8 Effective Strategies To Reduce Cart Abandonment & Boost Sales in 2024

cart abandonment

Cart abandonment is a serious issue for any online business. If you observe your online store, you will notice that a lot of clients will add products to the cart but eventually not complete the purchase. And this usually is not a small number.

It is estimated that around 70% of all potential online buyers abandon carts. (Hotjar)

This means you are regularly losing the opportunity to convert 3 times more clients than you are achieving now.

But guess what, you have an opportunity to reduce this huge loss. There are several ways you can optimize your e-commerce shop for a lower abandoned cart rate.

Today you will learn about 8 proven strategies that will help you reduce cart abandonment significantly and grow your revenue.

Let’s dive in.

8 Effective Strategies To Reduce Cart Abandonment

Since cart abandonment is not something you can control directly, you have to think of unique ways, from improving the checkout process to customizing the cart process, and eventually convince your prospects not to leave without completing the purchase.

Following are 8 such strategies that may use to get good results.

1. Make The Checkout Process Distraction-free

A complicated checkout process is a prime reason why many people abandon carts. In fact, more people abandon carts just due to getting distracted by too many unnecessary elements on the checkout page.

So the first step would be to optimize the checkout page in a way so that the buyer does not lose interest.

Following are some checkout page optimizations you can do to reduce cart abandonment.

  • Display necessary form fields only
    A long checkout form is always annoying. Most people feel lazy to feel out the whole form when checking out. Hence, it is important to ensure you only have the necessary fields required for the checkout process.

    Obviously, what fields you need will vary depending on what type of product/service you sell and what data you absolutely require. For example, when selling B2B services, it is necessary to collect the “Tax No” from the buyer during checkout. Again, for digital products, you do not require the “Address” fields on the checkout page. If you think you do not need the phone number, then hide that as well.

    The idea is to only make the customer work for what is needed. Otherwise, make the whole process smooth and easy.
  • Use a more clear & concise form layout
    While checking out, looking at the complete form may seem overwhelming. So you may choose to break down the process into steps so that they sure can give a small amount of information at a time. In this case, a two-step checkout or a multi-step checkout is a good layout.

    You may also choose to keep “the order” in the focus of the buyer by using an Express checkout layout, which will have the product and pricing displayed on the right side through the step-by-step checkout process. This will reduce the chance of making the buyer think of other activities than completing the purchase process.
  • A progress bar could be a good way to handle multi-step checkouts
    In case you do choose to use a multi-step checkout form, then adding a progress bar would help the buyer to stay in the form and wait to go through the process one by one.
  • Enable the Google Auto-complete option
    You can enable the Google auto-complete option on your site for your returning customers. This will help regular buyers complete purchases in just a few clicks.
  • Consider allowing guest checkout
    Even though a guest checkout is not highly recommended, you may consider allowing it as many buyers feel a registration process is just too lengthy.

2. Highlight Clear Return & Refund Policies

When selling physical products, buyers are often concerned about quality and may want to find out your return & refund policies before making a purchase.

This is why, you should have clear instructions on your site regarding any return & refund scenario.

  • Create a detailed “Return and Refund Policies” page
    You should have a dedicated page on your site where you clearly explain your return and refund policies. Make sure you keep your policies straightforward and easy to understand for all.
  • Link policies on product pages and checkout pages
    You may add small tooltips on the product page and checkout page, where you may link to the “Return and Refund Policies” page.
  • Offer smart alternatives to refunds
    While refunds are a common expectation, providing other alternatives may trigger customers to reconsider. You may offer gift cards or store credits as options for customers who would want to return a product.

This will help potential buyers to go through with the purchase process confidently.

3. Gain Trust To Reduce Cart Abandonment

If customers lack trust in your website or business, they may hesitate to proceed with their purchases and abandon their shopping carts. One significant factor that can erode trust is encountering a website with poor reviews or a bad reputation. When customers come across negative feedback or perceive a lack of credibility, their confidence in the business diminishes, leading to cart abandonment.

Here are some effective strategies to gain trust:

  • Maintain a positive online reputation
    Actively monitor and manage your online reputation by encouraging satisfied customers to leave positive reviews and addressing any negative feedback promptly and professionally. Utilize online review platforms, social media, and customer testimonials on your website to showcase positive experiences.
  • Display trust indicators
    Incorporate trust indicators throughout your website to reassure customers of your legitimacy and reliability. This can include displaying security badges, certifications, or trust seals from reputable third-party organizations. Additionally, prominently showcasing customer satisfaction guarantees, refund policies, and secure payment options can help alleviate concerns and foster trust in your business.
  • Provide clear and transparent contact information
    Make it easy for customers to reach out to you by prominently displaying contact information. You can include a dedicated customer support email address or phone number.
    By demonstrating accessibility and responsiveness, you enhance trust and provide customers with a sense of assurance that they can seek assistance if needed.
  • Showcase social proof
    Leverage social proof by highlighting positive customer experiences, testimonials, case studies, or endorsements from influencers or industry experts. Incorporate these elements strategically throughout your website, particularly on product pages and the checkout process. Social proof helps build credibility and trust by showcasing that others have had positive experiences with your products or services.
  • Ensure a secure and user-friendly website:
    Implement robust security measures such as SSL certificates to encrypt sensitive customer data during transactions. A visually secure website reassures customers that their personal and financial information is protected. Additionally, optimize your website’s performance to provide a smooth and user-friendly experience, as a slow or glitchy site can raise doubts about its reliability.

