The $5,000 Hole in Your Pocket
Imagine a customer walks into your shop in Chermside or Indooroopilly. They spend twenty minutes looking at your stock, pick up three items, walk all the way to the counter, and then—for no apparent reason—drop everything on the floor and walk out the door.
You’d be stunned. You’d probably run after them and ask, "Is everything alright? Can I help you find something else?"
On your website, this happens every single day. In fact, it’s happening right now.
Most Brisbane business owners I talk to are obsessed with getting more people to their website. They spend a fortune on ads and social media, but they’re ignoring the fact that about 70% of people who add something to their cart never actually finish the purchase.
If you’re doing $10,000 a month in sales, you’re likely leaving another $20,000 on the table because people got distracted, their phone rang, or they couldn't find their credit card.
Setting up an automated system to pull these people back isn't just "good marketing"—it’s the easiest money you’ll ever make. This isn't about being a tech wizard; it’s about having a common-sense follow-up system that runs while you’re busy running the rest of your business.
Why People Walk Away (It’s Not Always the Price)
Before we fix it, you need to understand why it happens. Most business owners assume the customer found it cheaper elsewhere. Sometimes that’s true, but usually, life just got in the way.
Common reasons people leave your site: The "Toddler Factor": A kid started crying, or the dinner started burning. The Commuter Gap: They were browsing on the bus in the Valley, arrived at their stop, and put their phone away. Shipping Shock: They got to the end and saw a shipping price they didn't expect. The Credit Card Hunt: Their wallet was in the other room, and they couldn't be bothered getting up.
If you don't send a reminder, that sale is gone forever. If you do send a reminder, you’re just being helpful.
The Three-Step Rescue Plan
You don't need a 20-email sequence. You need three simple, well-timed messages that remind the customer why they wanted to buy from you in the first place. I’ve seen this simple setup turn new website leads into paying customers automatically for dozens of local businesses, from boutique clothing stores to pool supply shops.
Email 1: The "Did you forget something?" (Send within 1 hour)
Timing is everything. If you wait 24 hours, they’ve already bought it from a competitor or forgotten why they wanted it.
Don't offer a discount yet. You don't want to train your customers to abandon their carts just to get a coupon. Keep it helpful.
What to say: "Hi [Name], we noticed you left some items in your cart. We’ve saved them for you so you can pick up where you left off."
Include a big, clear button that says "Finish My Order." This email should be clean and easy to read. If you’re worried about the technical setup, remember that the goal is simply to make your emails readable so the customer knows exactly what to do next.
Email 2: The "How can we help?" (Send 24 hours later)
If they didn't buy after the first email, there might be a hurdle. Maybe they have a question about sizing, or they aren't sure if you deliver to Logan or the Redlands.
What to say: "Still thinking about it? If you have any questions about [Product], just hit reply or give us a call at the shop. We're happy to help."
This builds trust. It shows there are real people behind the website. For a small business, this personal touch is your biggest advantage over giants like Amazon.
Email 3: The "Final Chance / Small Carrot" (Send 48-72 hours later)
This is your last shot. Now is the time to offer a small incentive if you want to. It could be 10% off, free shipping, or a small free gift.
What to say: "We really want to get these items to you. Complete your order in the next 24 hours and use code COMEBACK for 10% off."
Is This Going to Cost a Fortune?
I’ll be blunt: Most "free" tools will end up costing you more in lost sales because they end up in the spam folder or look terrible on a phone. When you look at email platform costs, don't just look at the monthly fee. Look at how much money the system will actually make you.
For most Brisbane small businesses, a solid setup will cost between $30 and $100 a month for the software. If that system recovers just one or two decent sales, it’s paid for itself ten times over.
Common Mistakes That Kill Your Sales
I’ve looked at hundreds of checkout processes for local businesses, and most of them make the same three mistakes:
1. Asking for too much info: Do you really need their date of birth and how they heard about you just to sell them a pair of boots? Every extra box they have to fill out is a reason for them to leave. 2. Hidden shipping costs: If someone gets to the very end and sees a $25 shipping fee they didn't know about, they’ll leave out of spite. Be upfront. 3. Not working on phones: If your checkout is hard to use on an iPhone, you are losing at least half your sales. Period.
How Long Until You See Results?
The best part about this is that it’s instant. Once the "pipes" are connected, the system starts working.
Week 1: You’ll see the first few emails go out. Week 2: You’ll see your first "recovered" sale—someone who left, got the email, and came back to pay.
- Month 1: You’ll be able to look at your bank account and see exactly how much extra revenue was generated by the automation.
What Should You Do First?
Don't get bogged down in the fancy stuff.
1. Check your current site: Go to your own website, put something in the cart, and leave. Do you get an email? If not, you’re losing money. 2. Pick a tool: Use whatever your website uses (Shopify, WooCommerce, etc.) or a dedicated tool like Klaviyo or MailerLite. 3. Write like a human: Don't use corporate speak. Write like you’re talking to a customer in your shop.
If you’re too busy running your business to mess around with software and templates, that’s where we come in. At Local Marketing Group, we specialise in plugging these leaks for Brisbane businesses. We don't care about "brand awareness" or "engagement metrics"—we care about how many more sales you have at the end of the month.
Stop letting your hard-earned website visitors walk out the door with their hands empty. Set up your recovery sequence this week, or give us a yell and we'll do it for you.
Want more sales without the headache? Contact Local Marketing Group today and let’s get your website working as hard as you do.