BEST WAYS OF RECOVERING SHOPPING CARTS
Can you imagine the chaos if every second shopper at your local grocery store abandoned their full cart at the checkout counter. But that’s exactly what’s happening in the online retail environment.
Various studies have been done which show that the percentage of online shopping sessions that are abandoned is anything from twenty to seventy five per cent. The reasons for abandonment are many and varied, but unless online retailers address the issues, they will continue to lose out on a fortune of potential sales.
The solution is two-fold.Online retailers firstly need to ascertain the reasons for the high rate of abandonment and then plan a way forward to deal with the problems.Sounds simple, but it’s not.It’s a complex process with customer needs ever-changing and technology evolving rapidly.It’s important that your web design company keeps abreast of any changing e-commerce technology and processes.
Some of the main reasons for shopping cart abandonment are :
* Comparison shopping
* Indecision and confusion
• Insufficient funds
* HIgh shipping costs
* Products unavailable at checkout
• Lengthy and complicated checkout process
* Not keen to disclose any personal information
* Perception that customer support isn’t satisfactory
* Concerns about security
To increase the rate of conversion, the site should be looked at from the client’s side.what often happens is that e-commerce sites are designed the wrong way around – from the inside out, not outside in.The same rule that the customer is king applies in the real world and the virtual world.
Dale Carter, MD of Perth web design company, GTP iCommerce, has some guidelines for sealing the deal. “The ecommerce interface has to be consistent with the design of the homepage, otherwise it will undermine the site’s credibility.Streamline and simplify the whole process whilst also taking away the need for unnecessary collection of data.Buyer frustration is directly linked to the speed of the transaction, so it is vital to get that right.According to studies, around 41% of shoppers will abandon their cart because check-out is taking too long, and that an average shopper will only wait 10 seconds to download a site.It’s important not to have any hidden costs, and to be totally upfront with the cost of shipping etc. as well avoid banner ads or other distractions.
“Ensure you’ve got the basics of web design covered.The basic elements of design such as colour, layout, navigation and links are in fact, often undervalued.It’s important to have a site that can be navigated quickly and easily, with customer support that is easily accessible and visible security protection.Online retailers should consider inserting a currency converter too.”
Some of the problems and solutions can be worked on, is there a way to recover carts that have already been abandoned ?”No doubt,” says Carter.”Customer data such as email addresses and telephone numbers should be collected during the initial order stages.An immediate, automated response can then be sent to the shopper if they abandon their cart so as to enourage them to return.”
Professional web design combined with careful e-commerce processes will help close the deal and clear the mounting piles of abandoned shopping carts.
How To Pick A Shopping Cart Software
So you have built your website, have your product ready to ship, promoted and now you are getting traffic and some sales, but before your site takes off have considered how important it is to have proper shopping cart software in place to reduce shopping cart abandonment? If you want to guarantee success and high sales the key ingredient, besides a fantastic website design and Internet publicity, is top rated shopping cart software. One of the trusted names that uses a solid shopping cart software is Amazon. Based on their experience and success with online shopping it is not surprising that their software works. Whatever software your company decides to use, consider the following areas: capacity, ease of use, price and reviews
Longevity
Make sure you evaluate the shopping cart’s capacity. It might seem irrelevant when you are a new company but give yourself the option to move forward without having to constantly update your software due to poor capacity. Buy software that can last, with your company’s growth projection, for at least two years. Growth rate plans can really ensure that you make an appropriate decision for your company.
Ease of Use
Put yourself in your customer’s shoes. Will they be able to easily use the software to checkout? Will they get annoyed and decide to use another site? Make sure the check-out software is all on one page and insist that checkout is easy and quick.
Price
The price of shopping cart software can vary. Make sure you’ve decided how much you are investing in this. Cheap software may be economic but this could really impact your sales so sometimes upgrading is a really smart idea. Remember this is a business investment and should be treated that way.
Customer Opinion
The reviews of Internet shopping carts can be overwhelming but also hold a wealth of information. Take some time to read the reviews; it will help make clear which option is the best for your company.