This way, proactively address trust concerns and mitigate cart abandonment. Plus when your website seems secure, customers trust you more to pay. In the next section, let’s discuss how payment options matter in cart abandonment.

4. Offer Multiple Payment Options

It might sound baffling but a large chunk of buyers end up abandoning the cart only because you do not have their preferred payment option(s) available.

When we launched Mail Mint, we had several buyers who wanted to use Paypal, but we only had the option to accept payments via Stripe. Hence we lost several potential sales.

In case you are selling expensive products, a possible reason for cart abandonment for you could be that the buyer didn’t have enough funds available at the time.

To address this issue and minimize cart abandonment, consider implementing the following effective actions:

  • Set up different payment gateways
    It’s crucial to the preferences and needs of your target customers to offer a variety of payment gateways that cater to them. So, Research and identify the most commonly used payment methods in your target market and integrate those options into your website. Include popular payment gateways such as PayPal, Stripe, or credit card processors. Thus, you make it convenient for customers to complete their purchases using their preferred method, increasing the likelihood of conversion.
  • Offer Cash On Delivery (COD) for local customers
    Cash on delivery is particularly beneficial for customers who may not have access to online payment methods or prefer to pay in person. By offering COD, you accommodate the needs of local customers who prefer this payment method. This helps to reduce the likelihood of cart abandonment and increase conversions.
  • Provide partial payment and split payment options for high-end products
    For high-value or expensive products, consider offering flexible payment options to alleviate financial barriers for customers. This can include options such as partial payment, where customers can pay a portion of the total amount upfront and complete the payment in installments. Alternatively, you can provide split payment options, allowing customers to divide the total cost into multiple payments. These options make high-end products more accessible and affordable, enticing customers to complete their purchases and reducing cart abandonment.

The next big concern is about payment security. So let’s explore that.

5. Reduce Concerns About Payment Security

Ensuring payment security is paramount to building trust and reducing cart abandonment. When customers have concerns about the safety of their payment information, they may hesitate to proceed with their purchases and abandon their carts. A lack of essential security measures, such as an SSL certificate or trust badges, can contribute to this uncertainty.

To address these concerns and bolster payment security, consider the following effective actions:

  • SSL certificate for your website
    SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate helps to encrypt your sensitive customer data. Such as credit card details, during the transmission process. This encryption provides a secure connection between the customer’s browser and your website. This instills confidence in the safety of their payment information. Acquiring an SSL certificate demonstrates your commitment to protecting customer data and can be easily implemented through reputable certificate authorities.
  • Provide reassurance through trust badges or security seals
    Display trust badges or security seals prominently on your website, especially on pages where customers enter payment information. These visual indicators, such as icons representing secure payment gateways or recognized security certifications, reassure customers that their payment details are protected. Trust badges act as visual cues, reinforcing the message that your website employs rigorous security measures and follows industry best practices.

By taking these effective actions you can improve security risks and also user experience. Now let’s discuss how to improve the user experience in the next section.

6. Improve User Experience For Customers

Poor user experience can greatly impact customer engagement and lead to increased cart abandonment. When customers encounter delays, frustrations, or difficulties on a website, it negatively influences their purchase decisions.

To ensure a positive user experience and minimize cart abandonment, consider implementing the following effective actions:

  • Improve website speed and page loading speed
    Slow-loading websites can be frustrating for customers and may cause them to lose interest or abandon their carts. Optimize your website’s performance by minimizing unnecessary scripts, optimizing image sizes, and utilizing caching techniques. Thus, you can create a smoother and more efficient browsing experience. Also, this helps to keep your customers engaged and reduces the chances of cart abandonment.
  • Mobile-friendly and optimized site
    Make sure to provide a seamless experience to your customers accessing your website on their smartphones or tablets. To ensure that you can incorporate elements such as
    – easy-to-read text
    – properly scaled images
    – mobile-friendly navigation to contribute to a positive user experience
    Thus, you can enhance accessibility and reduce barriers that may lead to cart abandonment.
  • Clear navigation and search functionality on every page
    Clear and intuitive navigation is crucial for guiding your customers through your website. This helps them find their required products or information. To ensure that do the following:
    – well-structured navigation menu that is prominently displayed on every page.
    – implement a search functionality that allows customers to quickly find specific products or content.

