The average online shopping cart abandonment rate documented is around 70.19%. While some visitors may simply be browsing, many others abandon their carts due to specific obstacles they encounter during their shopping journey. Identifying and addressing these key issues in your e-commerce site and checkout process can significantly enhance your conversion rates.
Let’s explore the common sticking points that could be turning potential buyers away and how you can tackle them effectively.
Let’s assess the front-facing aspect of your website. First impressions count, even online. We establish trust through visual cues and messaging. When users first land, is your website modern, striking, and on brand? Is the layout clean and intuitive to navigate?
Probably number two right?
Professional photography makes a world of difference when it comes to communicating validity, and this is only amplified the more expensive the product.
As the saying goes, you can lead a horse to water but…
Whilst visual aesthetics and form are the first pieces of the puzzle, the second equally important piece is function. This can be a huge sticking point for many customers along their journey. We all know that everyone today is time-poor. The more work that your customer needs to do, the more opportunities for them to build resistance to purchasing.
Create a new account? Download an app? No one wants to do all that! In fact, one study found that up to 26% of cart abandonments were due to the site requiring the user to create an account. Examine your user flow, and look for unnecessary steps that you can cut out. For a streamlined experience from start to finish, make the essentials easily visible and accessible - including the ability to edit the order, view and select shipping options, total cost and all the available payment options.
Clicking the checkout button and being taken somewhere else? That’s a security red flag! Being redirected to an unfamiliar site can raise security concerns among customers, especially if the external site doesn't visibly adhere to the same security standards as your original platform. It’s disruptive to the user. When taken away from the visual and communicative consistency of the site they were just on, they can feel uneasy about the legitimacy of the transaction.
Integration also makes sense from a business perspective. An integrated payment system allows for more customization in terms of how you present payment options to your customers. You can tailor the experience to meet their needs and preferences, which can lead to increased satisfaction and loyalty.
This follows on from our previous point. When customers buy from your site, they’re trusting you with their payment details. If your site isn’t encrypted, or you don’t have any visible security measures, they know their payment information isn’t safe with you.
Make sure your payment integration is seamless to keep the payment process on your site. Handling payments internally allows you to demonstrate visible security measures directly on your checkout page, such as SSL certificates and secure payment badges. This reassurance can significantly boost customer confidence in the security of their transactions.
