In e-commerce, there is little more frustrating than abandoned carts. Customers are so close to making a purchase, but, for whatever reason, the deal isn’t closed. E-commerce checkout conversion rate optimization (CRO) can help you lessen the reasons a potential customer may decide not to convert. According to Baymard Institute, the rate for abandoned carts is 68% or about 2 out of 3 users. Baymard researchers found that aside from users “just browsing,” the top 5 reasons for cart abandonments during checkout are:
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- extra costs, such as shipping, tax, fees, were too high (48%)
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- user didn’t want to create a required account (25%)
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- delivery was too slow (24%)
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- user didn’t trust the site with credit card information (19%)
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- checkout process was too long or complicated (18%)
(Read more about the research findings from Baymard Institute here.)
Combatting Checkout Process Friction and Anxiety Points
Many of these issues can be addressed with conversion rate optimization tactics. Below are 5 strategies to optimize your checkout process to lessen abandoned carts and boost your conversion rates. To learn more ways CRO can benefit your website, click here.
1. Optimize the Checkout Process
Users want the checkout process to be as quick and as painless as possible. One way to achieve this is to limit the number of steps they must take to complete the process. Too many steps that complicate the checkout process could cause user frustration and discourage some from completing the purchase. If your checkout process does not occur on a single page, providing a progress bar to show users how many steps they have left can help lessen user frustration. Another way to optimize the checkout process is to provide a guest checkout option so users do not have to create accounts to complete the purchase.
2. Simplify Form Fields
Another way your checkout process may be too long is by having too many form fields that require information a user may deem non-essential to the purchase. Users, typically, are only willing to provide necessary information for completing the purchase. Non-necessary information, especially if it is required and not optional, will often discourage users from completing the process. Ensure all form fields are essential for the purchase and eliminate any unnecessary fields.
3. Provide Clear Calls-to-Action (CTAs)
CTAs should always be clear and describe the action the user is about to take. They should guide the customer through the checkout process if there are multiple steps.
4. Reinforce Promotional Offers
You may have promotional offers clearly displayed on other pages of your site. Including them during your checkout process will help remind customers of these offers. Highlighting promotional offers, such as free shipping, discounts, buy one, get one offers, etc., during checkout can incentivize customers who are on the fence about completing the checkout after seeing the extra costs. Additionally, showing a progress bar of how close they may be to receiving the free shipping or promotional offer can also encourage customers to take advantage and complete the purchase.
5. Utilize Trust Signals
Users will not convert if they aren’t certain their information, especially credit/debit card numbers, will be safe. Trust signals, such as security badges and SSL certificates, displayed during checkout can help reassure your customers that your site is legitimate and that their information will be as safe as it can be.
Conclusion
Whether you are a large retailer or a small one, implementing these e-commerce checkout conversion rate optimization strategies can boost your checkout conversion rate. Even seemingly small adjustments or changes to your checkout process can have a notable impact.