Now that you have tackled the user experience, let’s move on to the concern about shipping, tax, and additional costs in the next section.

7. Reduce Shipping, Tax & Additional Hidden Costs

High shipping costs and unexpected additional fees can be significant contributors to checkout abandonment. When customers encounter expensive shipping fees or unexpected taxes and hidden charges during the checkout process, they may be deterred from completing their purchase.

To minimize cart abandonment related to shipping, tax, and additional costs, follow the steps below:

  • Display cost breakdowns on the checkout page
    Reinforce transparency by displaying a detailed cost breakdown on the checkout page. Clearly itemize and display the shipping fees, tax fees, and any other additional charges, so customers have a complete understanding of the total cost before proceeding with their purchase. This ensures that customers are not caught off guard by hidden costs and reduces the likelihood of cart abandonment.
  • Offer free shipping promotions
    Consider offering free shipping promotions as an incentive to motivate customers to complete their purchases. Free shipping is often a highly appealing offer for customers, as it eliminates an extra cost and adds value to their shopping experience. Implementing occasional free shipping promotions can help overcome price objections and encourage customers to proceed with their purchase, thereby reducing cart abandonment.
  • Provide estimated delivery dates
    Setting clear expectations regarding delivery dates can help manage customer expectations and reduce uncertainty. So, Try to provide estimated delivery dates based on the shipping method and destination. This information helps customers to plan their purchases. And also understand when they can expect to receive their orders. Thus, you enhance customer satisfaction and minimize cart abandonment due to uncertainty around shipping times.
  • Offer in-store pickup options
    If you have a physical store, provide in-store pickup as an option for customers. This allows them to collect their purchases directly from your store. Thus you can eliminate shipping costs and potentially expedite the delivery process. As In-store pickup provides convenience and flexibility for your customers. It is an attractive alternative for your customers who prefer a more immediate and hands-on experience.

Applying these tactics can be a game-changer for you to avoid abandoned carts.

8. Use Action-oriented CTA During Checkout

The effectiveness of your Call-to-Action (CTA) plays a crucial role in encouraging customers to add items to their cart and proceed with the purchase. A well-crafted and persuasive CTA can instill confidence and motivate hesitant customers to take action. Conversely, an unconvincing CTA can dampen the purchasing mood and lead to cart abandonment.

Actionable tips for optimizing your CTAs and minimizing cart abandonment:

  • Have persuasive CTAs tailored to your business niche
    Create CTAs that resonate with your target audience and align with your specific business niche. For instance, if you operate a makeup-selling website, a personalized CTA like
    -“Send Me Makeup!” can be more compelling than a generic “Buy Now” CTA.
    By using language that speaks directly to your customer’s desires and preferences, you create a more personalized and engaging experience that encourages them to complete their purchase.
  • Use action-oriented language
    Craft CTAs that utilize action-oriented language to prompt customers to take the desired action. Instead of passive phrases like “Learn More” or “Click Here,” you can opt for more assertive and enticing phrases like
    -“Get Your Exclusive Offer”
    -“Start Shopping Now.”
    Thus, you create a sense of urgency and excitement. Also, increases the likelihood that your customers will follow through with their purchase.
  • Highlight benefits and incentives
    Incorporate the unique selling points and benefits of your products or services within your CTAs. Instead of solely focusing on the action of buying, emphasize the value proposition and the positive outcomes customers can expect.

    For example, a CTA like “Unlock Clearer Skin Today” for a skincare product showcases the benefits customers can achieve by making a purchase. By highlighting the benefits and incentives, you create a compelling reason for customers to proceed with the purchase.
  • Optimize CTA placement
    Consider the strategic placement of your CTAs throughout your website. Ensure that they are visible, easily accessible, and strategically positioned at key points along the customer journey. Place CTAs on product pages, shopping carts, and checkout pages to guide customers toward completing their purchases. By providing clear and prominent CTAs at each stage, you streamline the conversion process and reduce the chances of cart abandonment.

Implement these effective actions, you can optimize your CTAs to persuade hesitant customers and create a seamless purchasing experience.

Conclusion

In conclusion, reducing cart abandonment is crucial for your e-commerce success. So you need to plan a bunch of effective strategies that can minimize cart abandonment and boost sales.

However, implementing these strategies can be challenging for you without the right tools. WPFunnels will help you to create conversion-optimized checkout pages, that will speed up the cart process and reduce checkout abandonment

Take action today and don’t let abandoned carts hinder your business.

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Rifat Ara Chowdhury

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Rifat Ara Chowdhury

Rifat is a young WordPress enthusiast with a passion for Digital Marketing. She writes about marketing funnel, sales funnel & buyer's journey. Find her on Twitter @Rifat2104

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