Online retailers like Macy’s, Bed Bath & Beyond and Williams-Sonoma work (and spend) hard to get customers through their virtual doors. They compete hard in an online ecosystem that no longer gives them an edge due to real estate. The one thing that drives these retailers most mad is a customer who fills up an online shopping cart — who spends time carefully selecting the items they want — only to leave the site before they click Checkout. And it happens a lot. (There’s a whole business around abandoned online shopping carts.)
But these smart retailers like Macy’s and Toys R Us won’t let you go without some sweet talk — and maybe an offer you can’t refuse. If you want to extend the time frame on some deals — or just want to see if you can get a bigger price cut — try this: fill out your online shopping cart as a registered customer at the retailer, then abandon the process before checkout. In many cases you’ll get a very nice email from Williams-Sonoma et al inviting you to finish your purchases — sometimes with an extra incentive to buy. An abandoned online shopping cart can trigger a personalized discount offer from retailers, usually in the form of a coupon, that can also extend beyond the normal timeframe of a sale. Here’s a short list of retailers that may try to lure you back with email discounts if you abandon your shopping cart:
