4 fundamentals for reducing abandoned shopping carts

Let’s take a look in this article at how to animate an e-commerce site in order to drastically reduce abandoned shopping carts.

The ultimate objective is to optimize the conversion rate

• For this, we will examine four of “sure things” of customer experience, after having defined the two key terms of this article.
• Theconversion ratedesignates the percentage of visitors having made a purchase in relation to the number of total visitors.

An abandoned shopping cartshopping cart is an abandoned client transaction during the final conversion phase.

1- The product catalogue

The first step is the creation of your catalogue. It is composed of the whole of your offer in the form of product factsheets. Each product factsheet provides the following information:

• descriptive information: functions, directions for use, size, weight, colors, technical references, assembly instructions, supplier presentations, labels or certificates;
• marketing information: product strengths, benefits, evidence, complementary products;
• business information: product references, the price with and without VAT, possible discounts;
• visuals: product still photos, videos, 360° rotations, interactive views, 3D products photos, functional diagrams;
• legal and logistical information: delivery times, guarantees, terms and conditions, information about online payment.

The photo catalogue allow you to differentiate yourself from the competition: according to Social Media Examiner, a product catalogue decorated with quality photos has a 35% more chance to keep the attention of web users.

2- User Reviews

Reviews, notations, commentaries, and “likes” have become common practices, even indispensable for e-commerce.
For the consumer, they are even more valuable than the references cited by the supplier. They provide credibility and transparency, and play an important role in the evaluations before purchase.
60% of users report reading at least 4 commentaries before feeling confident enough to make a purchase. This type of content is a lever of influence increasingly more important for the act of purchasing.

3- Promotional activities

Promo codes are used more and more, and are much appreciated by web surfers. Certainly, they come at a price. But they allow you to improve the conversion rate by creating a sense of urgency and exclusivity for the client. Statistics show that more than 55% of web users are sensitive to promotional codes or promotional activities.
Price and product visuals are thus intimately related for more impact. What’s more, the discount codes contribute to improved customer satisfaction.

4- The order, and in particular the payment step

Abandoned shopping carts are a complex subject to address because they can be explained by different factors: difficulty navigating the website, discovery of additional costs during payment, ordering process too long and/or too complicated, etc.

To reduce these risks, a few simple actions can help the client to complete his/her purchase:

• display a progress bar allowing them to visualize the steps;
• authorize modifications at each step of the order with return buttons;
• offer multiple methods of payment, including PayPal — very common for small to medium-sized transactions. A transaction will almost always be abandoned if the preferred method of payment is not proposed;
• insert all of the logos of the accepted methods of payment;
• pay special attention to the steps of the payment validation – they must be clear, concise, and quick;
• dedicate a simple and clear step to delivery. If the delivery fees are too high, they can lead to an abandoned shopping cart at the very last moment.

Clear indications covering the whole purchasing process are essential for reassuring the client. Unpleasant surprises at the end of the process are often fatal.

In sum, to reduce abandoned shopping carts, remember these 4 fundamentals:

1. A product catalogue with quality product photographs and precise information
2. A minimum of 4 user reviews in order to reassure the buyer
3. Promotional activities which associate price and visuals for more impact
4. An ordering process which is clear and without surprises