5 Ways to Optimize Your Online Shopping Cart
1. Be Transparent about Costs at All Times
The biggest reason that online shoppers abandon their carts is because of extra costs, like shipping or taxes, that were higher than expected, according to a 2017 survey by Baymard. Another factor for cart abandonment is transparency about total order costs, the survey showed.
The data can speak for itself: Customers want to know how much they’re paying at all times. And yes, that includes shipping, taxes and any other additional fees. Because some of those prices may vary by location, consider adding a widget to the checkout page that gives users an estimate by entering their zip code.
2. Make the Checkout Process as Simple as Possible
The harder you make your online checkout process, the less likely your customers will buy. Things that seem small — like requiring users to set up an account to purchase — may not be to your consumers. Create an option for customers to create an account or continue as a guest. If your store has offers or coupons, place the box where customers can input the code in an easy-to-find spot.
3. Flaunt Your Security Measures
In this day and age, it may seem like data breaches happen all too often, so it’s no surprise that customers want to know that their financial information is safe. They’ll be on the lookout for website security, like the padlock to the left of a URL on the browser window or the “S” after “http.” (The S on “https” signifies encryption between a web server and browser.) It doesn’t stop there, though: Give your customers peace of mind by adding assurances, like “Secured by (company)” underneath the space where they’re entering payment information.
4. Allow Users to Return to their Carts
A little bit of memory can go a long way. Let your customers save products or services in their cart and return to it later. An easily customizable cart — one in which customers can add, delete, save or update quantities — will also simplify their checkout process. This can also give you insight as to what your customers are interested in.
5. Make the Checkout Process Mobile-Friendly
In 2017, mobile commerce, or m-commerce, made up just over one-third of all e-commerce sales. By 2021, some project mobile commerce will be the most dominant way online shoppers will buy. Keep that in mind as you’re performing shopping cart optimization. If more customers are using their phones to purchase items, you may want to make sure that they are getting the best and simplest experience while doing so. We’ll have more about optimizing your website for mobile later this month.
