saved, your sequence should look like this in the campaign editor:
| # | Notification | Send After | Expiry |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reminder push | 30 to 60 minutes after abandonment | 24 hours |
| 2 | Urgency push | 24 hours after Push 1 | 48 hours |
| 3 | Incentive push | 48 hours after Push 1 | 72 hours |
Set Frequency Capping
Frequency capping prevents a subscriber who abandons multiple carts from being flooded with notifications. Navigate to the Trigger Settings tab within the campaign editor.
| Setting | Recommended Value |
|---|---|
| Daily limit | 2 notifications per subscriber |
| Weekly limit | 6 notifications per subscriber |
Example: If you have 2 notifications for a daily limit, set 14 for the weekly limit so that even if a subscriber abandons more than 2 products in a day, they are not spammed.
You can also add UTM parameters here so your cart recovery traffic is trackable in Google Analytics.
Activate the Campaign
- Click Save in the campaign editor.
- Return to Campaign » Triggered Campaigns.
- Click the Play / Resume button next to the Cart Abandonment campaign.
PushEngage will now send the full three-push recovery sequence to any subscriber who abandons their cart. The sequence stops automatically as soon as a subscriber completes a purchase.
Tracking Performance
To review how the campaign is performing:
- Go to Campaign » Triggered Campaigns.
- Click on the Cart Abandonment campaign to expand the analytics view.
- Review sent, delivered, clicked, and conversion metrics per notification.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will a subscriber receive all three pushes even after they buy? No. The campaign stops automatically as soon as a subscriber completes a purchase. Remaining notifications in the sequence will not fire.
Can I add more than three notifications to the sequence? Yes. Click Add Notification to add a fourth push or more. Three is a common best practice, but some stores run a four-step sequence with a final expiry reminder.
Can I change the timing between notifications? Yes. Each notification has its own send time setting. You can adjust the delay at any time without losing your copy settings.
Do the variables work across all three notifications? Yes. Variables like {productname}, {price}, {notificationurl}, and {bigimageurl} are available in every notification in the sequence and always reference the specific product the subscriber abandoned.
What happens if a subscriber abandons their cart a second time after receiving this sequence? The sequence will trigger again from Push 1 for the new cart abandonment event, subject to your frequency cap settings.
Can I run this alongside the Browse Abandonment campaign? Yes. Cart and Browse Abandonment campaigns target different moments in the buying journey and do not overlap. See Browse Abandonment Campaign for WooCommerce for details.
If you run into any issues, please feel free to contact us by clicking here. Our support team will be able to help you.
