It is frustrating when your business loses valuable customers during the checkout process. In e-commerce circles, people call it cart abandonment, and there are many reasons why a customer pulls out of a purchase at the last moment.
Of course, there are legitimate reasons why someone might cancel at the last moment, so there will always be some cart abandonment. Yet, there are some aspects that you can control that can reduce the rate.
People Don’t Trust Your Site
Trust is vital when purchasing online. Customers know all about identity theft and credit card fraud, so they are naturally cautious. If your site doesn’t reach a customer’s high standards, then it’s likely that they will abandon their cart.
To gain a shopper’s trust, try the following:
- Promote everything you do to keep their information safe.
- Ensure your SSL certificate is up to date and working correctly.
- Verify your site with all the major credit card companies, and display their logos to show you are authentic.
- Make sure you have well-known and high-quality antivirus software and advertise the fact.
Anything that shows you have taken every precaution necessary will help build trust.
You Don’t Offer the Right Payment Method
Shoppers want to see a range of options for how they make payments. Sure, it can be a pain from the business side to get it all set up, but the customer isn’t thinking about that when they click ‘confirm.’
Cover your bases with popular methods like credit and debit cards and PayPal. Then think about other options like Apple Pay, Google Wallet, or online banking. Also, bear in mind that some companies can not process payments to certain countries. If you want to sell in these areas, consider other options like Wise or 2Checkout
Your Shipping Policy Isn’t Clear
Shipping is one of the most common reasons people bail at the final hurdle. If customers expect one price and the final bill totals more, they are unlikely to proceed. It can also break the trust in your company and prevent them from returning.
If possible, free shipping is always the best option, but that doesn’t come without complications. Depending on the item you are selling, or if you ship globally, it may not be feasible unless it is a bulk sale. Instead, do your best to show the shipping charge when the customer first sees the item’s price.
Also, have a prominent link to your shipping policy, and ensure it explains how much they are likely to pay when buying multiple items. You don’t want to turn people away because the shipping they see is higher than what they will pay. Combined shipping offers are a great way to encourage your customers to make multiple purchases, so be sure they can see what to expect.
There Are Too Many Steps
A lot of online purchases are impulsive. People don’t want to plow through pages of information to get the item on order, so the fewer clicks, the better. Focus on providing all the information the customer needs in one place. Then, once they’ve decided to buy, it’s as simple as providing their details and clicking confirm.
Also, keep the data you ask for to a minimum. Not only does this reduce the time taken before confirming the purchase, but it also improves the trust in your site. The trick is short and to the point, and do away with any unnecessary fields.
They Need to Sign Up For an Account
If a customer has to sign up for an account to make a purchase, their first thought will be ‘spam.’ People’s inboxes are already jam-packed with junk email, so they will know where it can lead.
From your perspective, account holders give you valuable information, so they are not without merit. It is the option of using a guest account that will pay dividends. Your regular customers will be eager to sign up to save their details and see your latest deals. But for many others, especially if it is their first time on your site, a guest account is simpler, quicker, and safer.
Shopping cart abandonment is unavoidable in some cases, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t several ways to minimize it. Building trust, being clear on pricing, and speeding up the checkout will help your business thrive and boost your sales.
