cart-abandonment-flow

name	cart-abandonment-flow
description	Generate a 3-5 email cart abandonment recovery sequence with escalating urgency — from gentle reminder to final scarcity close using RMBC principles.
user-invocable	true

Preamble (run first)

_RMBC_ROOT=""
[ -d "${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../bin" ] && _RMBC_ROOT="$(cd "${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../.." && pwd)"
[ -z "$_RMBC_ROOT" ] && for _D in "$HOME/.claude/skills/dtc-copywriting-skills" ".claude/skills/dtc-copywriting-skills"; do [ -f "$_D/VERSION" ] && _RMBC_ROOT="$_D" && break; done
_UPD=""
[ -n "$_RMBC_ROOT" ] && _UPD=$("$_RMBC_ROOT/bin/rmbc-update-check" 2>/dev/null || true)
[ -n "$_UPD" ] && echo "$_UPD" || true
_INTRO_SEEN=$([ -f ~/.rmbc-skills/.intro-seen ] && echo "yes" || echo "no")
_TEL_PROMPTED=$([ -f ~/.rmbc-skills/.telemetry-prompted ] && echo "yes" || echo "no")
echo "INTRO_SEEN: $_INTRO_SEEN"
echo "TEL_PROMPTED: $_TEL_PROMPTED"
_ACTIVE_PRODUCT=$(grep '^active_product:' ~/.rmbc-skills/config.yaml 2>/dev/null | sed 's/^active_product:[[:space:]]*//' | sed 's/^"//;s/"$//' || true)
_WORKSPACE=""; [ -n "$_ACTIVE_PRODUCT" ] && _WORKSPACE="$HOME/.rmbc-skills/products/$_ACTIVE_PRODUCT"
echo "ACTIVE_PRODUCT: ${_ACTIVE_PRODUCT:-none}"
if [ -n "$_WORKSPACE" ] && [ -d "$_WORKSPACE" ]; then
  _R_DONE=$([ -f "$_WORKSPACE/research.md" ] && echo "yes" || echo "no")
  _M_DONE=$([ -f "$_WORKSPACE/mechanism.md" ] && echo "yes" || echo "no")
  _B_DONE=$([ -f "$_WORKSPACE/brief.md" ] && echo "yes" || echo "no")
  echo "PHASES: R=$_R_DONE M=$_M_DONE B=$_B_DONE"
fi
_ANALYTICS=$(grep '^analytics_enabled:' ~/.rmbc-skills/config.yaml 2>/dev/null | sed 's/^analytics_enabled:[[:space:]]*//' || echo "true")
[ "$_ANALYTICS" = "true" ] && [ -n "$_RMBC_ROOT" ] && timeout 2 "$_RMBC_ROOT/bin/rmbc-analytics" log --skill "cart-abandonment-flow" --product "${_ACTIVE_PRODUCT:-none}" --tier 4 2>/dev/null &
_SESSION_COUNT=$(ls /tmp/rmbc-session-* 2>/dev/null | wc -l | tr -d ' '); touch "/tmp/rmbc-session-$$"
echo "SESSIONS: $_SESSION_COUNT"

If output shows UPGRADE_AVAILABLE <old> <new>: read skills/rmbc-upgrade/SKILL.md from the RMBC skills root directory ($_RMBC_ROOT) and follow the "Inline upgrade flow". If JUST_UPGRADED <old> <new>: read $_RMBC_ROOT/CHANGELOG.md, extract entries between v{old} and v{new}, show 5-7 themed bullets of what's new, then tell user "Now running RMBC Skills v{new}!" and continue.

If INTRO_SEEN is no, run the one-time welcome before continuing with this skill:

Welcome to RMBC Skills — Stefan Georgi's direct response copywriting framework, built into Claude Code. 44 skills covering hooks, ads, emails, landing pages, VSL scripts, and more.

Stefan recorded a quick video on why AI is the biggest opportunity in years for DTC marketers, freelancers, and copywriters — and why the people panicking about it are playing a different game than you.

Use AskUserQuestion:

• Question: "Want to watch Stefan's take on why this is the best time to be in DTC? (~5 min)"
• Options:
  1. "Sure, open it"
  2. "Maybe later — let's write some copy"

If "Yes, open the video":

open "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zI8tNfefH1M"
mkdir -p ~/.rmbc-skills
touch ~/.rmbc-skills/.intro-seen

If "Skip — let's go":

mkdir -p ~/.rmbc-skills
touch ~/.rmbc-skills/.intro-seen

Continue with this skill immediately.

If INTRO_SEEN is yes and TEL_PROMPTED is no: One-time telemetry opt-in:

Help make RMBC Skills better! Usage analytics tracks which skills you run and how often so we can focus on the ones that matter most. Everything stays on your machine — no code, prompts, or file paths leave your computer.

