Research shows that the average shopping cart abandonment rate is somewhere between 60 and 80 percent. Experts say that a “good” cart abandonment is anything lower than 40 percent – but what changes can your business make to actually get there?  Today we will outline 5 simple user experience (UX) updates that could help improve your conversion rates. 

#1: Keep the Customer in Mind with Product Page Layouts 

The first step when thinking about quick ways to reduce shopping cart abandonment on your site is considering if your product pages are laid out in a simple and intuitive way. A significant percentage of visitors to your site are still in the awareness stage of the buying process, meaning they want to digest information quickly and easily while they are skimming through pages.  

The copy on your product pages should be easily scannable, using short paragraphs or bullet points wherever possible, and never forcing users to click to view more essential information. Price, all relevant shipping information, and product information should be next to the main call to action (CTA), as users like to review this information once more before clicking to the next step.  

Users should also be able to easily access reviews from verified customers without having to scroll too far or navigate away from the page. With 63 percent of people saying they are more likely to make a purchase on a site with reviews, this is clearly something that should be prioritized when thinking about the layout of your product page. 

#2: Build User Trust with Upfront Pricing 

With half of all customers citing unexpected extra costs like shipping being the reason for their shopping cart abandonment, it’s clear that transparency when it comes to pricing should be top of mind for businesses when perfecting their eCommerce sites.  

At a minimum, estimated shipping costs should be emphasized, but companies looking to go a step further should consider having users input their zip code on the product page to get real-time shipping cost information without added clicks. 

#3: Ensure Users Can Easily Save and Edit Shopping Carts 

The thing users want most on your site is flexibility and autonomy when it comes to their purchases. That being said, when users are worried they are going to be locked into their selections and unable to easily go back, they are much less likely to convert on your site. Users should be able to easily “go back” or “edit cart” at any point in the buying process without having to abandon the site entirely.  

Users should also be able to pick up where they left off with items in their shopping cart if they exited the site and should still be able to have a seamless shopping experience. Repeat visitors to sites were 73.72% more likely to convert than first-time visitors and spent on average of 16.15 percent more per transaction. 

 #4: Create a Sense of Urgency  

The principle of scarcity being a significant driver of demand is not a new concept when it comes to human behavior, but how can you put it to use your eCommerce site? Showing stock levels for different products is a quick and easy way to create a sense of urgency on your website. As users see the numbers dwindle, they will be more incentivized to buy.  

Studies have also shown that when users are reminded of other customers on the site, they are more likely to consider converting. Sites like Etsy do an effective job of reminding users that they have “competition” for different items using pop ups saying things like “Other people want this. 3 other people have this in their cart and there are only 2 left in stock.” Businesses should consider using these tactics to play into their users competitive side creating a sense of urgency to convert.

#5: Simplify Checkout Forms

So your user has gotten all the way to the actual checkout form, how do you prevent them from leaving? Simplicity is key. Once users have made it to this stage of the buying process, shopping cart abandonment is often due to long and complicated checkout forms.  

There are two quick things you should keep in mind when designing your checkout page. Simplify the input needed to the bare minimum and allow users to check out as guests. Users likely don’t have time to fill out any information more than what is absolutely necessary, and they don’t always want to take the time to create an account and have one more password to remember. With 23 percent of users saying having to create an account being why they left the site, creating a guest check out option is a quick thing your business can do to improve conversion rates. 

Going Forward 

As your business considers your eCommerce strategy going forward, consider what simple UX updates you can make to elevate the shopping experience of the customer while also increasing conversions.