Plain-language questions
Ask for cart abandonment rate per month, customer or product in the SQL Explorer with AI. The AI writes the SQL, you see the query and run it yourself; the AI only receives metadata.
KPI · E-commerce
Cart abandonment rate: formula and example.
Cart abandonment rate is the percentage of shopping carts in which a visitor added items but did not complete the purchase. It shows how much buying intent is lost between the basket and the order. Because these visitors already wanted to buy, improvements at this step often translate straight into extra orders.
Cart abandonment rate formula
(Carts created − carts converted) ÷ carts created × 100%
Worked example
Acme Groothandel's web shop sees 4,000 carts created in September, of which 1,280 turn into an order. That leaves 2,720 abandoned carts. Cart abandonment rate is 2,720 ÷ 4,000 × 100% = 68%.
Fictitious figures for Acme Groothandel, a sample wholesaler.
How to read this KPI
A higher rate means more visitors drop out after filling their cart, for example because of unexpected shipping costs, a forced account, a slow checkout or a failed payment. Compare it with your own previous months and break it down by device and checkout step to see where people leave. Some abandonment is normal behaviour, such as comparing prices or saving items for later, so focus on changes rather than the absolute level.
Pitfalls with cart abandonment rate
- Counting carts from the last few hours that may still be converted.
- Not excluding bots and internal test orders, which distorts the rate.
- Carts recovered later through a reminder email being counted twice, or left in as abandoned.
SQL & DAX
Calculating cart abandonment rate in SQL and DAX
Two examples on a fictitious data warehouse for Acme Groothandel: a PostgreSQL query and a measure for a Power BI model. Adjust table and column names to your own model.
SELECT date_trunc('month', created_at) AS month,
COUNT(*) AS carts,
COUNT(*) FILTER (WHERE converted_order_id IS NULL) AS abandoned,
ROUND(100.0 * COUNT(*) FILTER (WHERE converted_order_id IS NULL)
/ NULLIF(COUNT(*), 0), 1) AS cart_abandonment_pct
FROM carts
WHERE created_at < current_date - interval '1 day'
GROUP BY 1
ORDER BY 1;Cart Abandonment Rate =
DIVIDE(
CALCULATE(COUNTROWS(Carts), ISBLANK(Carts[converted_order_id])),
COUNTROWS(Carts)
)In ENABLE
Tracking this KPI in ENABLE
In your Power BI dashboard
Define the KPI as a measure in your Power BI model and show it in the portal, with "Last refreshed" next to it. Access profiles and optional row-level security decide who sees which figures.
Custom dashboards (pilot)
Add the KPI as a tile to a custom dashboard, compared with last year. The Dashboard Builder is a pilot and can be switched on per client.
Monthly targets
With the built-in Targets app you set a target for the KPI per month, so you see actuals and target side by side.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate cart abandonment rate?
Subtract the number of converted carts from the total number of carts created, then divide by the total. With 2,000 carts and 700 orders, cart abandonment rate is 1,300 ÷ 2,000 = 65%. Leave out carts from the last day, as many of them still convert.
Why do customers abandon their shopping carts?
Frequently cited reasons are unexpected shipping costs, having to create an account, a long or confusing checkout, missing payment methods and failed payments. Many visitors are also just comparing prices or saving items for later. Break your data down by checkout step to see which reason applies to your shop.
What is the difference between cart abandonment and checkout abandonment?
Cart abandonment counts every cart that is not converted, even if the visitor never opened the checkout. Checkout abandonment only counts visitors who started the checkout and then left. That makes checkout abandonment a sharper signal for problems in the payment flow itself.
Further reading
- KPI libraryE-commerce KPIs: formulas and examplesE-commerce KPIs cover visitors, orders, returns and margin per channel. The data comes from your web shop, marketplaces and payment provider, alongside purchasing and stock from your ERP.Read more
- ResourcesHow to build a KPI dashboard: steps and examplesA KPI dashboard is an overview of the key figures you use to steer towards your goals, such as revenue, margin, on-time delivery or absenteeism. A good KPI dashboard does not start with the software, but with the decisions it needs to support. You then choose a limited number of KPIs, define them, sketch the dashboard and only then build it.Read more
- SolutionPower BI dashboard portal: share dashboards securelyShare your Power BI dashboards securely in your own portal, with role-based access.Read more
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