How to Reduce Cart Abandonment for Your SaaS

To reduce cart abandonment for your SaaS, implement a multi-faceted plan that optimizes the checkout process, builds trust, ensures price transparency, and recovers incomplete orders through follow-up communication. This is a recurring issue for online software sales, where a high SaaS abandoned cart rate—which the Baymard Institute places at roughly 67.75% across eCommerce—translates directly to lost revenue. This guide details a systematic process to both prevent users from leaving the checkout page and re-engage those who have already left, turning a potential lost sale into a new subscription.

The primary goal of the checkout page is to complete a transaction with minimum friction. Every additional field, click, or second of loading time increases the probability that a potential customer will abandon their cart.

First, enable a guest checkout option. Forcing account creation before a purchase is a major hurdle. A user who is still evaluating your software is unlikely to commit to creating a password and filling out a profile.

Ensuite, conduct a field audit of your checkout form. Ask yourself these questions for every single field:

• Is this information absolutely essential to process the payment and deliver the software?
• Can I collect this information after the purchase is complete, during onboarding?
• Does this field create uncertainty for the user (e.g., asking for a phone number without explaining why)

After asking these questions, your goal is to remove every field that is not required for the transaction. A faster checkout experience only requires the essentials: an email address, a name, and payment details.

Enfin, consider the format of your checkout itself. The way the checkout is presented can also reduce friction.

• Pop-up or iframe Checkout: This keeps the user on your main product page while they pay. It feels less disruptive and is excellent for quick, simple purchases.
• In-App Checkout: For desktop or mobile applications, this is the most seamless option. It allows users to purchase upgrades or licenses without ever leaving the application environment.
• Dedicated Checkout Page: The traditional approach, which redirects to a separate page. This can be effective, but it is important that the page is highly optimized, fast-loading, and visually consistent with your brand.

Since the digital shopping experience can feel impersonal, you must proactively address a customer’s security concerns.

According to industry reports, 25% of U.S. online shoppers feel that a lack of security for their financial and personal data is a barrier to shopping online. Instead of using complex IT jargon, use simple, powerful reassurances.

Place visual trust signals prominently near the final call-to-action button. This includes SSL certificate badges, accepted payment logos (Visa, Mastercard, PayPal), and money-back guarantee seals.

Unexpected costs are one of the leading reasons for cart abandonment. The price a SaaS customer sees on your pricing page must be the price they see at the final checkout step. Any deviation breaks trust and causes users to leave before completing the transaction.

Be upfront about all charges. If you are required to collect global SaaS sales tax, display it clearly before asking for payment information.

Example: Pricing Display

In addition to price transparency, payment flexibility can also influence a customer’s decision to complete a purchase, particularly in the context of cross-border sales. This consideration extends to two main areas: the variety of accepted payment methods and the structure of the pricing models offered. A customer who cannot find their trusted local payment option—such as Giropay in Germany or iDEAL in the Netherlands—may perceive the checkout as inconvenient or untrustworthy, leading them to abandon the cart. Similarly, offering flexible pricing models accommodates different user needs. While a standard subscription works for many, providing alternatives like facturation à l'utilisation, Plans à plusieurs niveaux, ou one-time payments appeals to different customer segments who want an option that best fits their budget and expected use of the software.

Even a perfectly optimized checkout cannot prevent all abandonment, such as a dropped internet connection or a real-world distraction. For these situations, a strategic email follow-up sequence serves as a communication bridge to re-engage potential customers who have shown clear purchase intent. The foundational requirement for this recovery effort is obtaining the customer’s email address early in the checkout flow. Without a point of contact, a lost visitor cannot be re-engaged.

A one-size-fits-all email campaign is less effective than a tailored approach. By considering the potential reasons a customer might have left—whether due to technical friction, price sensitivity, or simple distraction—you can create your messaging to address their specific hesitation. The following methodology provides a framework for aligning your email strategy with common abandonment scenarios:

Here is an actionable three-day sequence:

Day 1: The Customer Support Email

• From: Customer Support <[email protected]>
• Subject: “A question about your order?” or “Need help with your purchase?”
• Body: “We noticed you started an order for [Software Name] but didn’t complete it. We just wanted to check if you encountered a technical problem or had a question we could answer. You can resume your order here: [Link to Pre-filled Cart]. Or, simply reply to this email for help.”

Day 2: The Reminder Email

• Data: SaleCycle statistics show that almost half (48.1%) of cart abandoners open reminder emails, and a third (33.3%) of clicks from them lead to a purchase.
• Subject: “Your [Software Name] cart is expiring” or “Still thinking it over?”
• Body: “Your selected products are waiting for you. We have saved your cart, and you can complete your purchase by clicking the link below. As a courtesy, here is a 10% discount that will be automatically applied.”

Day 3: The Final Offer Email

• Subject: “Last Chance: A special offer on [Software Name] for you”
• Body: “This is our best offer. We understand that budget can be a factor, so we’d like to offer you a 25% discount on your entire order. This is a offre limitée dans le temps that expires tonight. Use code: SAVE25″