Research has shown that online shopping basket (AKA shopping cart) abandonment is extremely high. Up to 60% of shopping baskets are abandoned before sale is closed. What we are trying to do here is list some of the reasons for abandonment. Unfortunately, we don't know all reasons or, in other words, all solutions.
High delivery costs
Make all delivery charges clear to your customer. The shock of seeing the shipping cost added to the order value is one of the biggest reasons for basket abandonment.
Comparison shopping or browsing
Many surfers visit a number of online merchants, adding items to their shopping baskets before making a final purchase decision.
Usually, items are not bought immediately but saved for later purchase. It may not even be on the same day. You needn't worry. This is very common. Make it easy for surfers to retrieve the session. Sometimes the one who is browsing the net is not the one who will make the purchase.
Site requires registration before purchase
Many online shoppers stall at the thought of registering to make a purchase. They dislike the thought of being added permanently to a database.
Checkout problems
Checkout process is too long. It requires too much personal information. It is also is confusing. All these are reasons for basket abandonment. Keep the process simple, short, and uncomplicated. Don’t ask for unnecessary information.
Other reasons for abandoning a shopping basket include, internet connection problems, uncertainty towards the merchant's site security, change of mind, or high cost of all basket items.
We hope this has been of much use to you. Many problems can be avoided and a little tweaking on the merchant website can vastly improve completion of sale. |
