What's Up with Abandoned Carts?
When running an ecommerce business, abandoned carts can be a frustrating reality. Abandoned carts occur when a customer adds items to their cart but does not complete the checkout process. This can be due to a variety of reasons, including unexpected shipping costs, a complicated checkout process, or simply a change of mind. However, there are several best practices that can help reduce the number of abandoned carts and increase your ecommerce sales.
1
Simplify the Checkout Process
One of the most common reasons for abandoned carts is a complicated checkout process. Ensure that your checkout process is straightforward and easy to navigate. Avoid asking for unnecessary information or creating multiple steps in the process.
2
Offer Guest Checkout
Not all customers want to create an account with your store. Offering a guest checkout option can make the checkout process more convenient for customers who want to make a quick purchase. Making that initial purchase easy could help convince them to sign up down the line.
3
Show Shipping Costs Upfront
Nobody likes surprise costs. Unexpected shipping costs can be a major turn-off for customers. Be transparent about your shipping costs and display them upfront, so customers are aware of the total cost before reaching the checkout page.
4
Offer Multiple Payment Options
Customers have different preferences when it comes to payment options. By offering a variety of payment options, including credit card, PayPal, and other popular payment methods, you can increase the likelihood that customers will complete their purchase. Recently, companies like Klarna have become very popular, offering payment plans for purchases.
5
Use Abandoned Cart Emails/Text
Abandoned cart emails are a great way to remind customers about their unpurchased items. Set up an automated email/text campaign as part of your funnel that sends a reminder email to customers who have abandoned their cart. You can also offer a discount after x-number of hours, or other incentive to encourage customers to complete their purchase.
6
Provide Excellent Customer Support
Good customer support can help build trust with your customers and encourage them to complete their purchase. Make sure your customer support team is available to answer any questions or concerns customers may have during the checkout process. Employ an auto-reply to put customers at ease, and don't keep them waiting more than 6hrs, unless otherwise stated in the auto-reply.
7
Optimize for Mobile
More and more customers are using their mobile devices to shop online. Ensure that your website is optimized for mobile devices, with a responsive design and easy-to-use mobile checkout process.
In Conclusion...
In conclusion, reducing the number of abandoned carts is a key factor in increasing your ecommerce sales. By simplifying the checkout process, offering guest checkout, showing shipping costs upfront, providing multiple payment options, using abandoned cart emails, offering excellent customer support, and optimizing for mobile, you can minimize abandoned carts and increase your chances of completing more sales. Don't forget to study up on ecom sales funnels and utilize apps to help automate steps to streamline your work.
eCommerce success starts from Day One!
