An almost-sale is not possible. Abandoned carts combine both the excitement of selling a product people are interested in and the fear that you might have done something to endanger that interest. There are many reasons abandoned carts happen. Fortunately, there has been a lot of research.
Some reasons, such as shoppers using the cart for determining a final price, are out of merchant’s hands. However, many reasons can be attributed to the checkout process and can be modified to better suit the needs of the customer. We will be examining some common mistakes in checkout that ecommerce businesses can correct to decrease abandoned carts.
1. Mobile shoppers are not optimized
Mobile shopping is growing rapidly. If your online store doesn’t have the right tools to support this trend, you are already behind. Mobile capabilities are not available in older checkouts. They also tend to be built on top an outdated checkout structure making them less secure. Consider upgrading to a modern, mobile-friendly checkout solution if your mobile checkout doesn’t work well.
2. There is no “Guest Checkout”.
Many shoppers find the idea of having their personal data stored on a number of sites unappealing. After all, there has been an increase in cybercriminals. Customers take privacy seriously. They won’t buy from online businesses if they cannot check out as guests and have their information not stored. You won’t be left out of sales by offering a guest checkout option.
3. Too much information?
Long forms that ask for too much information are another common problem. While you may need this information in future marketing efforts, you’ll lose more leads than you gain if you ask for birthdays or other personal information that isn’t relevant to your order. Ask only for what is necessary to deliver the product to the customer. You can also autofill this information if you can. If they don’t respond, you can always send them an email inviting them to fill out their account by providing additional information.
4. Multiple-page checkout
Short attention spans caused by the internet don’t disappear as soon as shoppers take out their credit cards. Visitors are discouraged and sales threatened by a lengthy checkout process that takes pages upon pages, even with a helpful progress bar at the top. Although a one-page checkout is ideal it is not possible for returning customers who have already signed in to their accounts. Your checkout should not exceed 10 pages.
5. Shipping costs that are not acceptable
Even if the storefront does not attempt to conceal shipping costs, knowing the final shipping cost can be a major obstacle to purchases. This can be fixed by setting a minimum threshold for shipping free of charge. Customers are more likely to spend more on products that they will use over time than they are to purchase one-off services. Although it may reduce your margins, this is a lower price than losing a sale.
6. There are a limited number of payment options
Many customers expect small businesses to offer the same payment options and options that mega-stores have. Customers have their preferred payment method, whether it’s traditional credit cards, Apple Pay or PayPal. Some customers are more likely buy if they can spread their payments. To meet all customers where they are most comfortable, you might consider adding an all-on-1 payment solution to your payments strategy.
7. Inadequate trust-building security seals
Shoppers are more likely to abandon their carts if they don’t trust your business. In order to build trust with potential customers, you can include security seals and markers that your payment solution offers in the checkout flow. This will ensure that they know their payment information will be treated securely. This objection can be overcome to convince new customers to buy from your store.
8. Live chat not available
Many shoppers abandon their carts because they cannot find the answer to a minor question. Although they can call or email the business to address their concern quickly, most shoppers want a reply before clicking “buy”. Live chat allows customers to ask questions and receive an immediate answer so that they don’t get stuck in the purchasing process.
Last Thoughts
Ecommerce businesses will always have abandoned carts. However, you can minimize them by making sure your checkout process is user-friendly. To increase your chances of converting shoppers into buyers, avoid the mistakes in your checkout process.
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By: Volusion Staff
Title: 8 Major Checkout Mistakes Ecommerce Businesses Make
Sourced From: www.volusion.com/blog/major-checkout-mistakes-ecommerce-businesses-make/
Published Date: Mon, 09 May 2022 15:05:00 GMT
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