How to Use Wishlists to Reduce Cart Abandonment

Wishlists reduce fake abandonment and help you convert “maybe later” shoppers with save-for-later and automatic alerts.

3 minutes, 54 seconds

How to Use Wishlists to Reduce Cart Abandonment image

For many Shopify merchants, high cart abandonment rates are a constant battle. Customers often treat their shopping cart as a temporary holding area, adding items they like but aren't ready to buy yet, only to leave without checking out. This skews your analytics and leaves potential revenue on the table.

The solution isn't just to chase them with retargeting ads, it's to give them a better place to save their intent. By implementing a smart wishlist strategy, you can turn those "maybe later" shoppers into future sales, capture valuable email data, and automate the recovery process with stock and price alerts.

Quick Answer

Can you do this on Shopify? Yes, by using a dedicated wishlist app that supports "Save for Later" and automated triggers.

The Main Method: Install Hulk Advanced Wishlist, enable the "Guest Wishlist" feature so no login is required, and set up automated email flows for price drops and restock alerts.

What It Unlocks: Drastically reduced cart abandonment, higher customer retention, and a secondary revenue channel via automated email marketing.

What is a Smart Wishlist?

It is more than just a heart button. A smart wishlist allows customers to save products for later (often without creating an account), organize them into multiple lists (like "Birthday" or "Renovation"), and receive automatic notifications when those saved items go on sale or come back in stock.

Who needs wishlists?

High-SKU retailers (fashion, home decor) where customers browse many items.
B2B / Wholesalers building project lists or draft orders.
Gift-heavy brands (jewelry, toys) where sharing lists is common.

Why Wishlists Matter (vs. Shopping Carts)

Using a wishlist changes customer behavior. Here is how it compares to a standard shopping cart:

Feature	Standard Shopping Cart	Smart Wishlist Strategy
Primary Goal	Immediate Purchase	Save Intent / "Maybe Later"
Data Retention	Clears after session expires	Saved for 30-90 days (or forever)
Email Capture	Only at checkout (high friction)	Upon saving item (low friction)
Abandonment	High (creates "fake" abandonment)	Low (intent is stored safely)
Remarketing	Generic "You forgot this" emails	Specific "Price dropped" alerts

How to Set Up Wishlists on Shopify

Step 1 → Prepare your store

Before installing, decide if you want wishlists to be "Guest" (open to everyone) or "Member Only" (requires login). For reducing abandonment, Guest is best. Ensure your theme is compatible with "App Embeds" (most Online Store 2.0 themes are).

Step 2 → Install & configure the app

Install Hulk Advanced Wishlist. In the app dashboard, go to General Settings and enable "Guest Wishlist". This removes the friction of creating an account, which is the #1 killer of wishlist usage.

Step 3 → Create rules & logic

Set up your automation triggers. In the app's Notifications or Email settings:

Enable Price Drop Alerts: Automatically email a customer if a favorited item goes on sale.
Enable Back in Stock Alerts: Capture demand for sold-out items.
(Optional) If you use Klaviyo, connect it in the Integrations tab to send these emails through your own branded flows.

Step 4 → Test the flow

Open your store in an Incognito window. Add an item to the wishlist without logging in. Check if the "Add to Wishlist" button is visible and working. Verify that the "Move to Cart" button functions correctly from the wishlist page.

Step 5 → Go live & monitor

Launch the feature. After 30 days, check the Wishlist Dashboard. Look for "Top Wishlisted Products" and "Conversion Rate from Wishlist." If a product has high wishes but low sales, consider running a specific discount on that item.

Examples and Use Cases

Here are three distinct scenarios, beyond standard fashion, where wishlists solve specific business problems:

Industry Type	The Problem	The Setup	The Result
Beauty & Skincare	"Sticker Shock." Customers build a full 5-step routine in the cart ($200+), panic at the total, and abandon.	Enabled "Save for Later". Allowed users to save the routine and buy items individually.	Customers bought the cleanser today and "Wishlisted" the serum for payday, increasing Lifetime Value (LTV).
PC Hardware / Tech	"Paralysis by Analysis." Customers open 20 tabs to compare specs and compatibility, then close them all due to fatigue.	Enabled Guest Wishlist for easy comparison.	Users saved components to a "Build List" and converted later when sent a "Low Stock" alert for the GPU.
Limited Drops / Sneakers	"The Stockout." Items sell out while in the cart, causing customer rage and lost future sales.	Used Pre-Launch Wishlist + Restock Alerts.	Customers wishlisted items before the drop. When stock hit, they received an instant email, leading to a record sell-out time.

Best Practices

Don't hide the heart: Place the wishlist heart icon prominently on collection pages and next to the "Add to Cart" button.
Incentivize saving: Add small text like "Save this item to get notified of price drops."
Use social proof: Show the "count" of how many people have wished for an item (e.g., "Loved by 124 people").
Keep it clean: Ensure the "Move to Cart" button is bold and works instantly.
Review your data: Monthly, look at your "Most Wished For" report. If an item is #1 on wishlists but has 0 sales, your price might be too high.

Summary

You can significantly reduce cart abandonment on Shopify by giving customers a "safe" place to store their intent without the pressure of a checkout. The core steps are: 1) Enable Guest Wishlists to lower friction, 2) Automate Price Drop and Restock alerts to bring them back, and 3) Analyze your wishlist data to understand true demand.

If you want help setting this up, you can try Hulk Advanced Wishlist to get started with a free plan.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

+ Can I allow customers to save items without an account?

Yes. You must enable the "Guest Wishlist" feature in the app settings. This uses browser cookies to save their list for a set period (usually 30-90 days) without them needing to log in.

+ How do automated wishlist emails work?

When a customer adds an item to their wishlist and provides an email (or is logged in), the app monitors that product. If you lower the price in Shopify admin, the app automatically triggers a "Price Drop" email to that specific customer.

+ Does this work with my Shopify theme?

Most likely, yes. Modern apps use "App Embeds" which work with almost all Online Store 2.0 themes. If you have an older vintage theme, you might need to add a single line of code, which the app support can usually do for you.

+ Can I see which products are most popular in wishlists?

Yes. The Hulk Advanced Wishlist dashboard provides a report showing exactly which products have been added the most. This is excellent data for planning your next sale or homepage feature.

+ Is it possible to share a wishlist?

Absolutely. Customers can generate a unique link to their wishlist to share via email, WhatsApp, or social media. This is ideal for birthdays, weddings, or corporate approvals.