In eCommerce, the total sales volume you process through your website relies on the efficiency and effectiveness of your checkout. Moreover, your checkout page’s design, functionality, and process also impact customer satisfaction. Surprisingly, several reports say average cart abandonment rates are around 70%. This means 1 out of 5 customers abandoned their cart due to a complicated or lengthy checkout process.
So, how do you solve this big issue?
In this blog, we decode 15 checkout optimization best practices and strategies to recoup lost sales and boost your store’s conversion rate.
Why is a Smooth Checkout Experience Important?
The checkout flow directly impacts the final stage in the customer’s shopping journey. It helps customers enter their shipping and delivery information and add preferred payment details. An efficient and smooth checkout experience significantly enhances conversion rates, turning visitors into potential buyers. When customers find it convenient to add checkout credentials and make their purchase from your website, they’re more likely to have a good impression of your products or services. This may lead to better conversion rates, customer satisfaction, and repeat business.
Before diving into the best practices, let’s focus on why customers abandon their carts during checkout online. Well, there are plenty of reasons, varying across audiences, industries, and customer preferences. Here are some common reasons that you should focus on:
- Forced account creation: Forcing customers to register for an account may create an obstacle in their checkout journey, leading to cart abandonment rates and lost sales.
- Limited payment options: Convenient payment is an important component of online shopping. Customers always prefer multiple payment methods for seamless transactions.
- Lack of security features: Customers always expect high-security levels from eCommerce websites. Poor security features may disrupt their experience and cause cart abandonment.
- Performance errors: Consistent performance-related errors and issues on your website may slow checkout loading speed, disrupting the customer’s shopping journey.
Top 15 Checkout Best Practices That Convert
For better conversion rate optimization results, you need to create a checkout process that is as friction-free as possible while collecting the customer details you need for order processing. Let’s look at 15 best practices for making a highly effective eCommerce checkout flow that will help you boost conversion rates.
#1 Set expectations:
Show your customers what to expect during the checkout process, never make them guess. Clearly outlining each step builds trust and reduces confusion, ensuring a smoother customer journey.
#2 Show progress bar:
Use a progress indicator to show customers the steps they have to complete for final checkout. This will keep your users informed and make the checkout flow feel more straightforward.
#3 Enable guest checkout:
Provide guest checkout options to help your customers make purchases without registering any account. You can offer the option to open an account after the purchase to simplify the checkout process.
#4 Capture your customer’s email:
Collecting emails may help you track your customers with email campaigns and build a strong relationship. This also enables you to create customer retention strategies and opportunities for abandoned cart recovery.
#5 Consider custom checkout:
Use custom checkout platforms like Simplified Checkout to give your customers a seamless and personalized shopping experience. This platform offers unique features and supports multiple payment methods for customer convenience.
#6 Help with real-time support or live chat:
This little feature reassures prospects and helps customers remove checkout-related doubts instantly, leading to a more personalized online shopping experience.
#7 Use concise and clear labels:
Make sure all instructions and labels are easy to understand. Use simple language to prevent confusion & help your customers throughout the checkout process.
#8 Optimize for mobile:
Optimize your checkout page for mobile devices. Ensure that all Call-To-Action (CTA) buttons, forms, and fields are easy to navigate on different screen sizes and orientations.
#9 Provide multiple payment options:
Offering diverse payment methods including credit or debit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Amazon Pay, PayPal, and digital wallets enhances customer shopping experience.
#10 Increase security levels:
Display trust badges and use SSL certificates to enhance security and ensure customers’ payment and transaction details are secure.
#11 Simplify form fields:
Eliminate the number of form fields required for checkout. Ask for only important information for successful transactions.
#12 Be clear about inventory:
Inform your customers about estimated delivery times and stock levels to maintain transparency.
#13 Consider Autofill & AutoComplete:
Minimize manual typing required by adding autofill and autocomplete features to your custom checkout page to minimize the manual typing required.
#14 Add a cart summary:
Provide a concise and clear summary of the cart during checkout. This helps customers check their items, quantities, and payment details before the final transaction.
#15 Consider post-purchase follow-ups:
Send confirmation messages and emails after purchase to reassure customers with essential information about their orders.
Final Words
Optimizing your checkout page is one key factor in minimizing cart abandonment and boosting conversions. With the above-mentioned tips, you can create a user-friendly and seamless experience that encourages your customers to make their purchases effortlessly. Remember, in today’s dynamic eCommerce landscape, investing in an intuitive checkout flow isn’t just beneficial—it’s important for growing and sustaining your online business.
