What Is Wishlist Abandonment?
Wishlist Abandonment occurs when online shoppers add products to their wishlist or shopping cart but leave the site without completing the purchase. Often, customers use wishlists or carts as placeholders, intending to buy later but never returning. This behavior can lead to significant revenue loss for e-commerce businesses.
Example in a Sentence:
The marketing team launched a re-engagement campaign to recover sales lost to wishlist abandonment by offering time-limited discounts on saved items.

Why Wishlist Abandonment Matters
- Lost Revenue: Items left in wishlists represent potential sales that aren’t realized.
- Inventory Management Issues: Products in wishlists might be considered ‘in demand,’ affecting stock decisions.
- Customer Engagement: Abandoned wishlists indicate a lapse in customer engagement and interest.
Strategies to Reduce Wishlist Abandonment
1. Send Timely Reminder Emails
Automated emails reminding customers of their wishlist items can prompt them to complete the purchase. Personalize these emails with product images and special offers to increase effectiveness.
2. Implement Push Notifications
Use browser or app push notifications to alert users about their wishlist items, especially if there’s a price drop or limited stock.
3. Offer Limited-Time Discounts
Providing exclusive, time-sensitive discounts on wishlist items can create urgency and encourage purchases.
4. Simplify the Purchase Process
Ensure that moving items from the wishlist to the cart and completing the checkout is seamless and user-friendly.
5. Highlight Social Proof
Show reviews or ratings for wishlist items to reinforce their value and encourage customers to buy.
More Definitions
(From the Sales & Marketing Jargon Encyclopedia)
- E-commerce: Refers to the buying and selling of goods or services using the internet, and the transfer of money and data to execute these transactions.
- Conversion: A key indicator of the effectiveness of a marketing strategy, measuring how well marketing efforts translate into actual results, such as sales or leads.
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