Abandoned Cart Discounts: Do Retailers Really Email You a Code?

Yes, some retailers do email you a code if you leave items in your basket, but an abandoned cart discount is never guaranteed. It usually only happens if you have entered your email address at checkout, and when a code does arrive it tends to come in the second or third reminder rather than the first. Treat it as a bonus if you are not in a hurry, not a reliable way to save.

This guide explains why shops send these emails, how the systems behind them work, when a code is most likely, how long to wait, and how to try the tactic without filling your inbox with marketing. It applies to shoppers in both the UK and the US, and the platform details are correct at the time of writing (September 2026).

Why do shops chase abandoned carts?

Abandoned baskets are one of the biggest problems in online retail. The Baymard Institute, which researches checkout usability, puts the documented average online cart abandonment rate at 70.22%, based on 50 studies. In other words, around seven in ten baskets never become orders.

Baymard's survey of US shoppers also shows why people leave. Excluding people who were just browsing, the top reasons include:

Because so many sales are lost, retailers build automatic emails to win some of them back. A discount is one tool they can use, but many prefer a plain reminder, free delivery or a message about stock running low.

How do abandoned cart emails work?

Most shops run these emails through their ecommerce platform or email software rather than sending them by hand. The rules differ between systems, but the basics are similar.

On Shopify stores

Shopify's help centre says a checkout counts as abandoned if it stays incomplete for more than ten minutes after the customer has entered their email address. Merchants choose how long to wait before the automatic email goes out. Shopify doesn't send the email if, for example:

• You complete the purchase before the email is due.
• There was a payment processing error.
• The store can't ship to your address.
• You only gave a phone number, not an email address.
• All the items in the checkout are out of stock.
• The attempt was flagged as high-risk fraud.

On stores using Klaviyo

Email platform Klaviyo, which many online shops use, typically triggers its abandoned cart flow when a shopper starts checkout by filling in contact details, although some shops trigger it when an item is added to the basket. Klaviyo recommends a first message two to four hours after abandonment, then a second 20 to 48 hours later, and says two or three messages tend to perform best.

The key point across platforms: the shop has to know who you are. If you just add items to a basket as a guest, without signing in or typing your email, there is usually nobody to email.

Will an abandoned cart email include a discount code?

Not necessarily. Klaviyo explicitly advises retailers not to put a coupon in the first email, because it can train customers to abandon carts just to get a discount. It suggests holding any discount until the final email, or offering it only to people who have never bought before.

So if a shop follows that advice and a code does come, expect it in the second or third email, and more likely if you are a new customer. Here is how the typical scenarios play out:

Whether a code is included is entirely the shop's choice. Plenty never send one, and big retailers with strong demand rarely need to.

Which kinds of shops are most likely to send a code?

There is no public list, and it changes as shops test different approaches. As a general pattern, codes are more common from smaller and mid-sized direct-to-consumer brands, which rely heavily on email and often run on platforms like Shopify with Klaviyo. They are less common from large retailers and marketplaces, and on products that sell out or are already heavily discounted.

Higher-value, considered purchases, such as mattresses, furniture, homeware, beauty and fashion, are areas where shoppers often compare before buying, so brands in these categories have more reason to nudge you back. None of this is guaranteed, so treat any code as a pleasant surprise.

How to try for an abandoned cart discount: step by step

1. Check for a public code first. Look at the store's page on CouponsBeast and the retailer's own offers page. If a welcome code exists, see our guide to first order discount codes.
2. Decide how long you can wait. If the item might sell out, a sale might end, or you need it by a date, it may not be worth gambling.
3. Add items and go to checkout. Sign in, or enter your email address on the first checkout step.
4. Stop before payment. Leave the basket as it is and close the tab.
5. Wait up to two days. Based on Klaviyo's suggested timings, a first reminder often arrives within hours, and a second within about two days if the shop follows that pattern.
6. Check your spam and promotions folders. Automated emails often land there.
7. Read the terms of any code before you use it, then complete the order through the email link.

Worked example: is waiting worth it?

Here is an illustrative example of how the numbers can work out.

In this example, a public code beats the abandoned cart code, and waiting can even cost you if the price goes up. Abandoning a basket makes most sense when you have already checked for public codes and found none, and you are genuinely not in a rush.

What should you check before using an abandoned cart code?

Codes sent in cart reminder emails often come with tighter rules than public promotions. Look for:

• Single use: the code may work once only.
• Tied to your email: it may only work with the address it was sent to.
• Short expiry: 24 to 72 hours is common, sometimes shown with a countdown.
• Exclusions: sale items, certain brands or gift cards may not qualify.
• Minimum spend: removing an item could push you below the threshold.
• No stacking: it may not combine with other offers. Our coupon stacking guide explains why.

