Cart abandonment is a problem for many online sellers, with up to 65% of shopping carts left uncompleted. So how can eCommerce websites reduce cart abandonment and capture those all-important extra sales? We talk through some of the common reasons for cart abandonment and how to tackle them.

  1. Simplify Checkout

Customers often cite a long and complicated checkout process as an annoying feature of buying online and it leads 28% of them giving up halfway through. There are many things that businesses can do to stop this by simplifying the checkout process. Make sure the checkout is as streamlined as possible, keeping it minimal and include only necessary data fields. Reduce the number of steps that a customer has to go through and number the sections so that it is clear how long the checkout process will take to complete. Make sure site navigation is straightforward to keep customers’ attention and ensure they can confirm their purchase quickly and easily.

  1. Guest Checkout

In addition to simplifying the delivery process, guest checkout is another way to help reduce cart abandonment. 28% of customers will not complete a purchase if they have to create a new user account. Many customers don’t want the hassle of setting up new accounts, with new passwords to remember and more forms to fill in. Giving your customers the option of guest checkout, or offering the registration once purchase is completed, can help the customer feel more comfortable and help them buy more quickly.

  1. Offers

8% of customers leave their cart if they can’t find a discount code and 46% leave them if a code doesn’t work. By offering discount codes for buyers, they are more likely to complete a purchase to snap up a good deal. Some companies use re-targeting emails when a cart is abandoned to remind people that they didn’t complete purchase. Reminding users of the offer codes when sending these emails will also help encourage them to follow through with their purchase.

  1. Multiple Payment Options

Customers love choice. When it comes to payment options, 8% of customers abandon their cart because they can’t use their preferred payment option. Not only does having different payment options make it easier for the customer, but it can also help build trust. If you are selling a lot internationally and in specific countries or looking to target them for sales, researching the preferred payment method for people in that country can help build the trust needed to convince them to purchase from an international seller.

  1. Cost Transparency

25% of customers specifically cited shipping costs as the primary reason for driving them away, and 49% of online shoppers abandon their purchases because of hidden fees that are only revealed upon checkout. 22% abandon the carts because the seller did not mention shipping costs at all. Cost transparency is clearly very important for customers. It’s the primary reason that people abandon their carts. By being transparent about all costs ahead of time you can give your customers a better idea of what is coming and avoid the shock that leads to cart abandonment. This can include the cost of delivery or the duties and taxes involved in international sales.

  1. Delivery Options

Customers care a lot about delivery – 40% of abandoned carts are due to a lack of convenient delivery options. It’s important to offer a choice of different options as what suits one person may be different from another. For example, for someone looking to buy a last-minute gift, an express delivery option will be a big deciding factor. Alternatively, someone commuting into London every day may prefer to use Click & Collect so they can pick up their parcel at a time that suits them. Putting the customer in control increases the likelihood that they will complete the purchase.

GFS Checkout can help you reduce cart abandonment by giving your customers more delivery options, and providing all the information they need to make an informed decision. The new Duties and Taxes add-on also gives customers the cost transparency they want when it comes to international delivery. Contact us to arrange a demo of our technology.