Shoppers leaving a website without making a purchase is the worst-case scenario for any online seller. Such a loss-making tendency is called shopping cart abandonment. According to statistics by Baymard Institute, nearly 70% of consumers drop their baskets halfway through the checkout, meaning that for every 10 visitors, 7 of them close a page.
Let’s cut to the chase here to get a better understanding of shopping cart abandonment causes and how to fix this losing situation to your best advantage.
Key reasons for cart abandonment
As a rule of thumb, customers won’t buy a thing once they find out about extra shipping charges during their last checkout step. The study from Baymard Institute has shown that unexpected costs are by far the greatest dealbreaker (60%). So, total transparency is of paramount importance when it comes to customer retention.
In addition, signing up before checkout usually makes a client click away. To reduce cart abandonment, try a better alternative – highlight all the benefits. For instance, send regular reminders of discounts or offer order tracking.
Tips to minimize cart abandonment
Shopping cart abandonment might seem like the end of the world for any business owner. However, you might want to get some tried-and-true tips on how to decrease it:
#1 Make a guest check-in option possible
No potential customer will feel excited about filling out all the personal data, confirming an email address, and starting all over again with the checkout. Everything that can complement online shopping experience counts. Let your clients create an account after they’re done with their purchase. This will speed up the whole process, so your visitors won’t walk away.
#2 Build trust with security certificates
Users are savvy nowadays, so they’re well-versed about frauds of all sorts operating online. When clients shop at an online store, they don’t want their credit card information to go public. By embedding a trustworthy SSL certificate such as McAfee or Norton in your website, you can mitigate customers’ concerns and boost confidence in your business.
#3 Put the cart in plain sight
Many shoppers add things to their baskets and keep them for later. But they are unlikely to abandon their orders if your cart icon is in a noticeable area. A fully customized cart plugin will remind them of unpurchased items. Better yet, limit any distractions such as visual elements and unnecessary popups. If you want your visitors to stay on your website and stock up on what you sell, go ahead with this tip.
#4 Provide several payment options
Today’s tech-centric world is spoiled with a plethora of payment methods, such as Google Pay or Apple Pay. Shopify refers to FreshGigs and its surefire solution: accepting American Express cards coupled with Visa, Mastercard, and PayPal. The more of them you give, the more customers will be motivated to pay.
#5 Follow up with customized messages
You can save your business by doing one more trick: sending cart abandonment emails. These are personalized letters users receive when they didn’t complete their purchase. Bear in mind several ground rules to win back your visitors:
- mention an abandoned product
- come up with catchy subject lines
- get straight to the point
- insert an easy-to-see CTA (call-to-action) button
#6 Make getting in touch a snap
Clients may have questions while browsing a site. Develop an FAQ section and provide sterling customer service. A chat solution may be of use. You can help clients in real time, tackle any checkout-related problems, and monitor feedback. Check out the best live chat software that is gaining momentum right now and choose the one that works for you.
#7 Experiment with exit-intent popups
An exit-intent strategy works by indicating visitors’ mouse movements. A popup appears at that very moment when a client is about to leave the page. Such lightboxes can involve discounts, money-off coupons, downloadable content, and other messages. These 51 exit-intent popup examples are worth putting into practice.
#8 Fine-tune customer experience
Even a tiny detail on your website can push visitors away. These simple methods will help you capture your clients:
- Given that 79% of smartphone users have done the shopping using their devices on the go, creating a mobile-friendly website is essential;
- A tempting product picture can be game-changing. Provide your customers with eye-catching images and there you have it: your sales get rolling;
- Slow page load time drives users nuts and shoots your conversions. Test it regularly for top-notch speed and retaining your clients.
Final thoughts
To put it bluntly, abandoned carts have always been a pain in the neck for many online merchants. But now that you know how to reduce cart abandonment, your well-oiled purchase system is safe and sound. Take advantage of our checklist and wait for your conversions to skyrocket.
Lidia Bondarenko is a PR and outreach specialist at HelpCrunch, an all-in-one customer communication platform. Her professional experience encompasses customer service improvement and SEO. Her free time she spends searching for new marketing trends and tv shows, and practicing yoga. Follow her on Twitter @Liya_Bondarenko.
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