The Best Practices for Shopping Cart Optimisation
There are different reasons why people abandon their shopping cart on ecommerce websites. These could be because people are just looking, comparing prices, leaving because of shipping costs and options, or even because of technical issues. There are different statistics from studies which say how many people actually abandon their shopping carts. The percentage ranges between 65% and 80%. No one really knows the exact abandonment rate as it will differ between industries. This is why it is essential to optimise your ecommerce website to increase website conversions.
The basics
There are three basic steps which will help to make your cart page more successful. The first step is that your shopping cart should be clear. This means that your cart should display all of the important information that a user would need when checking out. They shouldn’t have to scroll too far or move between different pages to view their basket items. Your shopping cart page should also be as simple as possible. This means the information should be shown using clear language so that there is no confusion or misunderstanding. You should also avoid using complicated structures or colours in your shopping cart page. The next step should be to make sure your cart is fast. The more time a visitor has to spend in the card, the more likely they are to leave it.
Have a Detailed Product Summary
Before a user pays for their products, they will be on the card page where there will be a product summary. The product summary needs to be detailed enough that they can review their order. This should be done so that they can quickly review their order before they purchase, this helps to reduce the cart abandonment rate. The product summary should include the title of the product and image, so that they can see exactly what they intend to buy. There should also be specifications of the product, such as the features, capacity, material, colour etc. The quantity of each product should also be displayed so they can see how many they are going to buy. All these elements should help customers to easily review their products before their purchase.
Use clear, user-friendly colours
There is no specific colour scheme that will fit all websites and solve abandonment rate problems. You could look into the psychology behind the use of colours to design your cart page. Each colour will be unknowingly associated with a different feeling. For example, blue tones are associated with trust which would give that feeling to customers going to buy a product. The colours that you use should fit the overall colour theme of your website. When it comes to UX, visitors usually love designs that are clear according to our own London website designers. The checkout button should also stand out from the rest of the page, which will help to increase the conversion rate.
Appropriate Thumbnail Images
As mentioned, a shopping cart should display the images of the products that the user has added. When the customers go to review their products, they should be able to see exactly what they are going to buy. The images should also be clear with a high resolution and in an appropriate size. If a product is available in different colours, it would also help to show it in the chosen colour to avoid any confusion.
Clever Information Hierarchy
Information hierarchy is the structure that is used to display information, according to importance. When a cart page is being designed, you should organise columns, titles and buttons appropriately. The order of these will influence the users perception. You should also use a variety of colours, which match the websites colour scheme. You should use colours to get users attention. The most important information should stand out from the rest of the page. For example the titles and prices of products should be in a different colour to highlight them. CTA’s such as the checkout button should also be in a distinct colour to make them stand out from the whole page, which will encourage customers to make the purchase. Columns and lines can be used to structure the page, which will make the information easier to read. The shopping card should provide a clean and efficient shopping experience.
Payment Options
It is absolutely necessary to have multiple different payment options. Most shoppers would abandon their cart and not continue with payment if their usual method is not available. This is why it is important to have a variety of payment options which your customers are likely to use. If you run an ecommerce store which is international, then you need to take into account that different countries have different payment methods. It would also be useful to tailor the currency to the users location, using their IP address. This will give customers in different locations a more personalised shopping experience.
Customer Assistance
According to an Econsultancy Survey on gaining customer trust, an important factor is displaying clear contact information. Customer service is important for all businesses, but especially for ecommerce sites where customers will pay for a service or product. You should make sure to display contact information on your website and cart page. This could be a telephone number or email address, or a button directing users to get help. It may also be useful to have a live chat service, so customers can get help quickly when needed. This is a good way to increase conversions, gain trust and help to build a better brand identity.
Detailed Shipping and Returns Information
One of the top reasons for cart abandonment is hidden shipping costs. It can be irritating for customers to get to the checkout and find last minute extra costs. This can make customers abandon their cart. To avoid this, you could include the shipping cost in the overall price of a customer’s basket. It would also be a good idea to state any return fees on the checkout page, to give customers clear information.
