Reasons e-commerce businesses suffer from cart abandonment, and what you can do about it

Every e-commerce store owner knows the frustration of cart abandonment. It is disappointing to see a visitor leave without following through on a purchase, and it's a loss for the business. 

According to a study we did in our recent Digital Customer Experience (CX) report 67 percent of online shoppers in South Africa abandon their carts. This shows that somewhere along the customer's buying journey, a problem arises. There are many reasons for this, so Rogerwilco, a search marketing agency, has compiled an article on the top reasons for checkout abandonment, and what you can do about it. 

Lengthy check out process

Unlike before, it’s important to understand that people have shorter attention spans. According to a study done by Microsoft, people have an attention span of eight seconds, and the number continues to decrease every year. Having a lengthy checkout process can be the main reason why your shopping cart abandonment rate is high. Your visitors are looking to you to solve their problem, and expect your check out process to be straightforward and fast. Visitors do not have time to go through different processes before finally checking out. This will only result in them leaving your website and looking elsewhere. To rectify this, reduce the steps in your check out process, make it more streamlined; easy to use. Where possible, set up auto-fill forms just to minimise data entry, especially for returning customers. 

Hidden costs

Transparency is vital in any business as it strengthens the relationship between the organisation and its customers. Many people leave items in an online shopping cart when hidden costs appear before they check out. This causes frustration for your customers and can result in not only leaving your site but never returning. When a customer wants to buy from you, it means they're putting their trust in your business, and it’s important that you’re transparent throughout the process. 

The solution to this problem is to make sure shipping costs and any other additional costs are calculated and visible for the customer before making the transaction. Another helpful tactic is to offer free shipping after they spend a certain amount. Of course, the advantages of free shipping need to match the buyer's journey. Free shipping only makes sense when a buyer is at the right stage of the buyers’ journey, e.g. the buyer's mode. Before that, free shipping may seem unnecessary to the buyer. 

Delivery fees and slow deliveries 

Offering your customers free shipping is one way of reducing shopping cart abandonment as that can handle the delivery fees issue. But, if you don’t have express shipping, chances are your customer will look elsewhere. You will see in our 2020 CX report that logistics is one of the primary reasons for customer disappointment, which can lead to cart abandonment. For instance, high delivery fees, damaged items or deliveries taking too long can ruin your customer experience. All these issues affect a customer's experience with your business. Online shopping with faster deliveries is convenient, and it ensures your visitor goes through with a purchase. The chances of a customer going through with a purchase where it will be shipped in 10 working days are slim and can result in them leaving your site and going elsewhere. To avoid this, give your customers an option for faster shipping, improve your delivery methods, or outsourcing may be the best way to go. 

Payment security concerns 

When it comes to online purchases, a customer needs to trust your website. Some shoppers abandon their carts because of security concerns. When a customer lands on your e-commerce store and sees press logos or secure shopping logos (SSL), this makes online shoppers feel more secure about spending their money on your website. To ensure your website gives your audience a sense of security, make sure you have reviews on your site. Reviews will help build a relationship with your audience and show them a glimpse of what your customers experience when using your product or service. Have a privacy policy that they can refer to, as well as website security such as SSL certification and an HTTP website. Those steps can help build trust with your buyer and improve their online shopping experience. At Rogerwilco, we offer e-commerce web design services which will ensure your e-commerce site meets the requirements for your customers' satisfaction and safety. 

Final thoughts 

Cart abandonment statistics are quite high; however, if you follow our solutions, we’re certain you can change things around. Now more than ever, creating the perfect e-commerce store that is use-friendly will ensure higher conversion rates and a lower cart abandonment rate. It’s time that every business ensures their e-commerce site is exactly what a customer is looking for. If you want to improve your ecommerce store, then contact Rogerwilco, a digital marketing agency in South Africa that guarantees to work effortlessly in ensuring you provide your audience with the best experience when shopping online and ensure checkout abandonment is a thing of the past.