Any festive season sparks a phase of happiness and delight for buyers and brands. For buyers & customers, a joyous season means discounts; for brands and businesses, it means more sales.Â
As this season approaches, brands leave no stone unturned in readying themselves for this stupendous phase. They do everything they can to delight their customers, old and new. As consumers depend on digital media for shopping and payment transfers, brands need to ensure that these consumers have a seamless experience right from visiting their websites to buying their products or services. This has been possible because of the many progressions that have taken place in the digital landscape.Â
However, research and statistics experts say that many brands need to deliver this experience with cart abandonment rates of nearly more than 70% during festive seasons. This can be due to prolonged and confusing checkout processes, longer expected wait times for payment, hidden charges, no discounts or promo codes for use, or even ambiguous refund and return policies. These challenges can hamper any brand or business’ chances of making hay while the sun shines in the festive season.Â
Don’t worry.
We are here to help you. With this article, we solely seek to educate and inform you about the best ways to fight shopping cart abandonment issues in festive seasons so that your happiness is as much as your customer’s while shopping during the festive season. So, if you are looking forward to turning the tide your way, please keep reading.Â
Ways to fight Cart abandonmentÂ
1. Offer several checkout alternatives for website visitors
Make it possible for customers to avoid creating an account if they choose. This not only allows customers who do not desire to provide their personal information to complete a transaction safely, but it also shortens the time it takes to finish the checkout process by eliminating extra stages.
Customers will not be required to retain their credit card information when they use the guest checkout option, and their email addresses will only be used to notify them of delivery updates.
2. At various points along the checkout process, include thumbnails of the products
There are instances when customers add several products to their shopping carts but then need to remember what they purchased. Or, they choose an item that may be customized (for example, a shoe available in various colors and sizes) and want to ensure they have chosen the appropriate specifications.
Quite frequently, individuals will remove an item from their shopping cart, return to the product page to verify the specifications, and never make the purchase. Including a product photograph and a review of the most essential product details may reassure them.
3. Indicators of progress should be included on the registration page
Progress bars are an excellent user interface tool because they inform users of the number of steps still left in a user flow. This creates a sense of momentum, which decreases the possibility that someone may abandon their purchase due to an unduly drawn-out checkout procedure.
Customers can see how much they have already spent in the checkout process, reinforcing their desire to continue purchasing. A nearly finished progress bar also gives this visual reinforcement. A straightforward message or reminder for your shopping cart can easily be included on your website.
For instance, if a consumer adds an item to their shopping cart but does not begin the checkout process, you can display a pop-up that reminds them that they still need to finish the purchase.
4. Be open and honest about all of the expenditures
Customers should be aware of unexpected taxes and fees while checking out. Otherwise, they may feel tricked. Provide clear and accurate information on shipping, handling, and tax costs. This information should ideally be provided on the page that contains the product.
Nevertheless, rates frequently vary depending on the user’s geographical area or shipping address; therefore, you must offer the consumer up-to-date pricing information soon after they enter their shipping address.
If you cannot provide an exact shipping cost, you can offer a range before the checkout process, such as $2.99 to $3.99 for domestic shipping and $4.99 to $10.99 for international delivery.
5. At checkout, display the entire amount saved
Be sure to indicate the amount subtracted from the initial price if customers have used a promotional code or if you are providing a discount for first-time buyers. This will make customers more likely to feel they are receiving good value and less likely to have reservations.
In addition, time-limited deals generate a sense of urgency, mainly when the company shows a countdown.
6. Provide several different payment choices
Customers should use the payment option they choose, mainly if it is simpler and eliminates the need to enter their billing information each time they purchase a different brand. Gain an understanding of the payment methods that your clients prefer, and then provide the appropriate connections.
7. Provide shipment at no cost
Because free delivery lowers the overall cost of the transaction, customers are less inclined to reconsider their decision, particularly when it comes to making impulsive purchases.
A survey conducted by Jungle Scout found that 66 percent of customers anticipate receiving free delivery on all online shopping, and 80 percent anticipate receiving free shipping when placing an order for a specific dollar number of items.
8. On checkout pages, you should include compelling calls to action
If the subsequent step in the checkout process is not made clear, users will abandon their shopping carts.
By utilizing calls-to-action that inform the user of what to anticipate, you may draw attention to the subsequent stage in the payment process.
Ensure each stage’s calls to action (CTAs) are unique and utilize recognized language; do not attempt to be creative or cutesy. For instance, the next call-to-action that should be implemented following “Add to Cart” is “Buy Now” to begin checkout. It should be clear that consumers can examine their purchase before clicking the final “Confirm and Pay” button.
9. Simplify moving between the shopping cart and the store
Users should be able to switch between the shop and the cart with only one click. This way, consumers can add new products to their basket or verify an item’s specifications before proceeding with the checkout process.
They must be able to view product pages from within the checkout process (the goods shown in the register should have URLs that may be clicked on).
10. Establish a policy that allows for returns and refunds
Being excessively generous with refunds and returns can reduce your profit margins; nevertheless, this can be beneficial in building trust, mainly if you are a new firm offering an expensive item.
The maximum time that most merchants allow for returns is thirty days. In general, the majority of online sellers do not allow returns for things that have been customized; however, they do not strictly enforce this policy. If you make a mistake that causes a customer’s purchase to be inaccurate or faulty, you should honor the customer’s request for a refund. Otherwise, you risk having your reputation damaged by a negative review in the future.Â
When trying to reassure clients, use trust symbols.
The display of compliance with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS) and other safety seals helps to convince customers that their profile and data will be kept secure until the order is completed. Any company that conducts business using credit cards must adhere to these requirements to reduce the likelihood of potential data breaches affecting its customers’ credit card information.
11. Incorporate indications of social proof
Trust is built with prospective consumers through user-generated content (UGC), which might take the form of reviews, ratings, and customer images. The term “social proof” refers to a psychological phenomenon in which individuals tend to imitate the conduct of other people in a specific circumstance.
If prospective clients observe that other consumers are purchasing from you and providing favorable feedback on your items, they will be motivated to do the same. Make user-generated content (UGC) prominent on your product pages, email marketing campaigns, and social media platforms. Demonstrate the quantity of sales you’ve made if your stats are satisfactory (more than 1,000).
12. Page load times should be optimized
It is crucial to carefully monitor the site’s availability and uptime during high seasons. The rate at which your website loads can significantly impact your conversion rates.
According to research by Portent in 2019, the optimal load time for conversion rates is between 0 and 4 seconds. Page load speeds between 0 and 2 seconds are associated with the highest conversion rates in e-commerce website design. Conversion rates decrease by an average of 0.3% for every extra second that loading time is allowed to pass.
Conclusion
If you have purchased WooCommerce hosting and are worried about your woocommerce abandoned cart issues, this article is pure gold for those who want to survive and come out with flying colors in the festive season. With these tips, your objective as a business and brand can be accomplished, and you will set an example of a system within your organization when it comes to solving customer issues on your business website. Be as it may, an excellent woocommerce web hosting plan will empower your business, given you are committed to making your e-commerce online store a success.Â
We hope you understand how to make the most of these tips to fight cart abandonment issues during festive seasons when the internet is crowded with visitors. You may also feel free to use these even if you are not in a festive season, as they can help you anytime along the way.Â