Online shopping has become a major force in today’s world of commerce. More and more, people are turning to online stores for their shopping needs. As a result, many customers are now looking for the simplest, cleanest shopping experience. Customers want the ability to make their purchase, and get back to their busy lives. Unfortunately, poor website shopping cart design often stands in their way – causing confusion and frustration among consumers. Luckily, however, there are some things you can do to improve your website’s shopping cart and keep your customers happy.
Save orders
A quick look at any major online shopping brand will indicate that they all offer a “save for later” feature. However, this functionality should not be limited to the major brands. Instead, this is a feature that all e-commerce stores ought to have. A “save for later” button not only makes the customer’s life a little easier, but also functions as a way to market your products to any returning customers. You will also be able to create and pull pending order reports which can be used to provide insight into what your customers are thinking of buying – even if they haven’t yet completed the purchase.
Avoid sudden twists
When a customer is at checkout, try and avoid any last minute surprises or sudden twists. This might include suddenly telling them that their product is now out of stock or unavailable in their size. Sudden changes such as this will have a negative impact on the credibility of your businesses, and will make it all the more likely that the customer will not return to the store in the future.
Photos are key
Online shopping has one major drawback – customers aren’t able to test out or try products in person before purchasing them. Instead, customers must make do with pictures, reviews and videos to aid them with their purchase. This being the case, you should always include as many high quality pictures and videos as you possibly can. Make it easy for your customers to make their purchasing decisions. You can do this by using bright, high definition photos which showcase your product or service, rather than long and rambling text descriptions that customers are unlikely to read.
Fewer steps to payment
Customers value speed and efficiency when shopping online. With every extra page they have to click through, more customers drop out. Because of this, you need to make sure it is as easy as possible for your customer to go from cart, to checkout, to payment. Put simply, the quicker they can pay, the more likely they are to actually finalize the purchase.
The success of online retailers such as Amazon proves that customers love to shop online. By streamlining and improving your website’s shopping cart, you might find that customers enjoy shopping with your company too.
