They’re browsing but not buying? Implement the Abandoned Browse trigger and bring customers back

Online shopping is a true quest where people search for the best deals, compare products, and often remain indecisive. Instead of losing potential customers, why not motivate them to return and complete the purchase?

On average, only 1.75% of visits to ecommerce sites convert into a purchase, while nearly 98.25% of people leave the site without buying anything.

One of the most effective ways to increase conversion is to implement the Abandoned Cart trigger. It works when a user adds items to the cart and then leaves the site.

But what about those who viewed your products but didn’t make a choice? It seems like the chance for a purchase is lost. They glanced at a few items and left. The site is forgotten, the cart is empty.

However, this is not the end. There’s a way to grab the visitors’ attention back and turn their doubts into decisions. Implement the Abandoned Browse trigger and give each potential customer a second chance.

In this article, we will take a detailed look at this trigger and the principles of its correct use. Enjoy reading!

What is the Abandoned Browse and how is it different from the Abandoned Cart trigger?

Marketers have long worked with trigger messages that bring customers back to make a purchase. Among the most popular are Abandoned Cart and Abandoned Browse. These triggers are often set up together since each one covers different stages of user interaction with a product.

Theoretically, the Abandoned Browse trigger workflow has more potential: only 6.41% of visitors add products to the cart, while 93.59% simply browse the selection and leave.

What does this mean? If you’re working only with abandoned carts, you’re targeting just about 6% of your audience. However, abandoned views allow you to win back many more potential customers.

Practically, we conducted research among our clients and found that this trigger is the most profitable among all others. The online alcohol store BAYADERA.UA implemented the Abandoned Browse trigger. The email was opened by 38% of recipients, 12% of whom were interested in the offer and visited the website. Afterward, 32% of them placed an order.

Why does it work?

• More touchpoints. Some customers are not ready to make a purchase yet, but this can change after a reminder.
• Fewer barriers. The person doesn’t need to take an active step—like adding a product to the cart—to receive a reminder.
• The opportunity to reignite interest. Instead of just "You viewed this product," you can offer something valuable: comparisons, reviews, bonuses, etc.

How the Abandoned Browse trigger works

If a user visits a website or app, views a product page, but doesn’t take a targeted action (like adding it to the cart or completing a purchase), most online stores simply lose them. But this can be avoided by triggering the Abandoned Browse scenario.

How it works in Yespo CDP

If a user views products but leaves without making a purchase within a specified time, they receive a reminder message about these products. Read more about setting up the Abandoned Browse trigger at the link.

When and how should messages be sent?

Too quick reminders can be annoying, while delayed ones lose relevance. To make the Abandoned Browse trigger effective, it’s important to understand when and how to reach out.

The timing of the message depends on the user’s level of engagement. Two scenarios where the trigger can work more effectively:

1. 1-2 hours after viewing

This is the best time for those who viewed a product but didn’t take any action. At this point, the user still remembers the product but may have been distracted or is comparing offers.

What to write about:

• Remind them about the product and provide useful information—feedback, video reviews, specs.
• If the product has multiple variants (e.g., different colors or models), offer alternatives.
• Use personalized recommendations, e.g., “We noticed you liked this product. Check out what else might interest you.”

2. 24 hours after viewing

If the user hasn’t returned to the site or app within a day, a follow-up contact should be made. At this point, the person may still be thinking it over, have forgotten about the product, etc.

What to write about:

• Inform them that the product is still in stock but in limited quantity.
• Offer additional benefits: free shipping, bonus points, special discounts.
• If the product is popular, highlight this with social proof, e.g., “This product has already been bought over 500 times!”

Effective Content for Abandoned Browse

Even a perfectly set-up triggered workflow might not produce results if the content in the message is uninteresting or doesn’t motivate the user to take action.

It’s not enough to simply remind users about the product they viewed—you need to convince them to return to the site and make a purchase. To do this, it’s important to properly structure the message, enhance personalization, and create an appealing offer.

How Businesses Use Abandoned Browse

Many well-known companies are already actively using trigger messages to bring back users who viewed a product but didn’t make a purchase. Each brand has its own approach: some focus on personalized recommendations, others emphasize limited product availability or add special offers.

Let’s look at how companies interact with potential buyers, what message formats they use, and what helps them bring users back to the site.

PUMA

A sportswear brand PUMA starts the email with a compliment: “You have great taste.” This isn’t just a nice phrase—it creates a positive association with the brand and subconsciously boosts the user’s confidence in their choice.

Next comes the main reminder: the viewed products with photos, prices, and a quick link to the website.

To encourage the purchase, the brand adds two strong incentives—free shipping and a 5% discount for online payment. And if the user changed their mind, they might be attracted by a block with personalized recommendations, giving them another chance to find the same product.

This email was opened by 44% of users, 17% of whom showed interest and visited the site, while 7% made a purchase.

“Foxtrot”

An appliance retailer Foxtrot uses a concise and unobtrusive approach in its web push notification. The short question “Browsing? 👀” instantly grabs attention and reminds the user about the product they showed interest in. The “Order” button clearly indicates the next step, making the purchase process simpler.

This format works perfectly in an omnichannel scenario: it doesn’t overload with information but maintains contact with the user, reminding them about the product at just the right moment.

This message was viewed by 69% of subscribers, 14% of whom showed interest and clicked through to the website.

