How to Automate Shopify Abandoned Cart Emails with Omnisend (Step-by-Step Tutorial)

If you’re running a Shopify store and you’re not sending abandoned cart emails yet, you’re leaving money on the table. Seriously. Customers add to cart, get distracted, and bounce. But with the right email automation, you can bring a chunk of them back without doing any extra work. That’s where Omnisend comes in.

In this tutorial, I’ll show you exactly how to set up abandoned cart emails using Omnisend. No coding. No overthinking. Just a clear step-by-step system you can copy today.

Let’s get into it.

 

Why You Need Abandoned Cart Emails

Before we dive into the setup, here’s why this matters:

• Around 70% of carts are abandoned on average
• A well-written abandoned cart email can recover 10 to 20% of lost sales
• It’s automated. You set it once and let it run in the background

You worked hard to get people to your store. Don’t let them leave without a second chance.

 

Step 1: Connect Omnisend to Your Shopify Store

If you haven’t installed Omnisend yet, do this first.

1. Go to the Shopify App Store and search for Omnisend
2. Click Add app and follow the prompts to install it
3. Once installed, it’ll automatically sync your store, products, and customer data

This only takes a few minutes, and once connected, Omnisend will start tracking abandoned carts.

Get Started with Omnisend

 

Step 2: Navigate to Automation Workflows

After syncing your store, go to your Omnisend dashboard.

1. Click on Automation in the top menu
2. You’ll see a list of pre-built workflows
3. Select Abandoned Cart from the list

Omnisend gives you a pre-built abandoned cart workflow to make life easier. You can use it as-is or customize it.

 

Step 3: Customize Your Workflow

Click Edit workflow to start tweaking the emails.

Omnisend’s default workflow usually includes:

• Email 1 (After 1 hour): A gentle reminder
• Email 2 (After 12 to 24 hours): Social proof or urgency like low stock
• Email 3 (Optional): A discount or final nudge

What you should customize:

• Subject lines: Make them conversational like “Forget something?” or “Still thinking it over?”
• Product block: Omnisend automatically pulls in the exact items left in the cart
• Add urgency: Mention limited stock or a cart expiration timer
• Include a CTA button: “Return to Cart” or “Complete Your Order”

You don’t need to overthink design. Use clean, mobile-friendly layouts that match your brand.

 

Step 4: Add Conditions and Delays

You can adjust timing between emails to avoid spammy vibes.

• Use a 1-hour delay for the first reminder
• Add a 12 to 24 hour delay for the second email
• Optional: Add an extra filter so only subscribers or logged-in users get the sequence

Pro tip: Test shorter and longer delays to see what brings more conversions.

 

Step 5: Turn It On

Once you’re happy with your workflow, hit Start Workflow to activate it.

You’re now collecting sales from people who were about to leave for good.

If you’re just starting out, even recovering one extra sale a day adds up fast. And Omnisend tracks everything like open rates, click-throughs, and revenue per email so you can measure what works.

 

Bonus: Add SMS or Push Notifications

Omnisend doesn’t stop at email. You can also add:

• SMS reminders, which are great for mobile-first shoppers
• Push notifications for subscribers who opted in

For example:

• Email 1: Friendly reminder
• SMS 2: “Hey! Your cart is still waiting.”
• Email 3: Final chance with a 10% off code

Multichannel follow-ups usually bring a higher recovery rate.

 

Real Talk: Do Abandoned Cart Emails Actually Work?

Yes. And the best part? You don’t need a big email list. Even if you’re just starting your store, a single email sequence can make a big difference in your monthly revenue.

I’ve seen beginners go from zero to 500 dollars a month in recovered sales just by automating this one thing.

 

Haven’t Started a Shopify Store Yet?

If you don’t have a Shopify store yet, now’s the perfect time to start. Shopify is offering a one dollar plan for the first three months. You can test everything like products, automations, and email flows without any pressure.

 

Final Thoughts

Shopify and Omnisend is one of the easiest, most beginner-friendly ways to start recovering sales on autopilot. You don’t need to be a copywriter or email expert. Omnisend gives you templates. Shopify handles checkout. You just connect the dots. Set this up once, and your store will keep working even while you sleep.