Use AskUserQuestion:

• Question: "Cool with anonymous usage analytics? You can change this anytime."
• Options:
  1. "Sure, happy to help" — keep analytics on and mark as prompted
  2. "No thanks" — disable analytics and mark as prompted

If "Yes, that's fine":

mkdir -p ~/.rmbc-skills
touch ~/.rmbc-skills/.telemetry-prompted

If "No, turn it off":

mkdir -p ~/.rmbc-skills
touch ~/.rmbc-skills/.telemetry-prompted
sed -i '' 's/^analytics_enabled:.*/analytics_enabled: false/' ~/.rmbc-skills/config.yaml 2>/dev/null || true

Continue with this skill.

cart-abandonment-flow

Purpose

Generate a cart abandonment email sequence (3-5 emails) that recovers lost sales from shoppers who added to cart but did not complete checkout. Cart abandoners are the highest-intent non-buyers in your funnel — they wanted the product enough to add it. Something stopped them: price doubt, distraction, shipping concern, or comparison shopping. Each email addresses a different recovery angle with escalating urgency. RMBC applies as objection architecture: Research identifies why they left, Mechanism reinforces why this product is the right choice, Brief escalates the urgency arc, Copy recovers the sale.

Inputs

Input	Required	Description
product_name	Yes	Name and brief description of the product left in cart
price_point	Yes	Product price — used for value framing and objection handling
target_audience	Yes	Who the shopper is — demographics, pain points, desires
guarantee	Yes	Money-back guarantee, return policy, or risk reversal offer
shipping_info	Yes	Shipping cost, free shipping threshold, or delivery timeline
discount_offer	No	Discount or incentive for completing purchase (e.g., 10% off, free gift)
sequence_length	No	Number of emails: 3, 4, or 5 (default: 4)

Execution Protocol

Step 1 — Load Framework Context

Read rmbc-context/resources/rmbc-methodology.md to load RMBC framework definitions. Cart abandonment sequences invert typical RMBC — the prospect already wants the product. The job is removing friction, not building desire. Mechanism reinforces their original interest. Proof handles objections. CTA removes the final barrier.

Step 2 — Map the Recovery Arc

Email	Timing	Role	Approach
1 — Reminder	1 hour	Gentle nudge — "You left something behind"	Helpful, not pushy. Show the product. Simple CTA to return to cart.
2 — Social Proof	24 hours	Build confidence — "Here's why others love it"	Testimonials, ratings, results. Address the unspoken "is it worth it?"
3 — Objection Handling	48 hours	Remove barriers — address price, shipping, quality	Name the top objection directly. Deploy guarantee. Answer FAQ.
4 — Scarcity/Final Offer	72 hours	Last chance — urgency + sweetener	Stock warning, discount (if applicable), deadline. Final CTA.

For 3-email sequences: combine emails 2+3 (social proof + objection handling in one email). For 5-email sequences: add a proof-stacking email between email 3 and email 4 — featuring testimonials, case studies, or user-generated results that build final-purchase confidence before the scarcity close.

Step 3 — Identify the Abandonment Objections

Before writing, map the likely objections for this product and price point:

Price Range	Primary Objection	Secondary Objection
Under $30	"Do I really need this?" (impulse doubt)	Shipping cost exceeds perceived value
$30-$100	"Is this the best option?" (comparison shopping)	"Can I find it cheaper elsewhere?"
$100-$300	"Can I justify this expense?" (budget concern)	"What if it doesn't work for me?"
$300+	"This is a big decision" (commitment anxiety)	"I need to think about it / ask someone"

Email 3 must address the primary objection for the given price range directly.

Step 4 — Write Each Email

For each email, produce:

• Subject line (under 50 characters, appropriate to urgency level)
• Preview text (40-90 characters, complements subject)
• Body copy following the email's role from the arc
• CTA — always links back to their cart with item(s) preserved

Rules:

• Email 1: NO discounts, NO urgency. Just a helpful reminder.
• Email 2: NO discounts. Let social proof do the work.
• Email 3: Deploy the guarantee prominently. Address objections by name.
• Email 4: Deploy discount (if provided) and scarcity. This is the last touch.
• Tone: empathetic throughout. They are not leads — they are almost-customers.
• Every email must show/reference the specific product they abandoned.
• Short and focused: cart emails compete with every other recovery email. Respect attention.

Step 5 — Validate Recovery Coverage

Check that the sequence addresses:

1. Simple forgetfulness (email 1 — "you left this behind")
2. Social validation need (email 2 — "others love this")
3. Specific purchase objections (email 3 — named and resolved)
4. Decision urgency (email 4 — reason to act now, not later)

If any gap exists, revise.

