Every eCommerce owner has had to deal with increasing shopping cart abandonment rates. It’s incredibly frustrating to have a potential customer come to your site, find a product they like, and enter the checkout process only to leave without finalizing the transaction. Below are five ways to optimize your store and checkout process in order to convert as many customers as possible.
- Offer Shipping Options
Free Shipping is one of the top reasons’ shoppers choose certain online stores but it’s not the only reason. A good portion of customers are willing to have extended delivery windows for free shipping as long as they have an expedited shipping as an option. Having both fast and free options create incentives for shoppers and can increase sales. - Eliminate Hidden Fees
Shoppers hate surprises when they go to checkout. Make sure to have shipping costs and any additional fees (sales taxes, handling fees, customization charges, etc.) clear on the product page so the customer isn’t surprised after adding the item to their cart. By utilizing a shipping or tax calculator your shoppers will be able to get a good idea of what the item is going to cost them in advance of checking out. - Keep the Cart Visible
Customers are often searching for more than one item, so it can be really frustrating for them to have to keep navigating through out your site to check the items they’ve added. They need to be able to access their cart no matter what page they are on. Having a simple drop-down in the menu will allow customers to get a sense of what is in their cart without having to navigate to another page which can lead to a decrease in shopping cart abandonment. - Simplify Checkout Process
Shoppers are more likely to abandon their cart if the checkout process is too lengthy. By streamlining the process by eliminating unnecessary pages you’ll increase the chance for a repeat customer. Another way to simplify the process is to approach the shopper about creating an account after they’ve entered their information, so they won’t have to enter it again the next time they buy. - Offer a Variety of Secure Payment Options
The particular payment option your customers will prefer is going to greatly vary. Including a variety of credit cards, third-party payment services like PayPal, and even gift-cards allows shoppers to choose the option they trust most.
By implementing these optimization tips you’ll not only improve conversion rates you’ll be able to provide a better, easier shopping experience for your customers.