Nik:Introduce company and an overview of our core services and history of the company.
Nik:Introduce company and an overview of our core services and history of the company.
What is cart abandonment?Cart Abandonment is simply every time a shopper exits your shopping cart with items in it. Leaving money on the table and reducing ROI.
70% of shoppers have abandoned their cart at least once. So why is this becoming such a big problem for eCommerce store owners. There are many factors to blame. Gas prices and the poor economy make online shipping more attractive, however they also drive cart abandonment. High shipping costs and the need to find the best deal result in many cart abandonment.
57% of shoppers don’t want to pay high shipping costs48% of shoppers did not realize the full cost of purchase41% use the cart for research 15% find the shopping cart process to complicatedForrester Research
1st Image – Average Number of Item abandoned during checkout2nd Image – Average amount lost during cart abandonment *Practical eCommerce.com
All these tips were developed from hours of testing. Not all tips will work for every store. These are in no particular order.
Be Clear about Shipping Costs ahead of time. Many shoppers don’t find out the shipping cost before they access the cart, when they see the shipping costs for the first time it may deter them.Flat rate shipping or free shipping will obviously help cart abandonment, but they do not work for every store. If shoppers know the shipping costs and when they will receive the item they are more likely to buyAny shipping message should be around the Add to Cart button where people will see it.
Tell the customer when they will receive their product right away. This will limit the costly step of customers abandoning the cart later in the process. This way are confident when entering your shopping cart that you will deliver in a timely manner for a reasonable price. This removes the uncertainty and anxiety they might feel when entering the shopping cart. To make this process easier, save their zip code information on each product page, so they only have to fill this information out once.* Special Note: this may not be feasible and work well for all types of online stores
Have the most competitive price, and be clear about it.This is harder for the smaller retailer.If you have the best price make sure it is advertised all over your websiteBe aware of your competition.Let your customers know this information before the shopping cart, preferably on the product page right below the add to cart button.Again, make your customers feel confident before entering the shopping cart. Removing the fear and doubt about the purchase will reduce the psychological anxiety customers feel when buying from you.
Assume your shoppers are not web savvy – make your cart easy to useMake sure your cart is user friendly; many people leave if they aren’t able to use your cart with ease.When it comes down to it, if your competitor offers everything you do and their process is easier than yours, they will win the business in the long run. Case in point, Amazon has spent millions to build and protect it’s 1-click shopping patent for that very reason.
Remove all errors from your cart Nothing will make someone leave faster than a recurring errorUse IE 6 to check for Java script errors in your cart
Be clear with errorsMake sure it is clear to the shopper what action is causing an error in their shopping cart. If it is a declined credit card let them know what they did wrong instead of making them guess.
Be serious about security Recent events, like the Sony data breach in early May, have made the general public nervous about handing over their personal and credit card information. Take security seriously by showing customers how their data is protected and that you will help protect them if any fraud does happen if they use your website. Be clear about your security policy and test several security badges and providers in noticeable positions on your shopping cart.customers are even more worried about security of their personal information online. State you have a secure storage system State that you transfer their information over a secure connection Be clear on the liability if fraud does happen
Offer supportHave a phone number clear in your cartLive Chat – make sure it is a true live chat and not a robot. You need a real person with a real answer
Make sure your cart loads quicklyDo what is possible for your cart to download quicklyUse technology to pre-loadRemove all items that slow down the processThe faster you can go in and out, more products people will addand buyOne clients saw a 5% increase in cart completion when preloading their shopping cart resources
Give the Shopper Motivation to Complete the saleShoppers must be motivated to fill out the form and complete the purchaseOffering them a free gift, coupon, or free shipping will help motivate them to stay Test different offers to different segments of your customers If they are adding products to your cart for the first time, offer them a new customer discount if they try to leave and price shopThe Cart Closer!
To recap: Answer these common questions for your customers to reduce care abandonment:How much is shipping?When will I get my product?Am I getting the best price? How long is checkout going to take?Is my credit card and personal information safe?Is there a person that will help me?Will this product make my life better?
