Every owner of an online shop knows very well that the problem of abandoned shopping carts before the transaction has been completed is crucial for the functioning of the online business. This is a clear signal that our offer has attracted the interest of e-consumers, but for some reason, they have given up placing an order. Why do customers most often abandon shopping carts? What can we do to minimise this problem? You will learn this from the following article.
Is it worth saving abandoned shopping carts?
Baymard Institute has conducted a study which shows that over 67% of shopping carts are abandoned. Such a high percentage of people who do not complete the order should be a clear signal to analyse the customers’ shopping path and take a closer look at the UX of our service. Why are these activities so important? Because they translate into financial results. Let us imagine a situation in which practically every order would be finalised, and our e-business is not among the companies whose nearly 70% of customers resign from purchasing. This is pure profit, which gives measurable results on an annual basis.
Why do customers abandon their shopping carts in online shops?
Among the key reasons for abandoning shopping carts in online shops are:
1. Too high delivery costs – studies show that too high delivery costs for 60% of online shoppers are a reason to abandon shopping carts. Often these costs are compared to the value of the product. If the value of an order is small, and the cost of delivery is almost the same as the value of the product, then in many cases, customers give up the transaction. It is equally harmful to e-consumers to give different delivery costs throughout the ordering process. If there is a lower delivery price or even information about free delivery on the product card, and after placing the products in the cart, a fee is charged or overstated, likely, the purchase will not be completed. These issues should be kept in mind, and before our online shop starts selling, we should thoroughly test our customers’ shopping path.
2. Long order process – for modern e-consumers, the convenience of placing orders online is essential. After adding it to the shopping cart, the selected product should be purchased literally in a few clicks. As many as 37% of online shoppers admit that they do not complete the transaction when creating a user account on the site. Therefore, it is worth taking care of a user-friendly shop interface and shortening the purchasing process to a minimum.
3. No mobile version of the e-shop – today we use smartphones and tablets for shopping more and more often. If our online shop is not responsive, visitors using mobile devices will likely resign from shopping. So, if you want to minimise the number of shopping carts being abandoned, it is essential to remember the «mobile-first» principle.
4. Lack of reliable product descriptions – customers of online shops, have no opportunity to see or touch the product. They also cannot ask the seller about detailed product data, range of functions or possibilities of use. Therefore, reliable product descriptions and their photos are crucial. Thanks to them, customers can easily reach the information they need and make purchasing decisions faster.
5. The UX of the website – among the factors that may affect the abandonment of shopping carts, there are also those related to the online shop’s functionality. For e-buyers, ease of navigation, an adequately arranged category tree or correctly named products is crucial. E-consumers also pay attention to the quick possibility of searching for products, access to information on delivery and return policy, or the customer service department. If we take care of all these elements, the number of shopping carts abandoned in our e-service will undoubtedly decrease.
Data analysis plays a significant role in saving abandoned shopping carts. On their basis, we can find the ‘weak link’ in the entire purchasing process and eliminate it. It is also worth supporting promotional activities with remarketing. People who have visited our e-shop, but have not completed the transaction will be notified about the products left in the shopping cart. Together with the sent discount coupon, such a reminder encourages customers to return to the e-shop and pay for the order.