The 7 Reasons Why Customers Abandon Your Shopping Cart
Shopping cart abandonment is among the most frustrating concerns in the world of e-commerce. Research confirms that out of every 100 potential customers, 67 of them will abandon your cart. That’s a dismal statistic, but here’s the good news: Business Insider claims that 63% of that business is recoverable.
When a customer comes so close to purchasing from you but ultimately decides it wasn’t right, it leaves sellers wondering what went wrong. The answer varies from one shopper to the next, but typically it will fall under one of the reasons below. Here’s a list of why you’re losing business – along with what you can do to recover it.
The 7 Most Common Reasons Customers Abandon Your Shopping Cart
1. They’re Forced to Create an Account
The goal for e-commerce sellers should be to get the customer from their cart to the confirmation page in as few steps as possible, but forcing customers to sign up for an account inhibits that process. Plus, many only shoppers know that signing up for an account means receiving emails from you – something they may not want if their inboxes are already crowded.
When it comes down to it, securing the sale is the most important objective, so be sure to offer a guest checkout option to streamline checkout.
2. Confusing Checkout Process
Similar to the point above, a lengthy, drawn-out checkout process can also deter business. During the time it takes to fill out multiple fields of information, your customers may begin to wonder how badly they really need that item in their cart.
Limit the hassle by minimizing form elements, and request only the information you absolutely need to fulfill the order. The need to optimize the shopping cart may fix the problem of confusing checkout page process.
3. Problems With Coupon Codes
Discounts are exceptional marketing tools, and most shoppers expect to be able to find one when they’re making an online purchase. If there’s a coupon bar in your checkout but a customer is unsuccessful in finding a discount code, they might question whether they’re getting the best deal.
In this situation, auto-apply can be a great tool for getting the customer to make a purchase. Whether the discount is expected or a pleasant surprise, every customer is happy to get a price break.
4. Surprise Shipping Costs
The last thing sellers want to do is stop customers in their tracks after shipping costs are calculated. Unexpected shipping costs are the number-one reasons shoppers abandon a cart, and Statista reports that they’re responsible for up to 25% of all lost sales.
Unfortunately, most small e-commerce shops can’t compete with the free shipping offered by many e-commerce conglomerates. Yet, there are still ways to get around sales lost from unexpected shipping costs: either be completely transparent by displaying all costs from the start, or factor shipping costs into product prices and offer free shipping.
5. Limited Shipping Options
In addition to transparent costs, consumers expect to have shipping choices. Many shoppers wait until the last minute to make purchases. Whether it’s a gift, an upcoming trip, or some other pressing need, they expect to find e-commerce stores that will deliver their order promptly.
Of course, express shipping costs more. With that said, many customers expect to pay more when they’ve put off ordering something. Thus, offering express shipping for an added cost is much better for your sales than not offering it at all.
6. Questionable Security
Payment security is at the forefront of shoppers’ minds. If consumers are at all suspicious about the integrity of your site, chances are, they’ll abandon their cart.
There are a few ways to ensure a secure shopping experience for site visitors. For one, make sure your SSL certificate is easy to spot and up-to-date. For another, use customer reviews and testimonials to show that previous customers have had favorable shopping experiences with you. Lastly, make sure customers know they can reach you if needed. Use elements like phone numbers, email addresses, and even pictures to build trust.
7. It’s Cheaper Elsewhere
We saved one of the most challenging reasons for last. Sometimes, shoppers are simply conducting research. They may add your item to their cart but forego the purchase if they find it cheaper elsewhere.
If it’s feasible for your business, consider offering a price-match guarantee. You can even deploy a pop-up message that visitors will see upon returning to their cart, which may help to compel shoppers to buy from you instead of a competitor.
Do you find shoppers are continuously abandoning their carts? If so, keep checking back with us for more tips on boosting sales through your WooCommerce store!
