The BigCommerce abandoned cart module combines some of the platform's most powerful features, including:
Web Behavior Tracking
CartInsight
Automated programs
Before you start
Things you need to know:
Only customers who are logged in to your store can be enrolled in an abandoned cart program.
You need to:
Create at least one abandoned cart campaign.
For newer installations of the Dotdigital for BigCommerce connector, the design of an abandoned cart campaign can be configured through the installation wizard. Learn more in Set up BigCommerce with Dotdigital.
Create an abandoned cart program.
For newer installations of the Dotdigital for BigCommerce connector, an Abandoned cart program (as well as a Welcome program) is created for you automatically by the installation wizard. Learn more in Set up BigCommerce with Dotdigital.
Enable two settings in your BigCommerce store: the Optimize one page checkout option needs to be selected (if not, you need to manually create the script) and your store needs to be Stencil themed (for compatibility reasons). Your developers or agency can help you with this.
You may need to update the connector through the banner in the BigCommerce store settings area; to find this, go to Connect and select the BigCommerce tile in your Dotdigital account.
Abandoned cart relies on Web behavior tracking to trigger and import cartInsight data. When adding products to a cart for testing, you must refresh the page or browse to another page for Web behavior tracking to trigger, otherwise you cart might appear empty and not sent abandoned cart emails.
1. Create an abandoned cart campaign
Abandoned cart functionality uses triggered campaigns that are added to a program. The email should contain the latest contents of a visitor’s cart. This is done by using the abandoned cart building block.
Learn more about how to edit or create an abandoned cart campaign in Create an abandoned cart email.
Create an abandoned cart program
For newer installations of the Dotdigital for BigCommerce connector, an Abandoned cart program (as well as a Welcome program) is created for you automatically by the installation wizard. To view and edit this program, go to Automation > Programs. The Abandoned cart program will be inside a folder with your BigCommerce store name.
Learn more in Set up BigCommerce with Dotdigital.
Contacts are enrolled into an abandoned cart program when they abandon items in their shopping cart while browsing your site. Enrolment begins when the cartDelay parameter set in the cartInsight script is met. So, for example, a cartDelay set to 30 would enrol contacts into your program half an hour after they abandon the cart.
Learn more about how to edit or create an abandoned cart program in Create an abandoned cart program article.
Install the abandoned cart module
Map program enrolments
Once you have created an abandoned cart program, you can map this in your store settings so that customers who start but do not complete a purchase are enrolled on to your program. Once you complete this step, the set up of the abandoned cart module is completed automatically.
In Dotdigital, go to Connect and select the BigCommerce tile under Installed integrations and extensions.
Under the heading Abandoned cart, expand the Enrol abandoned carts to drop-down menu to select the abandoned cart program you created.
Expand the Enrol abandoned carts after drop-down menu to set your
cartDelay. This is the amount of time that we wait after a cart is abandoned to enrol the contact in the program.
Check the integration set up
To check that the abandoned cart module has been successfully installed:
Expand the User menu and go to Settings > Access > Web behavior profiles. An abandoned cart tracking profile should appear if your account didn’t have one before.
You must be an account owner or have the Can manage account permission enabled to see the Access menu item. Learn more about user permissions in Restrict and grant user access permissions.
In the BigCommerce Script Manager, there should be two installed scripts: Dotdigital Web Behaviour Tracking and Dotdigital Abandoned Cart Tracking. If these are present, you’ve successfully set up the integration.
Remove the integration
Removing the integration removes the script and disables any program enrolments. To remove the BigCommerce integration, go to go to Connect and select the BigCommerce tile. Under the Store access heading, select REMOVE BIGCOMMERCE CONNECTION.
To simply deactivate or disable an abandoned cart program:
Go to Automation > Programs.
Select the checkbox for the abandoned cart program you want to deactivate.
Expand the MORE ACTIONS drop-down menu and select Disable contact enrolment or Disable program.
Disable contact enrolment means no new contacts are enrolled into the program, but those already inside it complete their journey.
Disable program stops all program activity, including for currently enrolled contacts.