When it comes to ecommerce email marketing, most brands have some version of abandoned browse and basket flows set up. But in many cases, they’re missing a crucial piece of the puzzle - one that can quietly cost them thousands in lost revenue.
In this post, I’ll show you how I helped an ecommerce client generate an extra £34,438 in just 12 months - by fixing one overlooked gap in their automation setup.
And if you want to track your own flows and performance more clearly, be sure to check out my free reporting tool.
The Challenge: A Missing Flow
This particular client already had abandoned browse and basket flows in place - fairly standard for ecommerce. But when I reviewed their setup, I spotted a gap.
They were not targeting users who added a product to their basket but never made it to checkout.
That might sound like a small oversight. But it meant that a high-intent segment - people who had taken action to build a basket was falling through the cracks entirely.
Let’s break it down:
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Abandoned Browse = Users who viewed a product, but didn’t add to basket
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Abandoned Checkout = Users who reached the checkout page but didn’t complete their purchase
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Add to Basket (But No Checkout) = No automation at all
That last segment? It wasn’t being captured, messaged, or nurtured in any way.
The Insight: Strong Intent, No Recovery
This missing flow meant a large number of potential customers were simply lost.
They’d shown more intent than browsers - adding a product to their cart but hadn’t yet reached the checkout step that triggers a traditional abandoned cart email.
In other words, they weren’t casual shoppers. But they weren’t getting a follow-up either.
Crucially:
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They didn’t qualify for abandoned checkout flows
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They were too far down the funnel for abandoned browse flows to make sense
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No other emails were targeting this segment
They were in limbo. And it was costing the brand.
The Fix: Add-to-Basket Flow
To close the gap, I built and launched a new automation: the Abandoned Cart (Add to Basket) flow.
Here’s how it worked:
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Trigger: Users who added a product to their basket but didn’t reach checkout
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Timing: Sent before other automations like abandoned browse or checkout
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Messaging: Focused on helping users complete their cart - not just revisit a product
This wasn’t just a copy-paste of the abandoned checkout email. The tone and content were tailored to people who were still building their cart, nudging them forward without applying pressure.
We also made sure this new flow didn’t conflict with or cannibalise existing flows, using smart filters and delays to keep the user journey clean.
The Results: £34,438 in Additional Revenue
The numbers speak for themselves.
After implementing the Abandoned Cart (Add to Basket) flow:
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💷 £34,438 in added revenue over 12 months
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📈 Strong open and click-through rates
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📉 No cannibalisation of other flows
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🔥 The new flow outperformed the client’s original abandoned basket emails
All from targeting a segment that was previously ignored.
This was one of those rare wins where one smart tweak unlocked meaningful, measurable revenue, without overhauling the entire email program.
Want to Measure Your Own Flow Performance?
When you’re running multiple automations and campaigns, it’s not always easy to see what’s working - and what’s not.
That’s why I created a free Email Reporting Template in Google Sheets.
It’s built to help you:
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📊 Auto-calculate weekly summaries of your flows and campaigns
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🎯 Spot trends and opportunities quickly
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💡 Track performance across flows, campaigns, and retention marketing
Whether you’re a marketer, freelancer, or brand owner, it’s a handy tool to bring clarity and direction to your email performance reviews.
Want more breakdowns like this? Follow me on LinkedIn for email insights, ecommerce strategies, and proven ways to drive more revenue through CRM.
