Reduce Shopping Cart Abandonment

If you’re an online E-commerce site owner then you will no doubt have come across the frustrating situation where your customers add something to their basket and then go through the checkout process only to leave at the last minute during the confirm order stage. It’s hard to not get frustrated as you wonder what you did wrong or why the potential customer left.

Every sale counts and when for no known reason your customer walks away it can leave you wondering why, how and what happened. So here at Dorset Tech we know a thing or two about E-commerce and we thought we’d put together a handy brief on what you can do to hopefully stop them leaving your store resulting in a missed sale.

Be clear about delivery charges:

This is the main reason people leave your checkout and do not complete a purchase. If your delivery charges are high or were not mentioned until the last minute then this puts people off. Always be clear about your shipping charges and try offer different options too such as next day delivery.

Use remarketing to target abandoners:

If someone leaves your checkout then they are a prime candidate for remarketing. So maybe  a subtle email to entice them back or even a discount code or free delivery. They were obviously interested in the item so strike whilst the irons hot and try re-sell to them straight away, any delays and they could have gone and bought elsewhere.

Offer a guest checkout option:

This ranks up there with one of the main reasons people leave your checkout process. People don’t like to create accounts when buying something, many people like a quick checkout so always offer a guest checkout process.  This makes it quick and easy for people to purchase from your site.

Include details of any warranty or guarantees:

People like to feel safe when buying something online, it’s a trust issue so if the item comes with a warranty and guarantee then always make sure this is stated throughout the checkout process.

Reduce page load times:

An obvious one we think but still we see checkouts with long loading times, visitors may see this as a concern and it could reflect badly on your business. Chances are if they see a loading wheel for a few seconds they will go elsewhere. Besides that having a fast loading website should be a top priority anyway.

Establish trust:

Things like having telephone numbers, contact details and an address all help build trust with your potential customer.   Links to active social media pages also help. Live chat functions also help too.

Include thumbnail images of products:

People buy things online because they want them or like them. If you include a visual reminder of the item they are buying then this helps keep the interest alive throughout the buying process.

Offer multiple payment options:

Many people pay using PayPal or other options so always include multiple ways to pay, even bank transfer though obviously confirm this before sending out any items.

The top 6 reasons for people abandoning a shopping cart are as follows:

  • Unexpected delivery costs
  • Had to create an account
  • Just browsing
  • Payment security concerns
  • Confusing checkout
  • Couldn’t find voucher code

The main thing is to build trust and make it fast to buy the item with no hassle and stress.  A guest checkout is always a major factor so offer this option at checkout. Having an SSL site is essential too.  Always keep an eye on your checkout abandoners as you can build up a useful list of why they left and put plans into action to resolve these.

Dorset Tech Support

The Dorset Tech support team is here to offer you the advice and news you need to get your foothold in the ever-evolving digital world.

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