A Happier Checkout Experience Means More Repeat Customers

Your checkout page is probably one of the most important elements of your eCommerce site. Why is that, you ask? According to Baynard Institute, 68% of all eCommerce visitors abandon their shopping carts. While that may be billions of dollars in abandoned merchandise, there is good news. Most of the reasons why customers abandon their cart — unexpected shipping costs, having to create an account, and poor user experience — are all problems that can be fixed with a well-thought-out checkout page. Here are the four factors necessary to creating a perfect checkout page:

Usability
When a person is ready to check out, they’re at the final stage of the shopping process. They have already spent a good amount of time on your site contemplating the purchase and researching your products/services. Don’t make the process even more arduous for them by making them fill out unnecessary forms.

Make the process as easy and simple as possible. For example, shipping and billing addresses tend to be the same. Give them the option to use one address for both forms so that they don’t have to fill in the same information twice. Also, don’t force your customers to create an account before they can make their purchase. Allow them to checkout as a guest or even use the information from the checkout process to create an account for them.

Information
When it comes to checking out, providing all the necessary information and setting clear expectations to customers is important. Depending on your services or products, this information may be different. It’s important to let your customers know how much shipping is going to cost, when they can expect their package to be delivered, and any other information they may need. Give your customers different payment options like PayPal to help recoup 30% of sales from people who abandon their carts when cards are declined.

Once the checkout process is finished, your job of providing information is almost over. You should provide customers with a confirmation email to reassure them that you’ve received their order. Be sure to include a list of items in the order, confirmation number, and information on how to contact you if they have any questions or concerns.

Design
The design of your checkout page is how everything will be organized. When customers look at their cart, products should be clearly listed with a name and ideally an image of the product. The quantity and price should also be included. Give customers the option to save items for later. One of the most important things to include is the final price with taxes and shipping included, so that there are no hidden fees. Keep your design simple so you don’t distract the customer and make the checkout button easy to find. If your checkout page is too confusing, customers are more likely to lose patience and abandon their cart.

Now that you understand the four main factors that comprise a good checkout page, it’s time to improve your own page. Don’t forget to test out different designs and functions to create the best experience for your users. If you need help with your eCommerce site, contact Creative Juice.

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