Browse Abandon Email Flows: How to Bring Back Shoppers

What is a Browse Abandon Flow?

A browse abandon flow is an automated email sequence triggered when a visitor subscribes to your list and views a product page but leaves without adding it to their cart.

This is different from cart abandonment (where someone adds to cart but doesn’t buy) and site abandonment (where a subscriber simply visits your site).

These visitors showed interest in a specific product, meaning they’re already warmer leads. Your job is to get them back to that product — or help them find one they might like better — in case they didn’t like the product they checked out, and guide them further down your funnel.

Statistics

Browse abandonment emails typically have an open rate of around 40% with a click-through rate of 15-20%. These emails can increase the likelihood of purchase by over 20%.

🚀 Why is it important?

Most shoppers don’t buy the first time they look at a product. They might:
✅ Get distracted.
✅ Compare with other options in the market.
✅ Need more time to decide.

Without follow-up, they may forget about you entirely. A browse abandon flow ensures you stay top-of-mind and gently nudge them back to buy.

✉️ How many emails should be in the flow?

For browse abandon flows, 4 to 5 emails spaced over 7-10 days is ideal. It’s enough to keep your brand and products visible without overwhelming the prospect.

⏱️ When should the first email be sent?

Best practice is to start the flow around 1 to 2 hours after they leave your site. This hits while interest is still relatively high but avoids being overly intrusive.

Subsequent emails can be sent at 1 to 2 day intervals, depending on your sales cycle.

💌 The Ideal Browse Abandon Sequence

📩 Email 1: Simple product reminder

Sometimes, all it takes to turn a visitor into a customer is a simple nudge. They might have been genuinely interested but got distracted, or perhaps they were comparing you with competitors. Whatever the reason, we want to maximize the value of every visitor who joins your email list. Signing up shows clear interest in your niche—and that’s a warm lead you don’t want to waste. In this email, your goal is to remind them of the product they were viewing and give them an easy path back to your site to complete their purchase.

Timing: ~1-2 hours after browsing
Content:
- Display the product they viewed (image, name, price).
- A short line like “Still thinking it over?”
- Prominent Shop Now button.
Goal: Just remind them of the product. Keep it minimal.

📩 Email 2: Use a branded headline + similar products

If the visitor still hasn’t purchased, it may be because they don’t fully trust your brand yet. This is where risk reversals—offers that remove any perceived risk from their purchase—can make all the difference. Combine these with strong social proof to reassure them that buying from you is a smart decision. Think free shipping details, satisfaction guarantees, hassle-free returns, positive reviews, and testimonials.

At the same time, remember that the product they originally viewed might not have been their favorite option. Use this opportunity to showcase additional products they might love. And to make it feel polished and on-brand, lead with a branded, attention-grabbing headline. A branded headline is a catchy, brand-specific phrase that reinforces who you are and why you’re different. It makes the email more memorable, authentic, and uniquely tied to your brand voice.

Content:

Show the browsed product again.
Include similar products or alternatives to browse.
Add risk reversals:
✅ Easy returns
✅ Free shipping
✅ Satisfaction guarantee
Include 1-2 short testimonials for trust.
Always have a Shop Now button.

📩 Email 3: Build trust with heavy social proof

With this email, we want to humanize your brand and inspire confidence by sharing heartfelt customer testimonials. Real stories from real people create an emotional bridge, showing prospects that others—just like them—have taken the leap and loved the results. By addressing doubts and painting a picture of success, these testimonials make choosing your brand feel like the natural next step. And with your offer still available for a limited time, now is the perfect moment for them to join your community of happy customers before the opportunity slips away.

Timing: 2 days later
Content:
- Highlight customer testimonials, ratings or reviews.
- Display bestsellers to help them explore other options.
- You can also add “As Seen In” logos if you have media mentions.
- Include Shop Now button.
Extra tips:
- Add user-generated photos or before & after if relevant.
- Social proof is huge here—people want validation from others.

***You can also use a customer testimonial as the subject line.

📩 Email 4: Offer a Discount

This email is optional but can be highly effective. By now, the visitor has seen enough social proof to trust your brand. Sometimes, all they need is a gentle nudge to take the plunge. Keep this message simple and focused—make the offer the star of the show to encourage that final step toward purchase.

Timing: 2 days later
Content:
- A gentle incentive like “Here’s 10% off your order—just for you!”
- Include their originally browsed product plus bestsellers.
- Add social proof again (even a quick quote works).
- Always with a Shop Now button.
Extra tip:
- Restate your risk reversals (free returns, fast shipping) to lower the barrier.

📩 Email 5: Urgency + last chance on the discount

A bit of urgency can do the trick with interested customers, and that is exactly what we want to do in this email. Keep the email simple and focused on the offer.

Timing: 2 days later
Content:
- “Your exclusive 10% off ends tonight!”
- Remind them exactly when the discount expires.
- Add a testimonial, a guarantee badge, or press feature.
- Clear Shop Now button.
Extra tip:
- If you have limited stock, mention “Popular items are selling fast.”

🏆 Why this works

A browse abandon flow is laser-focused on getting people back to the product they showed interest in — or at least something similar they might love. Each email gives them another reason to click back, reinforced by social proof, trust signals, and gentle urgency.