Abandonment Issues: Shopping Cart Problems

Did you know the average abandonment rate for online shopping carts is around 69% according to a Baymard Research Institute study? That is way too high! It means people are getting all the way to checkout and then deciding at the last minute to not purchase the items in the cart. There are a number of reasons that may spur people to leave including:

  • having to pay unexpectedly high shipping costs
  • starting a new account
  • just checking out your prices
  • concerns with the payment security on your site
  • too many steps to checkout
  • no coupon code
  • shipping options weren’t up to par

Online shopping is supposed to be quick and easy – that’s why people do it! Having a lengthy checkout process with a number of forms and unexpected costs, will make people want to leave and search for a simpler site. There are a few things that you can do to simplify the checkout process that will surely encourage more people to purchase from your site as opposed to leaving mid-sale.

  1. Keeps forms to a minimum and only include the necessary fields. If you do require that customers sign up before they purchase, be sure to keep it simple and quick.
  2. If possible, include a guest checkout option. Let people try your company first and if they decide they like you, they can come back and register. This will help lock in that first sale. Or, you can add incentives to the sign up forms – faster checkout, saved details, or special deals can be great ways to entice people to sign up before they checkout.
  3. Make customers feel they can trust your site. They are giving you payment information that is sensitive, and they want to know that you have a secure checkout. Adding badges and labels, or allowing payment through PayPal or other secure payments sites can boost trust in your site.
  4. Be upfront about your shipping costs. If at all possible, show shipping options at the beginning of the shopping experience so that people are aware of their options and how much it will tack onto their purchase. This will keep people from leaving later on when they find out about shipping.
  5. Keep track of where customers are in the checkout process so that they can go back (with back links) or see what else they have to complete. Visual feedback is important to keeping people engaged and helps people understand your checkout process so there is no confusion or hidden steps.
  6. Add customer testimonials to your checkout pages to remind customers that you’re a valued and trusted brand. Keeping them positive about their purchase while checking out is important to finalizing that sale.
  7. If someone does abandon their cart, send them an email offering assistance or offering a special deal to get them to come back. They may have been confused about the checkout process or perhaps they were turned off by the shipping costs. Offer them a coupon to curb the shipping or even free shipping, while making them aware of your contact information for any questions.
  8. Be sure you update and check your shopping cart often. Nothing turns a customer off quicker than a shopping cart that doesn’t work properly. This does not portray trustworthiness and makes customers feel insecure about putting in their payment information.
  9. Making sure people are aware when you’re out of stock on an item is important to customer satisfaction. If someone adds an item to their shopping cart and goes through the entire checkout only to find out that the item is out of stock on the last page will not make them happy customers. Or, what’s worse is not letting someone know an item is out of stock and going through with the order but not getting it to them for 6 months.
  10. If you have the capability, let customers know an estimated delivery date and tracking number. This lets the customer feel in charge and gives them peace of mind that their order is complete and on its way.

An eCommerce site is a time intensive, complex project to take on. You want to be sure it works properly and that it’s getting sales. Encompassing these 10 tips into your eCommerce site will help solve some of your abandonment issues – and hiring Fusion Group USA will make this process even easier! We can help setup your shopping cart and train you on how to use and update your shopping cart. Call today for a consultation or to get an estimate on an eCommerce site!

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