Are you operating an eCommerce business, but afraid of the shopping cart abandonment? Although this is a common problem for most eCommerce retailers, it can still affect the purchase rate of the customers.
In addition, if a potential buyer browses to the website, they may select a few items, add them to the cart, and abandon the items; this can also affect the confidence of the business owner or management.
Fortunately, it doesn’t have to end there. If you’ve noticed that there have been some carts that haven’t been updated for a while, there are some things you can do to avoid the fear of cart abandonment. In this article, we’ll discuss some strategies you can try to reduce this incident.
1. Simple Checkout Process
One of the reasons why customers abandon their carts is that they’re finding it hard to navigate the checkout process. Most customers prefer shopping by just clicking a few steps. So, if you think your checkout process may be one of the problems, you can start by simplifying it.
One of the things you can focus on is minimising the form fields, and just ask for the most relevant information, such as complete name, address, preferred payment method, and contact information.
2. Cost Transparency
As much as possible, include all the costs so the customers can easily see them. For instance, once they add an item to their cart, you can also include the shipping fee and taxes. Besides, if you’re not transparent about the costs, the customers may be surprised and just leave the item in the cart without buying it.
If you noticed a pattern similar to this, it’s time to update and include the additional costs of buying the items in your eCommerce site.
3. Mobile-friendly Shopping
If you didn’t hire a fashion creative agency to improve the mobile-friendly experience of the shoppers, this may be the right time to do so. If you’re not an expert in this field, hiring professionals can be the best option to reduce the risk of shopping cart abandonment.
4. Build Trust and Security
Another thing that makes customers feel suspicious when shopping online is security. So, in building trust, you can showcase your return/ refund policy, display SSL certificates, have secured payment options, and allow customers to see reviews about the products and their shopping experience.
Building trust and ensuring security can significantly help reduce shopping cart abandonment. In addition, you can have more positive reviews moving forward.
5. Send Cart Recovery Emails
If a customer abandons their cart, and you think the problem isn’t in your website or app, you can send automated recovery emails. These emails are essential to help the customer rethink whether they would like to proceed with buying the items.
When creating the automated message, ensure that there’s a personal touch, such as including the name of the customer and the items they left in their cart.
6. Offer Multiple Payment Options
Having limited payment options can be a dealbreaker when it comes to whether the customers will proceed with buying the items in their carts. Aside from various banks, online payments, wallets, and credit cards, offering a “Buy Now, Pay Later” can also encourage them to place their orders. If you think there are some payment methods you haven’t added yet, you should do it as soon as possible.
7. Use Exit-Intent Pop-Ups
Adding an exit-intent pop-up is also a nice touch. Before the customer leaves the site or app, there should be something to remind them that they’re exiting the app or website. In addition, you can also ask for feedback about why they’re leaving the shop without buying the items in their cart.
8. Better Site Performance and UX
Aside from improving the user-friendliness of the mobile app, you should also improve the site performance and UX. So, when hiring a fashion creative agency, don’t forget to discuss how they can improve all the platforms where customers can access the eCommerce website.
Besides, nowadays, even data connections can be used in high-quality websites, so if your website or app is the problem, it can significantly discourage customers from proceeding with their purchase.
9. Build Urgency and Scarcity
Building urgency and scarcity allows customers to act quickly. For instance, you can have limited-time-only sales or promotions, and always indicate the number of stocks, especially if there are only less than 5 remaining. Additionally, you can notify the customers if purchases are made, and include the number of stocks left.
10. Provide Reliable Customer Support
If their questions are left unanswered, there’s a high possibility that the customers may abandon their carts. So, to improve the checkout process, you can add a chatbot for the FAQs, live chat support, and visible contact options.
An engaging user experience isn’t just about the aesthetics, but also a deeper engagement.
Final Thoughts
Reduce the shopping cart abandonment by incorporating strategies, technical improvements, and customer empathy. Although these tips may not work right away, keep in mind that every recovered cart is a small change that can make a big difference in your business.
ABOUT THE AUTHORAliana Baraquio is a web content writer at Design and Build Co., a specialist digital agency for fashion and luxury brands that helps clients maximise their digital presence and remain agile in a rapidly changing environment. You can catch her browsing the internet for the latest hairstyles and hair care tips in her free time.
