As an online business, it’s one of the most frustrating interactions you can have. Shoppers have found their way to your store, selected a few choice products, and placed them in their shopping cart.. then, without warning, they abandon the cart. Abandoned shopping cart, unfortunately, a common occurrence in the world of online shopping. But if you notice it’s happening with alarming frequency, it could be worth looking into. Here are the top 10 reasons that shoppers abandon their carts – and how to stop them from happening.
1: Shipping costs
One of the most common reasons for abandoned shopping cart is unexpected shipping costs. Either the customer considers the amount too high, or the cost is added on too late in the checkout process. To avoid this, make sure you are honest and upfront about your shipping charges from the beginning.
2: Long shipping times
Just because customers are happy shopping online, it doesn’t mean they’re content to wait weeks for their item to arrive. This can often be problematic when sites do not disclose that their products are being shipped from abroad, leaving shoppers baffled and frustrated with long shipping times. So if there’s likely to be a delay, make sure you explain clearly at an early stage.
3: Confusing checkout process and poor UX (user experience)
These days, customers expect a simple, slick, and easy-to-navigate checkout process. And if things get too drawn-out or complicated, they are likely to abandon their cart and log out. To bag those completed sales, design a website that’s clear and intuitive – or use a pre-existing e-commerce platform like Shopify. Read this to learn more about the benefits of good UX.
4: Compulsory registration / signup
In a world of constant surveillance, shoppers are cautious about sharing their private data – and that means thinking twice about filling out lengthy, intrusive forms online. So if a website requires visitors to sign up before they can make a purchase, many will decide to leave. In other words, don’t be tempted to dig your hooks in too deeply – it will only scare them off!
5: If a website appears insecure
Still on the topic of security, most people are pretty savvy when it comes to staying protected while shopping online. And if faced with an unknown website, they are likely to quit rather than make a dubious transaction. Again, this can be avoided by using known and trusted e-commerce platforms.
6: Coupon code forms
Who doesn’t love a coupon code? But there’s one problem with this tried-and-tested discount method. If a customer sees an empty field for a code and doesn’t have one, they’re likely to leave the site while they search the web for something they can use. To get around this, try a pop-up that offers a code in return for signing up to an email list, killing two birds with one stone.
7: Not enough payment options
With so many different payment options available in this day and age, almost every shopper has a different preference as to how they like to part with their cash. And if the right option isn’t available, this leads to abandoned shopping cart- so make sure you offer as many as you can.
8: High cost after tax
Adding tax at a late stage in the checkout process might seem like a good idea to get customers hooked, but the reality is that many of them will dump their cart and log off if the final price is more than expected. Again, it’s better to be honest and upfront about charges from the get-go.
9: Lack of info
Cost, shipping issues, and security aren’t the only things that can cause a shopper to abandon their cart. Sometimes, it’s simply because there is not enough information about the product available on your store. So make sure your listings contain all the info that customers need to know before making a purchase.
10: Just browsing
Finally, one issue that you can do little about: some shoppers are just browsing. In this case, no matter what you do, they’ll still leave before completing the sale. But there is some good news: by sending them regular emails reminding them of your products, you stand more chance of converting them into a customer in the future.
Here’s a great article that explains how to recover abandoned carts better than your competitors.I
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