As an eCommerce merchant, you could be losing 75% of your sales to shopping cart abandonment, on average. Though this percentage varies by industry, all eCommerce businesses need to know what causes shopping cart abandonment and how to stop it.
If a consumer likes your product enough to add it to their cart, why might they choose not to complete the sale? Top reasons we see include:
⢠Your shipping is too slow
⢠Your shipping is too expensive
⢠A discount didn’t work or wasn’t available
⢠Not enough ‘customer proof’ reviews
⢠Your checkout process is too confusing
⢠You donât have a âguest checkoutâ option available
⢠The shopper has concerns about payment security
⢠The shopper is in the âresearchâ or âcomparisonâ phase
Read on to learn more about the common reasons for shopping cart abandonment and what your company can do about it.
Top reasons for shopping cart abandonment
Your shipping is too slow
Solution: Match expectations for same-day, 2- and 3-day delivery
Offering fast shipping options to shoppers is the most effective way to avoid shopping cart abandonment. Deliverr Fast Tags, for example, are proven to drive more sales by offering 1, 2, and 3-day delivery promises to customers based on their geographic location.
Learn how Amaranth Vase Company grew sales by 300% with ultra-fast shipping
Though many consumers have now been trained to believe âaffordable shippingâ = free shipping, that doesnât necessarily mean your brand can afford to cover the cost. If thatâs the case, consider offering free shipping when a cart reaches a certain minimum, or allowing customers to cover the fast shipping fee for a discounted price.
Your shipping is too expensive
Solution: Display additional charges directly on your product listings
Be sure that you donât have hazy or unclear pricing. In addition to offering free, fast shipping, avoid shopping cart abandonment with transparent pricingâincluding any added fees, taxes, or shipping and handling charges.
A discount didn’t work or wasn’t available
Solution: Provide competitive offers and promotions
Most shopping cart abandonment occurs before the shopper reaches the checkout page. If your eCommerce business provides an incentive for making it to that âfinal sale,â shoppers are more likely to complete the purchase. For example, including popup promotions and special offers may encourage the customer to click âview cartâ and complete their purchase.
Furthermore, if youâre able to show a price comparison to your top competitor with your price being the lowest option, a customer is more likely to complete their purchase.
Not enough ‘customer proof’ reviews
Solution: Encourage customers to leave both positive and negative reviews
Positive reviews about product quality, sizing, etc. encourage shoppers to make a purchase and build trust, while negative reviews can prevent dissatisfied customers and returns. While positive feedback is of course preferred, a happy customer is the ultimate end goal. So customer feedback of any kind is helpful to avoid shoppers from abandoning their carts.
After a shopper makes a purchase, send a follow-up email asking them to review the product. You can even offer an incentive in exchange for their review, such as being enrolled to win a gift card.
Your checkout process is too confusing
Solution: Make the checkout process as easy and seamless as possible
Todayâs society is fast-paced. The eCommerce world is no different. The majority of online purchase decisions are made relatively quickly and without second thought. That means the checkout process must also be swift. Instead of forcing customers to create user accounts, offer a âguest checkoutâ option.
Rather than asking too many questions at checkout, offer auto-populating fields, address matching (billing and shipping), and numeric keypads. Lastly, offer alternate payment options like Apple Pay or PayPal whenever possible.
You donât have a âguest checkoutâ option available
Solution: Donât require shoppers to create an account to complete their purchase
Customer account creation benefits your brand by providing data for marketing purposes. However, itâs a barrier for shoppers who may not want to have their data saved or are simply in a rush. Provide the option to check out as a guest so these particular shoppers are more likely to complete their purchase.
The shopper has concerns about payment security
Solution: Build trustworthiness
A simple way to address concerns about payment security is working through a trusted marketplace (Shopify, Amazon, Etsy, etc) alongside secure software thatâs already built into your interface.
The shopper is in the âresearchâ or âcomparisonâ phase
Solution: Retarget customers with email and paid ad campaigns
Though new digital marketing strategies have been on the rise, retargeting customers via email is still the best way to get them to return, since 99% of people check their email every single day.
Another important statistic to consider is that three out of four shoppers notice retargeted ads, with roughly 26% of those that will actually click on your retargeted ad and return to your eCommerce site. Consider offering free shipping or a discount code as part of your retargeted cart-abandonment email if this wasnât previously offered at checkout.
What could you do today to reduce cart abandonment?
Ultimately, each solution to shopping cart abandonment is meant to make the eCommerce online shopping experience more enjoyable for your customers. Pay close attention to your user experience, work toward providing excellent customer service, and adjust your processes when necessary. In turn, youâll convert your abandoned shopping carts into sales.
See how Deliverr can help your business avoid cart abandonment. Talk to a fulfillment expert to learn more.
Get more tips on enhancing your customer experience in these recent articles:
⢠3 Steps to Personalize your eCommerce Customer Experience
⢠How A Great Customer Experience Can Prevent Returns And Exchanges
⢠Order Consolidation: What Is It and How Can It Enhance Your Customer Experience?Â
