maximizing conversion with checkout optimization
DESCRIPTION
With average cart abandonment rates falling anywhere between 55 and 72%, it’s no wonder checkout optimization is the number one concern for ecommerce marketers. But redesigns and A/B tests often fail to move the needle because they focus only on checkout design, and ignore the psychological reasons customers are abandoning their purchases.In this deck you will learn: *A systematic process for optimizing your website that addresses the FUD (fears, uncertainties and doubts) surrounding the purchase process*How to perform a heuristic evaluation on your checkout process for design and usability*Tips for breaking out of your testing rutTRANSCRIPT
Maximizing Conversionwith Checkout Optimization
Linda BustosDirector of Ecommerce Research
www.GetElastic.com@getelastic
Avg cart abandonment
55-72%
Why customers abandon checkout
44% Shipping/handling too high
41% Not ready to purchase
27% Wanted to compare prices
25% Price higher than desired
24% Want to save for later
The top 5 reasons are non-design / usability issues
14% Didn’t want to register
12% Felt site was asking for TMI
11% Checkout too long/confusing
11% Website too slow
10% Not enough information
The next 5 reasons are design / usability issues
Conversion happens in the mindNot on your web site -Dr. Flint McGlaughlin
People will put up with bad processTo get something that’s indispensible
what’s your value proposition?
Value Props in Cart pages
Include value propositionsIn the cart summary
proximal to calls to action
dealing with FUD
“shipping and handling costs too high”
• “For whatever reason, a free shipping offer that saves a customer $6.99 is more appealing to many than a discount that cuts the purchase price by $10.”
--David Bell, WhartonSchool of Business
Cart abandonment spikes when cart total is low and when shipping
charges are close to the cart total
It also spikes near the $100, possibly due to the “triple digit” mark
Macy’s free shipping threshold at $99 may be more persuasive
than $100
A “carrot” shows the dollar amount remaining before
free shipping.Placing it proximal to the cart
total may make it more noticeable
“I was not ready to purchase the product”
Saving cart contents save sales. Use your web analytics days to purchase
report for ideal cookie length.
This call to action reinforces urgency
Urgency
“I wanted to compare prices on other sites”
again…what’s your value proposition?
“product price was higher than I was willing to pay”
Promo code boxes encourage code hunting.
coupon snipers
suppress coupon box
Showing coupon boxes only when customer has been
referred by email/affiliate is one solution
“just wanted to save products in my cart for later consideration”
Remarketing emails:Optimize them like
landing pages
Use incentives wisely (not the first time / not every
time)
“shipping and handling costs were listed too late during the checkout process”
59% expect “total cost” before checkout -OneUpWeb
“I didn’t want to register with the site”
23% of shoppers will abandon checkout if forced toRegister –Forrester Research
users don’t read instructionsmay start typing in open fields
ditto for returning customers
The “Amazon” way
Captures the email address in first step for remarketing, one form
for all customers
“site was asking too much information”
save unnecessary marketing segmentation auestions for a post-conversion survey
“checkout process was too long or confusing”
user testing
heuristic evaluation
calls-to-action
CTA clarity, styling and placement
Competing CTAs
CTA outside of eye path
CTA labels matter
Point of action assurances proximal to CTA
form usability
Label alignment
Required field format
Localization tools
Tooltips and instructions
Flexible inputs
Tabbability
Dropdown menus
Unnecessary fields
Call to action (not this)
Time savers
VisualCVV explanation
Clear error handling (not this)
Not this
Inline validation
inline validation
• 22% increase in success rates• 22% decrease in errors made• 31% increase in satisfaction rating• 42% decrease in completion times• 47% decrease in the number of eye fixations
(easier to visually process)– Source: Etre / Luke Wroblewski
Browser test
split path testing
Reducing steps may work, but don’t test shortened processes until you optimize the elements within the steps
one page checkout
Olympic Store improved checkout by 22%, but results
may vary
“Web site was too slow”
Test site speed all the way through your funnel, not just the home page!
slow speed culprits
• Table based layout• Uncompressed images• Payment gateway
– Magnified on slow-band connections, mobile/WIFI, overseas
“I didn’t have enough information to make the purchase”
proactive chat
challenges to moving the needle
• Testing the minutiae• Starting with multivariate (or using A/B testing
like multivariate)• Focusing on site elements rather than
psychology
interpreting test results
example: should you show cross-sells on the cart page?
• What are you measuring? Conversion rate or profit?
• How were they presented? Above below fold? Labeled?
• Did you use the correct price points? What were the merchandising rules?
Positive or negative results depend on how well you’ve nailed it with the treatment design
What might be influencing your analysis?
takeaway
• Optimization starts with in-head factors, not on-page factors
• Form your testing hypothesis with user testing first, then heuristics
• Start with radical redesigns and work from there
• Interpret test results wisely
