What is cart abandonment? Cart abandonment occurs when a shopper adds items to their online shopping cart but then fails to complete the purchase. This can happen for a variety of reasons, including high shipping costs, unexpected fees, or difficulty navigating the checkout process.
Important Factors that Affect Cart Abandonment Rate
There are a number of important factors that can affect cart abandonment rates. These include:
Product Cost
First, the overall cost of the purchase can be a major factor. If the total cost is too high, shoppers may be less likely to complete the purchase.
Shipping Cost and Time
Second, shipping costs and delivery times can also affect cart abandonment rates. If shipping is too expensive or takes too long, shoppers may abandon their carts.
According to a study by ComScore, nearly 60% of shoppers abandon their carts because of high shipping costs. This is especially true for first-time shoppers who are not familiar with your shipping policy.
Unexpected Fees
Another common reason for cart abandonment is unexpected fees during checkouts, such as hidden charges like taxes or any complimentary items that can increase the total purchase amount.
Complex Checkout Experience
Finally, complexity can also be a major factor. If the checkout process is too complicated or takes too long, shoppers may give up and abandon their cart.
10 Best Ways to Reduce the Shopping Cart Abandonment
Fortunately, there are a few key things you can do to help reduce cart abandonment and boost sales. We’ve jotted down the best tips and tricks to reduce the shopping cart abandonment rate.
Website Experience
Make sure your website is fast, responsive, and easy to navigate and search. A major reason why people abandon their shopping carts is that websites are slow to load. If potential customers can’t find what they’re looking for, they’re likely to give up and go elsewhere. Also, you must consider the personalization of your website by showing the recently viewed products or complementary products to the customer. Make sure that your site is optimized for speed so that users don’t get frustrated and give up before completing their purchase.
Product Information
Provide clear and concise product descriptions. Customers need to know exactly what they’re buying before they add it to their cart.
Payment Options
Offer multiple payment options. Another common reason for cart abandonment is a lack of payment options. If you only offer one way to pay, you could be losing out on potential customers who may not have that particular payment method. Offer a variety of options so that everyone can check out easily.
In addition to major credit cards, consider offering alternative payment methods like PayPal or Apple Pay. The more options you give customers, the more likely they are to find a payment method that works for them – and actually follow through with their purchase.
Shipping Information
Provide clear shipping information. Many shoppers are hesitant to finalize their purchase if they’re unsure of how much it will cost to have the item shipped. Make sure your shipping information is prominently displayed and easy to find on your website. You might even want to consider offering free shipping – which has been shown to increase conversion rates.
Customer Satisfaction
Always guarantee satisfaction. Most shoppers are reluctant to make a purchase if they’re not sure they’ll be happy with the product. If you offer a money-back guarantee or some other type of assurance, you can increase the likelihood that shoppers will complete their purchase.
Free Shipping
Offer free shipping. Shipping costs are often a major factor in cart abandonment. Offering free shipping, or at least reducing the cost of shipping, can encourage more shoppers to follow through with their purchases.
Checkout Experience
Make the checkout process as streamlined as possible. A complicated or lengthy checkout process is one of the most common reasons for cart abandonment. Streamlining your checkout process can make it more likely that shoppers will finalize their purchases.
Cart Abandonment Reminders
Send abandoned cart reminders. If a shopper doesn’t complete their purchase, you can send them a reminder email (or text message) to remind them about the items they left behind. This can be an effective way to encourage shoppers to come back and complete their purchases.
Exit-intent Popups
Use exit-intent popups, a type of popup that appears when a shopper is about to leave your website. These popups can be used to offer a discount or other incentive to encourage the shopper to stay on your site and complete their purchase.
Customer Support
Offer dedicated customer support. If a shopper has questions or concerns about their purchase, being able to reach out to customer support can make all the difference. Having customer support available can help ease any doubts a shopper may have and increase the likelihood that they’ll complete their purchase.
Conclusion
Cart abandonment is a major problem for eCommerce businesses, but there are several steps you can take to reduce the abandonment rate. By offering satisfaction guarantees, free shipping, and simple checkout processes, you can encourage more shoppers to complete their purchases. Additionally, sending abandoned cart reminders and using exit-intent popups can also be effective in reducing cart abandonment.
Whether you face a Shopify or WooCommerce abandoned cart, handling the cart dropping rate is easier with a trusted shipping partner like NimbusPost. Get your shipping queries ready to ensure the fastest deliveries at cost-effective prices to reduce your shopping cart abandonment.