Have you been running your eCommerce store for a while now and looking for suggestions to improve your online sales? If yes, then this blog post is for you!
Did you know?
One of the critical steps in converting website users into buyers is the checkout process.
Yes, the easier and more user-friendly your checkout process is, the higher your chances of making more sales.
On the contrary, the lack of a seamless checkout process can result in a higher order abandonment rate.
According to several studies, the average shopping cart abandonment rate is between 60% and 70%. This simply means that out of every 100 intended buyers (who started the checkout process on your eCommerce website to buy), only 30-40 people complete their orders and pay for their products.
Now, you must have realized how critical it is to ensure a smooth checkout process and prevent high abandonment rates to increase sales and profits from your eCommerce store.
In this post, I will share nine proven methods for reducing the order abandonment rate on your eCommerce website.
Are you ready? Let’s begin!
#1 Ensure your checkout process is technically sound
Have you tested your eCommerce store properly?
You must ensure that your online store’s checkout process is bug-free and technical glitches-free. Even a single glitch can turn off potential customers and prevent them from buying your products.
If you can spend your hard-earned money to build your eCommerce web design, I am sure you can’t simply afford to ignore the importance of having an error-free checkout process.
A minor mistake can cost you sales loss worth hundreds of dollars. And by the time you know this reason, it may be too late.
What’s the solution?
a. Check all the possibilities of your checkout process and ensure it runs flawlessly.
b. Ask your friends and relatives to place some orders first and provide you with unbiased feedback.
c. Hire a professional eCommerce consultant to check your online store for any possible glitches or bugs.
What if you’ve found any errors?
Don’t delay any more; hire a web developer to fix the issues.
#2 Keep the number of steps of your checkout process to the minimum
This point is so obvious that it needs no explanation, but surprisingly, many eCommerce stores ask endless questions from their potential buyers before they buy any product.
I don’t get the point of asking, ‘From where did you learn about us?’ when you can track this using your web analytic reports. I also don’t see any logic in asking for the Landline number when you already asked for their mobile number and email confirmation (asking users to enter their email two times), which the users copy and paste from one field to another.
Above are some example questions/fields you can avoid asking your potential buyers.
Asking too many questions, even if they are not helpful for their purchase, can also result in a high order abandonment rate.
#3 Do inform your potential buyers about the estimated timeframe
You must have noticed how several eCommerce websites show the number of steps to complete their checkout process and inform users about their current steps.
For example, suppose buying a product requires a customer to fill out a 3-step checkout form, and the customer already knows, through an indication, that they are on step 1 of 3 or step 2 of 3. In that case, they know the estimated time to finish the checkout process.
Is it necessary for a checkout process?
No, not at all. However, it does help the users know the estimated time to finish the checkout process, reducing the order abandonment rate.
#4 Display your security seals clearly
How secure is your eCommerce store for the users?
Have you ensured that your website is virus-free and safe for users’ browsers? Or have you installed a secured layer on your server to protect your users’ confidential information from being leaked?
If yes, then you are on the right track. But do not forget to share this with your customers.
Yes, throughout the checkout process, you must display security seals like McAfee, Norton, and VeriSign/Symantec so your potential buyers feel confident buying from your website.
If you haven’t shown these security seals on your eCommerce store, try now and observe how many additional sales you can generate.
#5 Offer multiple payment methods
There is a common misconception among eCommerce store owners that if they are familiar with a particular payment gateway, they can use it and impose it on their customers.
Have you done enough research on the most popular and widely accepted payment gateways in your region or country? If not, now is the right time to do it.
The whole idea is to ensure that your potential buyers are aware of and confident about the payment gateway through which you accept payments. The buyer has to pay and won’t pay if they are not assured.
Of course, using PayPal is a great idea, as it’s one of the renowned payment gateways worldwide and is used by most eCommerce stores. But along with the option of paying through PayPal, you must also provide your users with more payment options.
Offering your customers more payment methods will reduce your eCommerce website’s order abandonment rate.
#6 Provide your contact details
If, for any reason, your potential buyers cannot make the payment or have some queries related to their orders and they cannot find your contact details on your website, they will quit, leaving their order(s) abandoned.
What’s the solution here?
You must ensure that your contact details, such as mobile/phone number, email, Skype, etc., are prominently displayed at each step of your checkout process. This will make it easier for your customers to contact you, resolve their queries, and complete their orders.
Several online chat widgets are available that your web developer can integrate with your website. These widgets help your customers to chat with you/your staff anytime they wish to do so. The good news is that most of these chat widgets are free to use.
When you ensure your customers that you are always there when they need you, they feel more confident to place orders and pay against them.
#7 Returns & Shipping policies must be specified
Do you know that many customers never complete their orders because they are reluctant to buy from a store miles away from them and, most importantly, have never been there? All they know about your business is through your eCommerce website only.
Having said above, it becomes essential for you, as an eCommerce webmaster, to mention the following:
a. Your store’s return policies. These policies explain what will happen if customers don’t like your products when they receive them.
b. Your store’s shipping policies. How many days will it take for your customers to receive their products?
#8 Avoid giving shocking surprises
We, all human beings, like surprises, but only those that are good. We hate nasty and shocking surprises. Isn’t it?
What if you never displayed any hidden charges on the product description page and, during checkout, added them to your customer’s total cart value?
Will your customers still proceed to buy from you if you show them unexpected hidden charges?
Simply not. If you do so, I bet your eCommerce shop will have a high order abandonment rate.
Don’t surprise them while they check out. If your product incurs additional charges, they must be displayed and mentioned on the product page, not the checkout page.
#9 Allow guest checkouts
Lastly, allowing guest checkout at your eCommerce store would be best.
Why?
Let’s admit it. None of us have spare time to fill out lengthy registration forms if all we want to buy is a pair of socks.
Honestly, if I were to buy a pair of socks from an eCommerce store and I was required to register with them first, I wouldn’t do it unless they offered me some good discounts.
So, if you want your customers to register with your website before they make a purchase, you must offer them discounts on their first purchase.
Conclusion:
Having an excellent eCommerce web design is not enough. Thousands of eCommerce businesses start every month, and very few (really, very few) survive and grow.
At least, if you are aware of some of the leaking points of your eCommerce website (like reasons for order abandonment), you can fix them and get additional sales out of your store. This will help you not only survive in this competitive market but also allow you to grow exponentially.
Happy Selling!