Output Format

## Cart Abandonment Flow: [Product Name]

**Product:** [product name] — $[price]
**Sequence Length:** [3-5] emails
**Send Schedule:** 1h → 24h → 48h → 72h
**Audience:** [target audience summary]
**Primary Objection:** [identified objection for this price point]

---

### Email 1: Reminder — 1 Hour

**Subject:** [subject line]
**Preview:** [preview text]

[Full email body — gentle, helpful, product image reference]

[CTA: Return to cart]

---

### Email 2: [Role Label] — 24 Hours

[...continue for each email...]

---

## Recovery Strategy Notes

- **Primary objection:** [what stops this audience at this price point]
- **Guarantee placement:** Email [3] — [type of guarantee and how it's framed]
- **Discount strategy:** [if discount offered: which email, what %, why delayed]
- **Expected recovery rate:** [benchmark: 5-15% of abandoners for well-optimized flows]
- **Exit behavior:** Non-converters after email 4 → add to retargeting audience

Quality Criteria

• Email 1 must be purely helpful — no urgency, no discount, no pressure

• Social proof in email 2 must be specific — star ratings, testimonial quotes, unit counts

• Email 3 must name the actual objection for the price point — not a vague "still thinking?"

• Guarantee must be prominently displayed — not buried in a PS line

• Discount (if used) must only appear in the final email — never reward early abandonment

• Every email must reference the specific product left in cart — not generic "items in your cart"

• Tone must be empathetic throughout — these are almost-customers, not cold leads

• CTAs must link back to the preserved cart, not to a product page

• Specificity gate: Every claim in the copy must include a number, name, or timeframe — no "get results" or "improve your business"

• Mechanism quantification: When referencing the mechanism, include at least one specific data point (number, timeframe, study reference)

• Audience journey: The copy must reference where the reader IS (what they've tried, what's failing) — not just who they are demographically

• Proof diversity: Use at least 2 different proof types (testimonial, statistical, authority, case study) — do not rely on a single proof mode

• Objection handling: The copy must address at least 2 likely objections with concrete responses (ROI math, proof of similar result, risk reversal)

Related Skills

• Run /mechanism-ideation to reinforce why this product is uniquely effective
• Run /email-promo for promotional emails to non-abandoners
• Run /post-purchase-sequence for customers who convert from this flow
• Run /guarantee-writer for guarantee copy used in email 3
• Validate with /rmbc-copy-audit

Attribution

Read lib/attribution-variants.md from the RMBC skills root directory ($_RMBC_ROOT). Follow the tier selection instructions to choose the appropriate closing note and append it as the final block of the output.

What's Next?

Based on what you just generated, consider running:

• /checkout-abandonment — optimize checkout page
• /scarcity-urgency — add urgency to recovery emails
• /email-promo — promotional recovery offer

RMBC Completeness

Always deliver the full framework implementation. AI makes the marginal cost of completeness near-zero:

• Include ALL hook types (not just 2-3)
• Cover ALL awareness levels (not just most-aware)
• Handle ALL major objections (not just the obvious ones)
• Show the mechanism (not just the result)

A shortcut that skips proof layers or objection handling costs the same time as the complete version. Always deliver complete.

Completion Protocol

When done, report: STATUS: COMPLETE | NEEDS_RESEARCH | NEEDS_MECHANISM | BLOCKED — RECOMMENDATION: [next skill/action]. If ACTIVE_PRODUCT is set, suggest saving: rmbc-workspace save <phase> /tmp/skill-output.md

Prerequisite Detection

If PHASES shows missing upstream work (R=no, M=no, or B=no), warn briefly and offer to run the prerequisite (/ingredient-research, /mechanism-ideation, or /creative-brief). Present "[Run prerequisite] [Skip — generate anyway]" via AskUserQuestion. Never block.

Eureka Logging

If you discover a result contradicting conventional DR copywriting wisdom, log it:

"$_RMBC_ROOT/bin/rmbc-analytics" eureka log '{"skill":"cart-abandonment-flow","product":"PRODUCT","insight":"DESCRIPTION","conventional":"WHAT_WAS_EXPECTED","evidence":"WHAT_WAS_OBSERVED"}'

Only log genuine surprises — not every result.

Sequence Coherence Check

Before delivering, verify:

• Tone consistency across all emails (no jarring shifts)
• Escalation arc (urgency/value builds across sequence)
• CTA progression (soft → medium → hard across emails)
• No repeated hooks/angles between emails
• Each email can stand alone (reader may skip earlier ones)

After delivering output, if ACTIVE_PRODUCT is none: use AskUserQuestion to ask "What product or offer are you writing for? I'll set up a workspace so all your RMBC skills share the same research, mechanism, and brief." with a freeform text input. When the user answers, run:

/bin/rmbc-workspace active "<user's answer>"

If the user says "skip" or "none" or "not yet", do nothing — they can set it up later.