The invention of the online shopping cart ushered in the ecommerce industry but is also a stressor for online entrepreneurs. According to research from the Baymard Institute, 69.57% of online shopping carts are abandoned. That means for every 100 potential customers, 70 end up leaving without purchasing! Instead of resigning yourself to missing out on significant revenue potential, learn how to improve your conversions in a few easy steps.

Simplify Your Online Shopping Cart

Customers don’t stick around for tedious checkout processes. Make your purchase completing as simple as possible by allowing the option to check out as a guest or registered user and ask for a minimum amount of information. If you’re making your customers jump through hoops, log into your site, and answer multiple questions, you’re likely to lose them before they ever hit “Purchase.”

Include Progress Indicators

Keep busy customers engaged by showing them a progress indicator of your online shopping cart process. If you have three steps, customize your page with language like “Two More Steps To Go” or an app that helps customers see how many steps they have left. They’re less likely to leave if they can see they’re almost there, and you’re more likely to convert impulse buyers who want to make a quick purchase for a gift or a must-have item.

Avoid Sticker Shock

We live in an Amazon Prime, free shipping kind of world. Your online store may not be able to offer those kind of perks, but can still compete with exemplary customer service and unique products. However, it’s also crucial to make your pricing as transparent as possible. Add shipping costs and any other fees upfront, so your customers don’t realize it’s all going to cost $15 more than they realized once they hit your online shopping cart. If possible, you could also roll the shipping cost into your product price to keep things simple and manage customers’ expectations.

Use Abandoned Cart Apps

Forgoing abandoned cart apps is like leaving money on the table. You can increase your conversions without finding new customers with a Shopify app like Rivo Abandoned Cart Recovery. Customize their features to recover abandoned online shopping carts through email, SMS, and push notifications. You can also plug in discount codes and experiment with offers to entice customers to come back and finish their purchases.

Focus on Cross-Selling and Up-Selling

Want to cross-sell and up-sell? There are apps for that, too. Tools like Cross-Sell & Cart Upsell allow customizations to show recommended and related products. You can also recommend products in a popup when a customer clicks “Add to Cart.” Make sure to track your results in your online shopping cart so you can see how your clicks and conversions stack up against your progress from last month and last year.

Entice Customers to Return for More

Do you convert customers but then find they never come back to your Shopify or WordPress site for more? There’s no need to keep finding new customers when your previous ones just need a nudge to stop by your online store. Keep your customers engaged with an auto-generated Thank You with an irresistible offer. A time-sensitive discount or coupon code for their next order gives your customers a reason to develop a loyal relationship with your online store.

Optimize Auto Re-Ordering

Set yourself up for future success with an auto reordering feature for buyers. It’s not just a win for your business; it’s also convenient for your customers and offers a quality User Experience. Try apps like Reorder Master ‑ Repeat Orders allows your customers to set up advanced reordering options with a single click from your Thank You page. They can also edit their purchase or customize what they want in their next order in a few clicks.

Next Steps

Sometimes increasing your conversions doesn’t have much to do with finding new customers and everything to do with your online shopping cart. Do you want to do a deep dive into your website, how your own online shopping cart is working, and ways to attract and convert customers? Talk to the team at Digital Nomad Designs about improving your content, SEO, UX, and UI to attract and retain a more targeted audience. Book a free call here to discuss your project.