5 elements of a winning shopping cart

BEST PRACTICES IN RETAIL WEBSITE TESTING AND OPTIMIZATION,

PART 4

5 ELEMENTSOF A WINNING

SHOPPING CART

5 Elements of a Winning Shopping Cart : : Best Practices in Retail Website Testing and Optimization, Part 4

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Table of Contents

4 To Buy or Not to Buy?

5 #1 Progression & Process

6 #2 Delivery & Shipping Options

7 #3 Customization/Add-ons

8 #4 Guided Messaging

9 #5 Pricing & Security

10 CaseStudy:TelefloraSecureSeals

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To Buy or Not to Buy? Your shoppers have come so far.

When it comes right down to it, everything is riding on this part of the process:

Will your virtual shopper convert to a real paying customer?

Past the homepage into category pages through to product pages, they now have items in the cart and are almost ready to purchase. Unlike in a physical store, however, it’s still relatively easy for your shopper to abandon that cart and walk away altogether. And as every online retailer knows all too well, it’s a common scenario: nearly 65% of online carts go unclaimed.

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Get Out of The WayBy offering a clean, streamlined and efficient shopping cart funnel that eliminates distraction, frustration and unnecessary errors, will ensure that more of your browsers convert to buyers.

There are 5

key areas to review when starting to optimize your shopping cart:

The goal of your website at this stage of the buying process is to move to the side and let the shopper

complete his or her task. You want to make it as

easy as possible for them to complete the

sale — and avoid anything that’s cumbersome or confusing.

Clean and concise progress bar with highlighting guides

users through the steps.

Clear 3-step process sets expectations.

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Want customers to stay the course? By helping them understand the number of steps and the process for checkout from the beginning, you can make checking out a lot more clear and a lot less cumbersome.

Element #1Progression & Process

The shipping message within the cart is interactive, counting down how much is needed before free shipping is reached.

Clear messages let customers know when their shipment will arrive.

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Element #2Delivery & Shipping Options

Shipping costs and times have one of the biggest impacts on shopping cart abandonment. Don’t surprise customers with last-minute hidden shipping costs or fees. And if you offer free or discounted delivery, shout it from the rooftops — or at least from the shopping cart.

Once an item is added to the cart, you customize the

product with additional features and

complementary products.

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If you want to upsell customers on product-specific customizations and add-ons, make this part of the shopping cart funnel to increase cart size and offer added value, all while keeping customers on the path to purchase.

Element #3 Customization/ Add-ons

Guiding language and validation helps visitors move through each process, letting them know

why you need certain information.

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By now you should be getting the idea: the less guessing or uncertainty there is for your shoppers, the more likely they are to continue through to conversion. Guiding messaging helps buyers understand why you need certain information — it’s almost like having a virtual checkout associate!

Element #4 Guided Messaging

The visual cue of the lock, along with the words

“safe and secure checkout,” reinforce site security.

Very prominent pricing.

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While online shopping has become a very credible way to receive goods and services, many websites still display a “security logo” during the checkout process to reassure visitors they are using a trusted site for their online purchases. Never leave customers in doubt when it comes to pricing and security. They should be constantly aware of how much they’re paying, and see ever-present reminders that their credit cardandfinancialinformationwill be safe with you.

Element #5 Pricing & Security

WINNER

DEFAULT

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Being in the floral industry, where most purchases are gifts, it’s essential that Teleflora’s online customers are reassured that their gift purchase (and money) are going to remain safe and secure. So,TelefloraandMaxymiserdesigned an A/B…n test to look at four varying placements and/or presence of Secure Seals (McAfee, thawte and STELLA) on the checkoutpage.Teleflorawantedtoconfirmwhetheror not these logos positively or negatively impact conversions, or if their presence was essentially unnecessary.

Case Study: Teleflora Secures More Purchases with Security Seals

By placing the Secure Seal in the lower left-hand corner, Teleflora earned a 2.73% lift in Revenue per Generation, for weekend traffic.

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Cart abandonment happens, but you should be doing everything in your power to prevent and reduce it.

Smooth the path to purchase. Convert more customers.

If you are interested in speaking with someone at Maxymiser, please email [email protected].

An optimized shopping cart conversion funnel is essential

to keeping customers on the path to completing their

shopping experience — and to a website that delivers

impressive conversion rates.

mailto:info%40maxymiser.com?subject=4%20Elements%20of%20a%20Winning%20Product%20Page

5 elements of a winning shopping cart

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