If you have an e-commerce website, you certainly want more and more users to visit it and stay there for as long as it takes to achieve their goal: make a purchase, subscribe to a newsletter or fill out a form.
It is very likely, however, as you will have noticed, that users visit your e-shop and then immediately leave it.
Cart abandonment is a phenomenon found in the majority of online stores. In fact, about 70% of visitors leave an e-shop, without having completed their purchases.
Surely, you’ll be wondering why this might be the case. That’s why, in this article, we plan to break down the top 4 reasons that drive potential customers away from your digital store, as well as the improvements you can make to increase conversions.
- You force your visitors to create an account on your website
When consumers are forced to create e-commerce accounts, they often leave products in their cart and leave the website. It is true that most users do not like to waste their time creating usernames and passwords, which they are very likely to forget when they leave the online store.
Solution: To make it easier for visitors to your e-shop to make their purchase, we advise you to include the option to check out as a guest (Guest Checkout). This alternative is preferred by consumers who want to make a quick purchase, and while it doesn’t help you gather additional information about your audience, it can make the whole process extremely simplistic for both sides.
The most appropriate time to ask the visitor of your digital store to create an account is after payment, and this, to facilitate their next purchase.
- Your content is unreadable
Even if your texts are informative and of particular interest, no visitor will read them if they are written in the wrong font and color. Design details can determine how easily one can assimilate content into your website. So, if something can’t be read easily, it’s simply impossible to convert.
Solution: There are no strict rules about which fonts to use and which to avoid. Instead, we encourage you to stick to high-contrast color schemes and plain and large fonts for best results. Avoid cramming your content and using complicated fonts, while making sure your website is compatible with all devices (mobile and desktop), so you never lose any visitors.
- The checkout course is complex and extensive
When a visitor adds to his cart the products he wishes to buy, he should easily and quickly place his order. The unnecessary steps they must complete before checkout can distract them, confuse them and cause them to leave the page. In short, the time-consuming and complicated checkout and checkout processes are extremely annoying for customers.
So, the checkout process should be simple, immediate, and include as few clicks as possible.
Solution: For this reason, you should only ask users for the necessary information. We recommend the implementation of one page checkout, in which all the elements needed to complete a purchase are concentrated on a single page.
Because consumers prefer clear and easy-to-use forms, this technique will reduce shopping abandonments and see more orders completed successfully.
- Your e-shop is not secure
Consumers often fear the possibility of their personal data being stolen, which discourages them from shopping online. So, when they spot design errors, design flaws, and the absence of an SSL security certificate on your website, they easily worry about the security of transactions and don’t make a purchase.
Solution: To increase your customers’ trust, you need to assure them that you are following all the necessary cybersecurity measures. We suggest that you create a page in your e-shop, where you will inform them about all the methods you have used to secure transactions and protect data.
Product reviews and testimonials from real customers, full contact details in a prominent section of your menu bar and telephone service are also an easy solution, while, at the same time, the money back guarantee can immediately eliminate customer doubt about your e-shop.
Conclusion
The abandonment of a digital store may be due to various reasons related either to the user or to the e-shop itself. What you need to take care of is to put yourself in the position of the audience you are addressing, recognizing all their needs. So, offer your website visitors a good navigation experience and do not forget that the best customer is the most satisfied.