What if a code arrives after you've already paid?

It happens: you give in and order, then a discount email lands the next morning. Retailers have no legal obligation to apply a code retrospectively, but it costs nothing to ask. Reply politely to customer service with your order number and the code. Some shops will refund the difference as a goodwill gesture, especially if the order hasn't shipped yet. If they say no, you may be able to cancel an unshipped order and reorder with the code, but check the delivery charges and stock first.

Fix the real reason you hesitated

Baymard's research shows most people abandon because of surprise costs, slow delivery or a clunky checkout, not because they want a code. If delivery charges put you off, look for a free delivery threshold or click and collect. If you were unsure about returns, read the returns policy before deciding. Sorting the real problem often saves more than waiting for a 10% email.

If a code is rejected, our guide on why coupon codes don't work covers the usual causes.

What about your inbox and privacy?

Entering your email to trigger a reminder can also put you on a marketing list, so it is worth knowing your rights.

In the UK

The Information Commissioner's Office says organisations must not send marketing emails to individuals without consent, unless a limited "soft opt-in" applies. That exception covers people who have bought, or discussed buying, a similar product and were given a clear chance to opt out when their details were collected. Every marketing message must include a simple way to opt out, and shops must act on it promptly.

In the US

The FTC's CAN-SPAM guidance says commercial emails must include a clear way to opt out, and businesses must honour an opt-out request within 10 business days.

Keeping things tidy

• Use a separate email address or folder for shopping sign-ups.
• Untick marketing boxes you don't want, unless you're happy to receive offers.
• Unsubscribe once you have your code or finished your purchase.

Other reminder emails you might receive

Abandoned cart emails are only one type of automated message. Once a shop knows your email address, you might see several others, and some of them can also carry offers.

Some shops also send text messages or app notifications instead of, or as well as, emails. These generally need your mobile number and, for marketing texts, your agreement. If you'd rather not get texts, leave the phone field blank where it is optional, or untick the marketing box.

Is it fair to abandon your basket on purpose?

Leaving items in your basket isn't against any rules. Retailers design these emails knowing that some shoppers will wait to see what arrives, which is exactly why Klaviyo warns against offering a discount in the first email. The shop decides whether to offer anything, and you decide whether to buy.

Where it can go wrong is if you create multiple accounts or email addresses to claim first-time offers repeatedly. That often breaks the retailer's terms, and the shop may cancel the order or the discount. Stick to one account and use cart codes as the occasional bonus they are meant to be.

Does it work on apps and marketplaces?

Results vary. Shopping apps may send push notifications about items left in your basket, but there's no guarantee of a discount. Large marketplaces and big-box retailers generally have less need to offer codes to recover baskets, so the tactic tends to work best with smaller independent brands that run their own online stores.

Common mistakes and why abandoned cart tricks fail

• Never entering an email. Without it, the shop has no way to contact you.
• Buying before the second email. If a shop follows Klaviyo's advice, any code usually comes later.
• Waiting on limited stock. If items sell out, Shopify won't send the email and you lose the item.
• Missing the email in spam. Check promotions and junk folders.
• Letting the code expire. Cart codes often last only a day or two.
• Ignoring better public offers. A welcome or sitewide code can be bigger.
• Repeating it constantly. Some shops only offer a code to first-time customers, so it won't work every time.

Other ways to get the same saving

Leaving a basket is only one route to a discount, and not the most reliable. Often you will do just as well by:

• Signing up to the newsletter for a welcome offer.
• Checking whether a free shipping code removes the extra costs that made you hesitate, which Baymard found was the top reason for abandoning.
• Comparing the cashback rate for the store.
• Joining a loyalty programme if you shop there often.

For a wider view, our guide on how to save money shopping online covers the main tactics in one place.

Tips for getting the most from abandoned cart emails

• Only try it on things you'd buy anyway. A code shouldn't talk you into a purchase.
• Do it on non-urgent buys, such as homeware or clothing for next season.
• Keep your basket unchanged so the email reflects what you want.
• Use the email's own link, as some codes apply automatically through it.
• Compare with our verified codes, which we check using the process on our how we verify coupons page.

Bottom line

Retailers really do email shoppers who leave items at checkout, and some include an abandoned cart discount. But a code is far from guaranteed, platforms like Klaviyo actively advise shops against offering one straight away, and you need to hand over your email for it to work. Check for public codes first. If there are none and you can wait a day or two, leaving your basket costs nothing to try.