Cart Abandonment Rate

Cart abandonment rate is the percentage of started shopping carts that do not result in a completed order during the measurement period. A common calculation is (started carts − completed purchases) ÷ started carts × 100, although analytics tools may define the population and attribution window differently. It measures cart-to-order drop-off, not every visitor who viewed a product or began checkout.

Why it matters: Use the rate as a funnel diagnostic, not a universal score. First verify that add-to-cart and purchase events are complete, deduplicated, and compared over the same period. Then segment the funnel by device, traffic source, market, customer type, cart value, and checkout step. Pair the rate with payment errors, field validation, delivery and tax information, performance data, support feedback, and usability research. Some shoppers are browsing or comparing; others encounter unexpected costs, account requirements, delivery limits, payment problems, or technical failures. Your own funnel evidence should determine what to fix.