High traffic to an online store doesn’t necessarily mean a successful business. Many users may visit the site and even add items to their cart. However, most of these people don’t complete the final checkout process. They exit the online store, leaving items in their cart. Experts at dinarys.com explain why this happens and how to combat the problem.
Why do people abandon their shopping carts?
The problem of abandoned shopping carts isn’t always related to the online store itself. Sometimes visitors visit a website to:
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browse the product selection and compare prices;
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save items to their favorites (people often use their shopping cart as a bookmark storage);
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set items aside for a future purchase (for example, if they’re short on cash).
In such cases, you can expedite the checkout process by sending an email inviting customers to complete their purchase and offering a selection of other interesting products. However, this method is only suitable for registered users who have provided their email address. If visitors refuse to register and place an order, the problem lies with the online store.
A set of measures to increase conversion
To reduce cart abandonment rates, take the following steps:
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Simplify the checkout process. You should minimize the number of fields in the order form. The less text required from the buyer, the higher the chance of a successful sale.
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Detail your delivery terms, especially the shipping costs for different shipping companies.
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Implement various payment options. Use popular payment systems for payments to customers. Also offer cash on delivery. New visitors distrust online stores that don’t offer payment upon receipt. They don’t know you, so they’re wary of prepayment.
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Detail product specifications and publish high-quality photos in the catalog. If information is insufficient, users will be hesitant to place an order.
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Include warranty and return policies.
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Offer customers several ways to contact the store. Some people prefer to text rather than call. They are irritated by the lack of a chat feature or by being ignored by messengers. These visitors are also irritated by mandatory calls from managers to confirm their orders.
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Ask customers to leave reviews after receiving their products. Review reminders can be sent by email. You can also offer bonuses for reviewing purchases.
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Create and develop social media groups. If a user subscribes to a group, they are interested in your products and will not leave them in their cart.
In addition to all of the above, you need to address another important task: developing a mobile version of your online store. Remember that most people search for products on smartphones. These visitors find it difficult to use a desktop website on a mobile device’s small screen. They’ll likely abandon the site and find another store the first time they encounter difficulties.
The steps discussed above help reduce cart abandonment rates on websites with a modern engine and optimized template. However, if the website is technically and functionally outdated, it will discourage users with slow loading times, a clunky interface, and poorly functioning tools. In such cases, it’s best to upgrade to a more advanced CMS and redesign the design.