Yakaboo

Yakaboo takes a non-standard approach to the trigger—in this email, it’s not the brand speaking, but the book itself. It addresses the user, reminds them about the meeting, and even playfully persuades: “I’m the kind that keeps waiting for you to come back for me.” This style creates an emotional connection and makes the communication light and engaging.

The email doesn’t stop at just reminding about the viewed items—it also offers new options that may interest the user. This increases the chances that among the recommended books, they’ll find something that motivates them to make a purchase.

To make the purchase even more appealing, the brand offers a 10% discount with a promo code, adding extra motivation to place an order right away.

This message was read by 34% of subscribers, 14% of whom showed interest and clicked on one of the links in the email, while 5% made a purchase.

Aurum

The jewelry brand Aurum uses Viber messages as part of an omnichannel strategy, gently reminding the user about the jewelry they viewed in a friendly, soft style. “We saved what you viewed on the website ❤️”—this message creates a feeling of care, as if the brand is helping not to lose track of the desired item.

To encourage users to return to the site, Aurum adds two immediate benefits: a 5% discount on selected jewelry and a reminder about the accumulated bonuses that can be used for the purchase.

This message was read by 76% of recipients, 27% of whom clicked on the link and continued browsing products on the website.

Email Structure: Essential Elements to Include in a Message

To make a triggered message effective, it should include several important elements:

1. Attention-Grabbing Subject Line

People receive dozens of marketing messages every day, so the subject line must capture their attention at first glance. Some examples could be:

• “Looks like you have a favorite. Ready to make a decision?”
• “Something caught your eye? We’re holding [product name] for you!”
• “Can’t stop thinking about this product? Let’s figure it out!”

2. Product Image

High-quality visual content works better than any text. The user should immediately recognize which product is being referred to.

3. Persuasive Description or Additional Information

Include a few sentences about the product or its features. If it’s popular, you can mention reviews or high ratings from other customers.

4. Clear Call to Action (CTA)

A button with specific text: “View the product,” “Claim your discount,” “Buy now.” The CTA should be noticeable and encourage action.

Content Personalization Options: Recommendations, Benefits, Persuasive Arguments

Sometimes, a message needs to resonate emotionally or provide a solid reason for the user to return. This can be achieved through personalization—adapting the content to suit the specific user, their interests, and behavior.

Here are a few approaches that will help make the communication more conversion-driven:

1. Dynamic Product Recommendations

If a user shows interest in a specific product, it’s beneficial to suggest similar models or related accessories. For example, when browsing smartphones, a person may be interested in popular cases or screen protectors. This approach personalizes the communication and increases the likelihood of a purchase.

2. Social Proof

Reviews help eliminate doubts and build trust—not only in the product but also in the brand itself. For new customers, it’s important to know that others have had a positive shopping experience. A high rating, bestseller status, positive service reviews, or mentions of popularity can be the deciding argument that convinces the user to complete the purchase.

3. Exclusive Benefit

An additional bonus or special offer can often be the deciding factor in making a purchase. A limited-time discount, free shipping, or a gift with the purchase can motivate the user to act now instead of postponing the decision.

4. Arguments to Overcome Doubts

If the product is expensive or requires careful consideration, you can highlight guarantees, installment payments, return policies, and additional services. This will help reduce the feeling of risk and support a more comfortable decision-making process.

5. Consultation

Additional contact with a potential customer can help eliminate barriers to purchasing. A reminder email about viewed products with an offer to answer questions creates a feeling of personal attention and can encourage the user to buy.

Omnichannel Approach: Not Just Email

Traditionally, triggered messages are associated with email campaigns, but focusing solely on this channel significantly limits the brand’s potential. Today’s consumer quickly switches between devices, uses various ways to search for information, and responds to communication where it’s most convenient for them.

To effectively bring customers back, it’s important to consider their behavior and choose the channels they actually notice.

Why Use Different Communication Channels

The same user may have different information consumption habits:

• Some carefully read emails, especially when they contain personalized offers or bonuses.
• Others respond to push notifications, as they appear instantly on the screen.
• SMS captures attention in the moment, as the user receives it directly on their phone.

Moreover, using just one channel limits your reach.

The omnichannel approach allows you to engage with the user where they are most active and maintain contact with them at different stages of the decision-making process. This is not just about expanding reach—it’s a strategy that helps remind visitors about the product at the right time, using the right communication format.

Scenarios can be made more flexible by adding different conditions. For instance, segmenting the audience by the value of the viewed products and creating personalized offers.

In the Le Gourmet case, the Yespo agency created an Abandoned Browse scenario with the following logic:

• Users who viewed products over 1000 UAH received an SMS with a promo code for the most expensive product.
• Users who viewed products under 1000 UAH received a message without a promo code but with a link to the most expensive product.

Summary

Abandoned Browse is not just a way to remind customers about a product; it’s a full-fledged mechanism for bringing customers back. It allows you to work with users who aren’t yet ready to purchase but might make a decision after properly structured communication.

If your business hasn’t yet used this trigger, start by implementing the basic scenario. Then, test different approaches and adapt the strategy to your audience. If Abandoned Browse is already working, analyzing results and adjusting scenarios will help improve effectiveness.

All of this is a way to increase conversion, not by attracting new traffic, but by effectively bringing back those who have already shown interest in your product or service.

Sign up for a consultation with the Yespo team—fill out the form below, and we’ll help you implement any solution.

Special Request Inline