Let's talk about an inescapable situation for online store owners: abandoned carts. In fact, the average shopping cart abandonment rate in 2024 is 70.19%, according to the Baymard Institute studies.
You built a great product, and your marketing is spot on, with captivating descriptions and amazing product visuals. Customers are drawn in, ready to buy and click on “add to cart”... and then abandon it. But why?
The answer might lie in the often-overlooked stage of the customer journey: the checkout process. In this article, Cathy, Content Manager at Bigblue, will help you optimise your checkout to turn visitors into loyal customers.
Bigblue is the logistics partner of the most prestigious e-commerce and omnichannel companies in Europe. More than 500 brands trust them to transform their operations into growth drivers. Thanks to their operational excellence and cutting-edge technologies, their clients multiply their order volume by an average of 10 in just 1 year!
Apply these 15 proven tips to optimise your checkout and boost your sales!
From abandoned carts to loyal customers: The power of checkout optimisation
1. What is checkout optimisation?
Checkout optimisation is all about making buying on your online store easier and faster. By analysing customer behaviour and removing any roadblocks, you can create a frictionless purchase journey that leads to happier customers and more sales. It's a win-win!
- Low: below 29.5%
- Average: between 29.5% and 61.6%
- Good: above 61.6%
2. What are the different benefits of checkout optimisation?
The benefits of investing in checkout optimisation are numerous and directly impact your ecommerce business's success:
- Increase conversion rates: by removing friction points and streamlining the process, you can significantly reduce cart abandonment rates and convert more website visitors into paying customers. A well-designed checkout can boost conversion rates by over 35%!
- Improve customer satisfaction: a smooth and efficient checkout experience fosters positive customer sentiment and increases the likelihood of repeat purchases and positive word-of-mouth recommendations.
- Save money: you can minimise operational costs associated with processing abandoned carts and customer service inquiries related to checkout issues.
- Enhance brand image: a well-optimised checkout process makes your brand look professional, customer-centric, and trustworthy, contributing to a positive brand image and fostering customer loyalty.
Now that you understand the importance and benefits of checkout optimisation, let's explore actionable strategies you can implement easily!
15 actionable tips for checkout optimisation
1. Simplify checkout for faster purchases
Simplify your checkout process by minimising the number of steps to three to five. You can achieve this by merging fields, like billing and shipping addresses to reduce clicks.
2. Offer guest checkout for first-time buyers
Even better, offer guest checkout to accommodate first-time buyers and those who prefer not to create an account. Additionally, ensure a hassle-free login process for returning customers to save them time.
Urban Outfitters offers the opportunity to “Check Out as a Guest”. This quick win removes extra steps and streamlines the shopping experience for potential customers!
3. Show a clear checkout flow to reduce anxiety
As online shoppers go from picking a product to buying it, they click through different pages. They like knowing where they are in this process.
Progress indicators keep customers informed about their journey through the checkout process, reducing anxiety and enhancing transparency.
Make it better for them by showing a progress bar like Bigblue’s client, Cabaïa. By adding a clear progress indicator on their checkout page, you know at which steps you are and how many are left before completing the purchase!
4. Optimise website and mobile for a speedy checkout
Slow websites make 75% of visitors flee, with almost half of shoppers expecting pages to load in two seconds or less. Remember to ensure your checkout is mobile-friendly!
In the UK, 74% of people browse online stores, and 63% buy directly from their phones.
Overall, use clear instructions, effective error messages and visuals to help decision-making, reducing frustration and preventing abandoned carts.
Optimise your “Add to Cart” button by making it BIG and using bold colours to catch your customer’s eye!For an enhanced user experience, consider too:
- Using a static button within easy reach;
- Displaying the price inside the button directly (to save space on mobile).
5. Offer free shipping to incentivise purchases
62% of shoppers said they wouldn't think about buying from a retailer that doesn't provide free shipping.
Fast and free delivery times are becoming consumer standards. Ensure you are answering their expectations by clearly communicating your shipping costs.
6. Offer multiple delivery choices for extra convenience
Make sure that you offer delivery options to cater to diverse customer needs:
- Green/Carbon-neutral delivery: attracts environmentally conscious customers and positions your brand as eco-friendly.
- Express delivery: appeals to customers who need an item quickly, potentially increasing the order value with faster options.
- Pickup delivery: offers convenience and cost-effectiveness for customers who prefer cheap and secure options.
Les Secrets de Loly uses Bigblue’s pick-up point selector to allow customers to choose the most convenient delivery point before payment completion. It boosts transparency because the customer has a visual representation of all the available options!
7. Gamify checkout with gifts
Boost conversions with a gamified checkout experience! You can add a progress bar with milestones to show customers how close they reach that amount.
