> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.rafflex.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.rafflex.io/marketing/website-tools/dropped-basket-recovery.md).

# Dropped Basket Recovery

Automatically email signed in customers who leave tickets in their basket without paying, so they can come back and finish their order.

***

Not every customer who adds tickets to their basket finishes paying. Some get distracted, some are interrupted, and some simply forget. Dropped Basket Recovery sends these customers one friendly, automatic reminder email with the competitions they left behind and a button that takes them straight back to finish their order.

It is one of the simplest ways to win back sales you would otherwise lose, and once it is switched on it runs entirely by itself.

***

### How it works

1. A signed in customer adds tickets to their basket. This starts a timer.
2. If they have not completed an order by the time the delay you choose has passed, your site sends them one reminder email.
3. The email lists the competitions from their basket that are still open, and has a button that takes them back to their basket or checkout.
4. If they click through and pay, the order is marked as recovered in your admin panel, so you can see the feature working.

The reminder comes in two versions. Your site picks the right one automatically, depending on how far the customer got:

| Version               | When it is used                                | Default subject              | Button takes them to |
| --------------------- | ---------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------- | -------------------- |
| **Basket reminder**   | They added tickets but did not go to checkout. | "You left something behind!" | Their basket         |
| **Checkout reminder** | They opened the checkout page but did not pay. | "You were so close!"         | The checkout         |

A customer only ever receives one of these for a given basket, never both.

{% hint style="info" %}
Reminders are only sent to customers who were **signed in** when they added to their basket. Your site needs to know who the customer is to email them, so visitors who are not signed in are not tracked. If a customer fills their basket while signed out and only signs in when they reach checkout, that basket is not tracked unless they change it (for example, add more tickets) after signing in.
{% endhint %}

***

### Turn on Dropped Basket Recovery

1. In the **admin panel**, click **Settings** in the left-hand menu.
2. Open the **Marketing** tab. The page is titled **Marketing & Social**.
3. Scroll to the **Dropped Basket Recovery Emails** section. Its description reads "Configure dropped basket reminders so customers can return and complete checkout."
4. Switch on **Dropped Basket Emails**. Two extra boxes, **Basket Reminder Subject** and **Checkout Reminder Subject**, appear further down the section (see below).
5. Check the **Dropped Basket Delay (Minutes)** and **Dropped Basket Cooldown (Hours)** values. The defaults (60 minutes and 8 hours) are a good starting point.
6. Click **Save Settings** at the bottom of the page. You will see a message saying **Marketing settings saved successfully**.

That is it. From now on, whenever a signed in customer adds to their basket, the reminder timer starts automatically.

{% hint style="warning" %}
The reminder is sent from your **Site Email** address, and the email invites customers to reply if they need a hand. Make sure your email settings are set up and that someone checks that inbox. See [Email Setup](/essential-settings/email-setup.md).
{% endhint %}

***

### The settings explained

All of these live in the **Dropped Basket Recovery Emails** section on the **Marketing** settings page.

#### Dropped Basket Emails

The main on and off switch. While it is on, reminders are sent. If you switch it off, no further reminders go out, including any that were already waiting to be sent.

#### Dropped Basket Delay (Minutes)

"How long to wait after a basket is abandoned before sending the reminder email."

* **Default:** 60 minutes.
* **Allowed range:** 15 minutes up to 1440 minutes (24 hours).

The timer starts when the customer first adds something to their basket. Adding more tickets later does not restart it.

A shorter delay catches customers while the purchase is still on their mind. A longer delay gives them more time to come back on their own first. If your competitions sell out quickly, a shorter delay is usually better. If your draws run for days or weeks, a longer delay is fine.

Bear in mind that a customer's basket is only saved for a limited time. With a very long delay (close to the 24 hour maximum), there is a greater chance their basket has already been cleared by the time they click the button in the email.

