Abandoned carts: how a chatbot sends reminders and brings buyers back
The customer put an item in their cart and disappeared. Often, that doesn’t mean they’ve changed their mind: they got distracted, are comparing prices, or are waiting until evening. Here’s how to send a timely, tactful reminder that brings them back instead of driving them away.
· 5 min read · LEO Chat by LIONEX
Why shoppers abandon their carts
The reasons are usually simple: they got distracted by work, want someone’s advice, aren’t sure about delivery, or are waiting for payday. Most of the time, it doesn’t mean “no”—they just haven’t completed the purchase. The problem is that website carts are often anonymous, so there’s no one to reach out to. In chat, it’s different: you’re already talking to the customer.
How reminders work in LEO Chat
The customer taps “Buy” under a product, and it goes into the bot’s cart. If they don’t complete the order, the bot will remind them in the same messenger:
- The customer added items to their cart and went quiet.
- After the time you choose—from 30 minutes to 24 hours, with 1 hour as the default—the bot sends your message, a list of products, and the total.
- Below the message are “Return to cart” and “Clear cart” buttons.
- The customer comes back and continues checkout with the same items.
Reminders are off by default. Turn them on in “Orders” → the “Cart reminder” card, and enter your message.
When the bot won’t send a message
- The customer has already bought.
- They’re placing an order right now.
- A manager is handling the conversation.
- It’s nighttime: from 21:00 to 09:00, the reminder waits until morning.
The reminder is sent once—the bot won’t flood the customer with messages. The cart is saved for 7 days, so if the customer comes back on their own, their products will still be there.
When to include a promo code in a reminder
You can add a promo code from the “Promo codes” list to the reminder—it will be applied automatically when the buyer returns to their cart. But don’t rush to offer everyone a discount: buyers quickly learn to abandon their cart and wait for a code. It’s smarter to start with a reminder without a discount, see how it performs, and only then try a promo code.
Which channels does it work in
Reminders are sent via Telegram and the website widget, as well as Viber and WhatsApp, which are currently in beta. On WhatsApp, you can only message customers first within 24 hours of their last message, so reminders are sent only during that window. OLX doesn’t support cart reminders.
More than just carts
- Payment reminder — if an order is placed but not paid by card or QR. Learn more in how to accept payments in chat.
- “Notify me when available” — a buyer taps the button under an out-of-stock product, and as soon as it’s back, the bot messages them with a “Buy” button.
- Repeat sales — after a set number of days from delivery, the bot asks how the product is working out and recommends related products.
How to measure results
The “Cart Reminder” card shows how many reminders were sent in the last 30 days, how many carts became orders, and their total value. Along with sales from other automations, these appear in the “What the bot sold on its own” section of your dashboard. Learn how to read these figures in the article how to calculate chatbot sales.
Try it with your store
14 days free with Business features, no card required. The bot will learn your website in just a few minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Will this annoy shoppers?
The bot sends one reminder, never at night or while a manager is handling the conversation. You choose the reminder text.
Can I change the reminder time and message?
Yes. You can choose a delay of 30 minutes to 24 hours and write any message you like. You can also add a promo code if you want.
Does this work with the cart on my store’s website?
Reminders apply to carts in chat—the products a customer added by clicking “Buy” in a conversation with the bot. LEO Chat doesn’t track carts on your store’s website.