empty shopping cart reflecting the issue for hotels of cart abandonment and why hotels need to develop abandoned cart email campaigns to target this potential revenue generator

In this article, we’re diving into what an abandoned cart email campaign is, how it works, and why it’s a must-have for your hotel email marketing strategy. We’ll even walk you through how to build one that drives real revenue – without burning out your marketing team.

NB: This is an article from Revinate

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But, have you ever wondered why guests abandon their carts in the first place?

That question falls under the cart abandonment theory, which hypothesizes that guests abandoned their carts for a variety of reasons – from poor user experience and hesitancy to price to getting too distracted or just having second thoughts. Whatever the reason, a hotel booking abandonment strategy gives you a second chance to seal the deal and get them moving from the booking stage of the guest journey to pre-arrival.

Are abandoned cart emails worth it?

With a well-timed, well-crafted, abandoned cart email campaign. It’s one of the most impactful tools in a hotelier’s playbook. From automated emails to personal follow-up calls, these campaigns re-engage lost guests, recover revenue, and help you convert almost booked into booked.

Out of 100 visitors to your hotel website, only about 2.4% of them will book. And 85% will abandon their carts instead of proceeding with their bookings. So, yes, abandoned cart emails are worth it because you’re otherwise leaving serious revenue on the table. And here’s the kicker: Abandoned cart emails have an average conversion rate of 30%, and when paired with outbound calls, conversion rates get even better.

You can see this in action. Last year, hoteliers in North America who placed outbound calls to guests who failed to book ended up driving $1,748 incremental revenue per room. And you can bet those same hoteliers captured the guests’ emails so that they could send an abandoned cart campaign. With email capture rates averaging 74% last year, hoteliers were doing abandoned cart campaigns justice.

And even better news? Abandoned cart campaigns are easy to manage. With the right setup, these campaigns practically run themselves, and they pay off in a big way.

How cart abandonment campaigns help hotels recover lost revenue

Here’s what makes abandoned cart campaigns so powerful:

  • Direct revenue recovery. By re-engaging guests who showed interest but failed to book, hotels can recover a significant portion of revenue and start forming loyal guest relationships.
  • Increased conversion rates. Timely and personalized follow-ups can convert abandoned carts into confirmed bookings. Planned and strategic communication is the way to go.
  • Smarter guest engagement. Understanding guest behavior enables tailored communications, thereby enhancing guest satisfaction and loyalty.

Even better? Combining email with outbound calls not only adds the personal touch that hospitality is all about but also turns lookers into bookers.

This all sounds great, right? But you may find yourself asking one question: Are abandoned cart emails legal?

Yes, they’re legal – as long as you play by the rules. That means only emailing guests who’ve opted in and including an easy way to unsubscribe. If you’re following standard email marketing strategy best practices, you’re in the clear.

Read the full article at Revinate