When should the first cart recovery email go out?
Short answer
Send the first email within one hour of abandonment. Conversion drops sharply after two hours and rarely recovers.
Why the first hour matters
The customer is still in buying mode. They got distracted, not disinterested. Every hour you wait, the intent fades.
What to send
Keep it simple. Remind them what they left behind, show the product image, and make the return path one click. No discount in the first email — save that for the second.
The three-email structure
Email one at one hour: reminder. Email two at twenty-four hours: social proof or scarcity. Email three at seventy-two hours: small incentive if margin allows.