All retailers – from huge multinationals to the independent – face the same dilemma. Why do online shoppers abandon their baskets, and what can they do to improve?
Dropped baskets can happen at any stage of the customer journey, and can be due to a range of reasons, from a poorly designed website to a lack of fulfilment options. But it’s even more frustrating when this happens at the final hurdle, when customers are clicks away from getting through to the confirmation page.
Checkout abandonment has been measured at between 60% and 80%. That’s not actually so surprising when you consider how painful some online checkouts can be.
So, outside of speed, what can retailers do to improve checkout UX?
Keep data entry to a minimum
The more hoops a customer has to jump through to pay for their item, the more likely they are to abandon a purchase. This may seem like common sense, but many retailers still make their customers go through a huge amount of form filling. This can slow down the payment process, often to the point of no return.
However, it’s not always easy to simplify the website or checkout. Asking customers to register for accounts can also be hugely helpful for marketing purposes. But there are several things merchants can do to make this as painless as possible. Firstly, make sure you keep data entry to a minimum, so evaluate what’s important to know about your customers and only ask for what’s necessary.
Offer an incentive for registration
Offering consumers a clear and tangible incentive for registering on your website will also offset the frustration over form filling. Acknowledge the extra work, and provide an immediate benefit for the customer if they create an account – could you, for example, offer free shipping or a discount in return?