{% hint style="info" %}
Not sure what to choose? Start with the default of 60 minutes. You can change it at any time, and the new delay applies to baskets started after you save.
{% endhint %}

#### Dropped Basket Cooldown (Hours)

"Minimum hours between dropped basket emails to the same customer."

* **Default:** 8 hours.
* **Allowed range:** 1 hour up to 720 hours (30 days).

After a customer receives a reminder, they will not be sent another one until the cooldown has passed, even if they start and leave a brand new basket in the meantime. This protects your customers (and your sender reputation) from too many emails. If the customer completes an order, the cooldown is cleared.

#### Basket Reminder Subject

"Subject line used when a customer leaves items in their basket before reaching checkout. Leave blank to use the default subject."

The default is **You left something behind!** This box only appears once **Dropped Basket Emails** is switched on.

#### Checkout Reminder Subject

"Subject line used when a customer reaches checkout but does not complete payment. Leave blank to use the default subject."

The default is **You were so close!** This box also only appears once **Dropped Basket Emails** is switched on.

{% hint style="success" %}
**Subject line ideas.** Keep subjects short and friendly so they are not cut off on a phone. For example: "Your tickets are waiting", "Still thinking it over?" or "Don't miss your chance to win". Avoid promising anything the email does not deliver, such as a discount.
{% endhint %}

***

### What the email looks like

The reminder is branded to match your site. It uses your email logo, your **Primary Color** and **Button Text Colour**, your site name and your currency. It greets the customer by first name, lists each open competition from their basket with its image, price, quantity and closing date, shows the basket total, and has a clear button back to the basket or checkout.

{% hint style="info" %}
Want to know exactly what the email contains, which competitions are left out, and the times a reminder is skipped? Read [What a Dropped Basket Reminder Includes](/marketing/website-tools/dropped-basket-recovery/dropped-basket-reminders-explained.md).
{% endhint %}

***

### See how it is performing

Once the feature is on, you can keep an eye on it in two places.

#### On your Dashboard

A **Dropped basket emails** box appears in your **Dashboard** stats, showing how many reminder emails have been sent today. This box only appears while **Dropped Basket Emails** is switched on. See [Dashboard](/managing-your-site/dashboard.md).

#### On your Orders

Every link in the reminder email carries tracking tags (UTM tags, which are small labels added to the end of a link so your site and your analytics tools can tell where a visit came from). When a customer clicks through from a reminder and places an order during that visit, the order is marked as recovered:

* In the **Orders** list, the **Source** column shows a blue **Rafflex Dropped Basket** badge, and the row is lightly tinted blue so recovered sales stand out.
* When you open the order, the **Tracking** box shows **Recovery** with a **Rafflex Dropped Basket** badge. You can also see the campaign tags, including **UTM Content**, which shows **cart** for a basket reminder or **checkout** for a checkout reminder.

See [Orders](/managing-your-site/orders.md) for more about the Orders screen. If you use Google Analytics, these visits also show up there under the same campaign tags. See [UTM Tags](/helpful-info/utm-tags.md).

***

### Good to know

* **One reminder per basket.** Once a reminder has been sent, that basket is no longer tracked. If the customer changes their basket again afterwards, it counts as a new basket, and your cooldown decides whether they can be reminded about it.
* **Completed orders are never chased.** If the customer pays (including a free ticket order) before the reminder is due, no reminder is sent.
* **Closed competitions are left out.** The email only shows competitions that are still open when it is sent. If nothing in the basket is still open, no email is sent at all.
* **Baskets are saved in the browser.** The button in the email brings back the basket on the device and browser the customer shopped on. On another device their basket will be empty, so they will need to add the competitions again.
* **Player protection comes first.** Reminders are not sent to a customer who has recently had a [behaviour intervention](/standards/player-protections/behaviour-interventions.md).

{% hint style="info" %}
For a full explanation of every situation where a reminder is held back, see [What a Dropped Basket Reminder Includes](/marketing/website-tools/dropped-basket-recovery/dropped-basket-reminders-explained.md).
{% endhint %}