You've worked hard to attract visitors to your online store. But are you losing potential customers at the final hurdle---your checkout page? If you've noticed an unusually high number of abandoned carts, you're not alone.
For context, the average abandonment rate across all industries is 70%, which means this is a common challenge for most marketers and business leaders.
It's shocking to think about 7 out of 10 people leaving your website even after they put an item in the cart. That's a ton of lost sales and chances to connect with your audience. But don't worry---there's good news.
With some smart tweaks, you can transform your checkout page into an enjoyable, streamlined experience that keeps buyers engaged and boosts conversions. Today, I'm going to share six specific strategies I've learned over the years that will help you create a conversion-worthy payment page.
User-Friendly Design is a Must
If you want people to buy something from your site, your checkout flow needs to be smooth and user-friendly. If they experience any friction while browsing around, there's a good chance they will leave and not look back.
On the other hand, if people can quickly and easily find what they're looking for, they are more likely to follow through and place an order.
Here are a few things you can do that will make your site a little more easier to use for everyone:
- Ensure fast page load times, especially for mobile users. We found that 53% of people will leave a page if it takes longer than 3 seconds to load.
- Display the full order cost on all pages, not just the checkout page, including taxes and shipping, upfront. This will help users see their total at all times and avoid surprises.
- Offer multiple payment options so anyone can buy from your site. Everyone has a different way of paying; embrace it!
- Use a progress bar to show how close they are to completion.
- Allow guest checkout without requiring account creation.
I suggest choosing one of these strategies at a time and implementing them on your site, including your payment page. Before long, you should start to see more people stick around.
2. Provide Accessible Live Support
Did you know that 60% of customers are more inclined to buy from brands offering live chat support? This simple addition can make a big difference to your visitors.
Here's an example so you can see what I mean:
Imagine you're considering a plugin for your business. You have questions before taking action, but the only support option is to send an email and wait days for a reply. Chances are, you'd lose interest and look elsewhere for a comparable product. You do not want to put your customers in this position.
My advice is to avoid this frustration by displaying a live chat option throughout your website and highlighting it during the checkout process. When visitors can get their questions answered in real time, they're more likely to feel confident completing their orders.
3. Create a Sense of Urgency
Fear of missing out (FOMO) is a very powerful motivator when it comes to getting people to finalize their purchase. Basically, this means people go through with an order because they don't want to miss out on an experience or a deal.
How much does FOMO affect the average person? Well, we found that 7 in 10 people experience FOMO at least once a month! Out of the people who do, 69% report following through with an order 24 hours after worrying that they would miss out.
There's a good chance you've experienced FOMO yourself. Think about the last time your favorite brand ran a limited-time sale or promotion. The scarcity and exclusivity likely inspired you to make a purchase you might have otherwise postponed.
You can recreate this urgency on your checkout page by featuring countdown timers for sales, displaying low-stock notifications, or using language that highlights the limited nature of your offers. Make sure you're honest and ethical about this approach because people will notice if you're 'always' running a flash sale or 'always' down to 1 product. If done correctly and honestly, the use of FOMO can nudge hesitant visitors to take action.
4. Showcase Social Proof
Social proof, like customer reviews and trust badges on your checkout page, can boost potential customers' confidence in your brand.
Reviews, in particular, can be very effective at winning people over. We found that a jaw-dropping 97% of consumers say reviews directly influence their purchasing decisions. In other words, if your product pages and checkout pages don't have reviews or a money-back guarantee, there's a very good chance they'll leave your site to get a second opinion.
If this happens, you risk them not coming back, which translates to a lost sale every time it happens. My advice is to strategically place authentic reviews and trust badges (like secure payment icons) on your checkout page and all other parts of your site. This simple technique will reassure visitors that others have had positive experiences with your products or services, which will make it less likely that they'll abandon their shopping cart.
5. Recover Lost Carts
There's no question that the 70% abandonment rate I mentioned at the top of the post is a massive leak in every sales funnel. Despite your very best efforts, people will still try to leave with items in their cart. But don't worry; there are a few ways you can recover these would-be lost sales.
As visitors move to exit your site, try using exit-intent popups to encourage them to join your email list in exchange for a discount on their first purchase or to return to finalize their order at a later date. This tactic captures their contact information, allowing you to follow up with targeted abandoned cart emails.
Once they're on your list, I've also found that creating and automating a cart abandonment campaign is a terrific way to drive people back to your site. Our campaign consists of three abandoned cart emails that go out within a week of the abandonment. After some tuning, we discovered we could boost recovered orders by up by almost 70%! I think this goes to show that a gentle nudge, coupled with an enticing offer, can be the key to winning people over and convincing them to make it back to your checkout page.
6. Show a Thank You Page
The checkout process doesn't end at the purchase confirmation. A thoughtful thank you page can set the tone for a positive ongoing customer relationship.
After a successful transaction, thank the buyer and clearly outline what they can expect next -- whether it's a download link, shipping updates, or additional resources to get the most out of their purchase.
This simple gesture demonstrates your commitment to a great customer experience. You can even use the thank you page to gather feedback or preferences, allowing you to better segment and personalize future communications.
The Bottom Line
There's no question that optimizing your checkout page can have a big impact on your bottom line. By implementing these six strategies, you'll create a seamless, user-friendly experience that keeps visitors engaged and converts more browsers into buyers.
But remember, this is an ongoing process. You'll want to continuously test, analyze, and refine your approach based on what you audience wants and expects from your brand.
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