Merci Handy encourages customers to spend a little extra to receive gifts like stickers and free shipping.
By offering free shipping for a minimum spend, 58% of customers are motivated to add more items to their cart to reach this amount.
It's a great CRO tactic that boosts the average order value without being pushy. Ultimately, customers feel rewarded with the perk of free shipping!
8. Display Estimated Times of Arrival (ETA) to set clear expectations
Also, transparency is key to managing customer expectations. Displaying ETA directly on product pages and during the checkout can significantly boost conversion rates.
It also helps customers plan their purchases and avoid surprises, especially during particular occasions like Christmas or gift shopping!
Smartworkout started adding a dynamic ETA on their product pages just below the product name. You can enter your postal code and the ETA will be changed accordingly and it will also indicate if the delivery is free or not.
Smartworkout’s founders noticed a 22% increase in their product page conversion rate after adding Bigblue’s Fast Tags on their product pages!
9. Showcase return policy for customer reassurance
Did you know that 96% of customers check return policies before buying? Make yours clear and easily accessible on product pages or checkout to give shoppers confidence and increase sales.
Casper prioritises user experience by showcasing key benefits like risk-free trials, contactless delivery and a 10-year warranty in a non-intrusive corner placement. This approach offers reassurance to shoppers without cluttering the page!
10. Offer multiple payment options for wider customer reach
To avoid customers leaving because they didn’t find their preferred payment method, you have to offer a range of secure payment methods like:
- Credit cards
- Debit cards
- Digital wallets (like Paypal, Apple Pay or Google Pay)
- Buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) options, like Oney
You can use payment gateways like Payplug on your website to help you securely set up your payment methods. It offers easy setup, personalised assistance, and a range of features to improve your conversion rates, ensuring a smooth transaction experience for e-commerce owners and customers alike.
11. Use an embedded payment page
Streamline your customer shopping experience thanks to a payment form directly integrated into the checkout page. This way, your customers are not redirected to an additional payment page that doesn't match the design of your website.
Payplug offers you various payment page integration models in compliance with PCI-DSS regulation: pop-up, redirect or embedded payment.
12. Display security badges to build trust
Remember that 19% of carts are abandoned due to security or trust reasons.
Display security badges and certifications to reassure customers about the security of their personal information and financial transactions. SSL certificates, payment badges, anti-virus software logos and HTTPS are necessary.
Don’t hesitate to showcase positive customer reviews on your checkout page! 84% of people trust them as much as friends' recommendations.
Like Lovebox, add a section on your checkout with social proof like “250.000 Lovebox sold worldwide” or a badge for “Secured Payment”.
13. Upsell and personalise to increase average order value
Checkout optimisation is not only about reducing shopping cart abandonment but also about increasing your order average value with cross-selling and upsells!
You can take inspiration from Respire who added the possibility to add products that the customer may like simply on their checkout!
They’ve added a quick add multiple times at different stages of the checkout process. They also smartly added a gift note and gift packaging options!
If you want to go the extra step, you can offer a personalised checkout experience. Based on customer preferences and purchase history, you can include suggesting relevant products or offering exclusive discount codes!
14. Offer support to address doubts
During the checkout process, it's typical for online shoppers to have inquiries about their upcoming purchases. You can address shopper doubts through:
- Clear product descriptions: reduce confusion with concise product information;
- Proactive FAQs: anticipate common questions and provide easy-to-find answers;
- Live chat support: offer real-time assistance for complex inquiries (highlighting the 70% who prefer chatbots for brand communication).
15. Bring them back with cart abandonment emails
Another trick to win back customers is setting up an email workflow to send automated emails when their shopping cart is abandoned.
Abandoned cart emails can bring back 5-11% of potential purchases. Reminding the customer they didn’t finalise their order is a little push.
You can customise your email with coupon codes like Musc Intime. They even added a limited-time offer with a coupon code only available for 48 hours!
Conclusion
Checkout optimisation is an ongoing process requiring continuous evaluation and improvement. Keep in mind that user data is a goldmine. Analyse user behaviour to identify checkout friction points. Leverage A/B testing to compare different checkout variations and gather valuable customer feedback through surveys or reviews to address any pain points they encounter.
Bigblue is the best all-in-one fulfilment solution for e-commerce and omnichannel brands. We manage your BtoC and BtoB orders, allowing you to scale effortlessly. We’ve helped over 500 leading brands like Unbottled, Cabaïa, and La Petite Etoile achieve incredible results, boasting a 92% buyer satisfaction rate with delivery.
Cathy is Content Manager at Bigblue, the logistics platform for over 500 e-commerce and omnichannel brands.
