Our clients often say to us “I am getting a lot of people adding products to their basket, why aren’t they completing the sale?”. The truth is, there are many reasons why people might add items to their basket but not actually complete their purchase.
Today, we will look at a few of them and consider how to understand this to increase conversions and move people from “initiated checkout” to “purchased”.
Some of the common causes are:
Unexpected Costs: additional costs like shipping fees, high delivery fees, taxes, or handling charges that aren’t revealed until checkout can deter customers from completing their purchase.
Complicated Checkout Process: a long, complex, or confusing checkout process can lead to basket abandonment. If users are asked to provide too much information or face technical issues, they might give up.
Price Sensitivity: Customers might change their minds if they find the price too high or if they’re waiting for a discount or promotion.
Comparison Shopping: Some users add items to their basket to “save” them while they continue to compare prices or alternatives on other e-commerce sites.
Distractions or Interruptions: People might abandon their basket because they get distracted by other tasks or because they need to think more about the purchase before completing it.
Lack of Trust: Concerns about the security of their personal or payment information, or doubts about the legitimacy of the online shop, can lead customers to abandon their basket.
Limited Payment Options: If the store doesn’t offer preferred payment methods (e.g., PayPal, credit card, debit card), customers might not complete their purchase.
Out of Stock or Shipping Delays: If products are out of stock or shipping times are longer than expected, customers may hesitate to follow through with the purchase.
Change of Mind: Sometimes, customers simply change their minds about buying a product and decide to abandon their basket without completing the transaction.
Guest Checkout vs. Account Creation: Requiring users to create an account before checkout can sometimes be a barrier. Offering a guest checkout option might reduce abandonment rates.
To minimise basket abandonment, businesses often focus on simplifying the checkout process, offering clear pricing, and addressing customer concerns about security and trust.
Encouraging people to complete their checkout on your website requires a combination of strategies to improve user experience, reduce friction, and build trust. Here are some effective methods:
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Simplify the Checkout Process
Guest Checkout: Allow customers to check out as guests without requiring them to create an account. This eliminates a potential barrier.
Minimal Steps: Keep the checkout process as short as possible. The fewer pages or steps, the better.
Progress Indicators: Show a visual progress bar so customers know how many steps are left in the checkout process.
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Transparent Pricing
No Hidden Fees: Make sure shipping costs, taxes, and any other additional fees are clearly stated early in the process (e.g., on the product page or before the final step).
Free Shipping Offers: If possible, offer free shipping or provide a clear threshold for free shipping (e.g., “Free shipping on orders over £50”).
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Add a Sense of Urgency
Limited-Time Offers: Display countdown timers for promotions or sales to create urgency, encouraging shoppers to complete their purchase before the offer expires.
Low Stock Alerts: If an item is running low in stock, display a message like “Only 3 items left in stock!” to encourage quick action.
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Clear Return and Refund Policy
Easy Returns: Ensure that customers know they can return items easily if they aren’t satisfied. This can reduce hesitation during checkout.
Guarantees: Offer satisfaction or money-back guarantees to instil confidence in the purchase.
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Multiple Payment Options
Variety of Payment Methods: Offer different payment options (credit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, etc.) to cater to various customer preferences.
Instalment Payments: Consider offering “Buy Now, Pay Later” options like Afterpay or Klarna for customers who may prefer to pay in instalments.
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Security and Trust Signals
Secure Payment: Use trusted payment gateways and display security badges (e.g., SSL certificates, secure payment icons) on the checkout page to reassure customers their data is safe.
Customer Reviews: Display product reviews and testimonials to show that others have had positive experiences with both your products and the checkout process.
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Basket Abandonment Recovery
Abandoned Basket Emails: Send a follow-up email to customers who left items in their basket, reminding them to complete the purchase. Offer a discount or incentive to encourage them to return.
Exit-Intent Popups: Use popups to offer a last-minute discount or free shipping to users who are about to leave the checkout page without completing their purchase.
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Personalisation
Product Recommendations: Offer related or complementary products that might encourage customers to add more items to their basket and increase their order value.
Save for Later: Allow customers to save items in their basket for later, so they can come back and complete their purchase when ready.
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Show Trust Badges
Recognisable Brands: If you use well-known payment processors (like PayPal, Klarna or Stripe), include their logos on the checkout page.
Certifications: If your business has any relevant certifications (such as BBB or other industry accreditations), prominently display those.
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Clear and Concise Communication
Order Summary: Show a clear and itemized order summary before checkout, including shipping fees and taxes, so customers know exactly what they’re paying for.
Customer Support: Offer easy access to live chat or a customer service number in case users have questions or encounter issues during checkout.
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Offer Discounts or Coupons
First-Time Buyer Discounts: Offer a discount for first-time customers to incentivise them to complete the purchase.
Coupons and Promo Codes: Customers should be able to easily apply discount codes. You can offer these codes in exchange for signing up for your newsletter or sharing a post on social media.
By applying these strategies, you can reduce friction during the checkout process, increase trust, and ultimately boost conversions. Experiment with different methods to see what resonates best with your customers.
How Outrank Can Help You Drive More Conversions and Sales
At Outrank, we specialise in helping e-commerce businesses overcome these exact challenges. From optimising your site for higher conversions to implementing smart checkout solutions and trust-building tactics, our team uses data-driven strategies to turn browsers into buyers. Whether you’re looking to reduce basket abandonment, streamline the user journey, or create a seamless customer experience, Outrank can help you unlock your site’s full sales potential, we offer a full online marketing package including SEO, PPC, Social Media, Web Design including Shopify, WooCommerce, Wix, WordPress, and Magento, and more! Discover how we can help you grow and start converting more of your traffic today, call our team.
