optimizing shopping carts for the holidays

Optimizing Shopping Carts for the Holidays 6 Last-Minute Changes You can Make to Your Shopping Carts To Increase Conversion

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Today’s team

Austin McCraw Senior Editorial Analyst MECLABS

Jon Powell Senior Manager Research and Strategy MECLABS

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5

Test your Marketing Intuition Shopping Carts

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Test Your Marketing Intuition

Version A Version B

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Version A Version B


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Version A (no Cart Summary) Summary Page

Version B (inserted Cart Summary)

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Version A Version B


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An Experiment

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Background: A website that sells retail and wholesale collector items Goal: To increase conversion rate Primary research question: Which version of second step in the conversion funnel will produce the highest conversion rate? Approach: A/B variable cluster split test that focused on reducing anxiety through credibility indicators, copy, and re-organization of existing page elements

Research Notes:

Experiment: Background

Experiment ID: TP1305 Record Location: MECLABS Research Library Research Partner: [Protected]

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• When we analyzed the metrics, we realized there were leaks throughout the checkout process, the credit card submission page stood out as low cost opportunity for immediate return.

• When we analyzed the metrics even further, we saw that this step also had the highest lost revenue per cart (more than double any other step).

• From this, we hypothesized that optimizing this step would have the highest potential return on our efforts.

Fallout Report: New Customers


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Control

Experiment: Control

Treatment

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Design Conversion Rate

Control 82.33%

Treatment 86.04%

Relative Difference 4.51%

5% Increase in total conversion The new credit card page increased conversion by 4.51%

What you need to understand: While it might seem like a small increase, choosing this specific step in the sales funnel to test resulted in a projected $500,000+ increase in revenue per year. This underscores the potential impact of a properly identified research question.

Experiment: Results

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Strategy for the Holiday Season

F Key Principles

1. Effective tests are not simply designed to achieve a valid result, but a valuable result. The goal of a test is to get a learning, but some “learnings” are more strategic than others.

2. Marketers must be able to identify where in the funnel is the greatest opportunity for optimization.

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PPC Ad Category

Page Product

Page Cart

(Step 1) Cart

(Step 2) Cart

(Step 3) Cart

(Step 4)

10% 6% 30% 20% 40% 10% 5%

Summary Profit Analysis & Sensitivity Analysis

$20,000 $10,000 $300,000 $150,000 $350,000 $50,000 $10,000 (5% ROI) (0% ROI) (200% ROI) (50% ROI) (150% ROI) (20% ROI) (0% ROI)

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F Key Principles

1. Effective tests are not simply designed to achieve a valid result, but a valuable result. The goal of a test is to get a learning, but some “learnings” are more strategic than others.

2. Marketers must be able to identify where in the funnel is the greatest opportunity for optimization.

3. For ecommerce companies approaching a holiday season, often the most opportune place for the increase is in the shopping cart for two reasons:

1. Increased Motivation Levels

2. Convergent Funnel Paths

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Conversion Impact Analysis

Product Page #2

Channel #1

Channel #2

Channel #6

Channel #7

Product Page #3

Shopping Cart

Product Page #1

Channel #3

Channel #4

Channel #5

• For many ecommerce sites, the shopping cart is standardized across the entire website.

• The cart is often the most visited page(s) on a website, and a conversion gain here impacts the revenue of the entire website.

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Today, we will discuss 6 small tweaks you can make to your shopping carts to improve conversion

Today’s Focus

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TWEAK #1:

REMOVING UNNECESSARY STEPS

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Background: The research partner is a fitness company that primarily sells fitness training content and gym equipment. Goal: To increase sales. Research Question: Which checkout process will result in a higher conversion rate? Test Design: A/B Multifactor Split


Research Notes:

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Experiment: Control Process

Product Page

Cart Summary

Form

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Experiment: Treatment Process

Removed Summary Step

Product Page Form

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Treatment (no Cart Summary)

Summary Page

Control (inserted Cart Summary)

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Design Conversion

Rate Relative

Difference Stat.

Control 27.7%

Treatment 35.6% 28.6%

29% Increase in Total Cart Conversions The Treatment path generated a 28.6% increase in cart completions

What you need to understand: By removing the cart summary review step in the checkout process, the treatment path was able to generate 28.6% more cart completions.

Experiment: Results

95%

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Not this, but this

1 2 3

4 5 6 CONFIRM

LP Not this

1 2 CONFIRM LP

But this

Note: Optimized removed two order confirmations

and a cart account registration

69% Increase in Conversion

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Not this, but this

Landing Page Account Login Reg. Form 1 Reg. Form 2

LOGO LOGO LOGO LOGO

Not this

Landing Page Reg. Form

LOGO LOGO

But this


Note: Optimized removed one cart account registration

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TWEAK #2:

ELIMINATE COMPETING OPTIONS

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Research Notes:


Background: B2C company offering package vacations. In this test we focused on improving the checkout process. Goal: To increase cart completions Primary research question: Which cart page will generate the highest completion rate? Approach: A/B split test (variable cluster)


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Experiment: Control

• The original cart was simple, but it included three equally weighted options from which the visitor had to select.

• This made the checkout process more cumbersome than was necessary

Control Cart

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Experiment: Treatment

• The marketers deemphasized and integrated the additional options into the product details.

• And they visually focused the visitor on one main call too action here.

Treatment Cart

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Experiment: Results

Design Conversion

Rate Relative

Difference Stat.

Control 12.94% -


37% Increase in Total Cart Conversions The Treatment path generated 36.5% more cart completions

What you need to understand: By simplifying and sequencing the options to choose from, the treatment shopping cart generated 36.5% more cart completions.

95%

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Not this, but this

LOGO

Not this

LOGO

But this


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Not this, but this

Not This But This


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TWEAK #3:

DEMONSTRATE A CLEAR SEQUENCE

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Background: The research partner is a one-stop vacation planning solution that allows users to book vacation rentals, car rentals, and activities. Goal: To increase final vacation bookings Research Question: Which page will yield the highest conversion rate from billing Information to confirmation? Test Design: A/B multifactor split


Research Notes:

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Experiment: Control

• The original cart was broken into two (unclear) steps

• The horizontal flow

as well as the blue shading made it difficult for visitors to get a sense for the sequence of the cart.

Control Cart

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• A simple “step indicator” was

added to clearly indicated which step of the process you were located.

• The treatment also took the two steps, and sequenced them vertically.

Treatment Cart

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Experiment: Side by side

Control Cart Treatment Cart

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Experiment: Results

Design Conversion

Rate Relative

Difference Stat.

Control 27.4%


36% Increase in Total Cart Conversions The Treatment cart generated 36.1% more conversions than the control

What you need to understand: By clarifying the sequence in the checkout process and addressing key issues of anxiety, the treatment care generated 36.1% more total conversions than the control.

95%

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Three Critical Questions

Moment of Orientation Conversation Action

Where am I?

What can I do here?

Why should I do it?

First Seconds Subsequent minutes (or days) depending on sales cycle

Visitor Experience Timeline

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Example #1

Step indicator

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Example #2

Step indicator

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Example #3

Step indicator

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Example #4

Step indicator

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Further Changes to Orientate a Customer

Other changes include:

• Linear Flow

• Labeled Information Clusters

• Instant Price Summaries

• Easy Customer Service

• Specific Call-To-Action

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TWEAK #4:

EXPRESS VALUE IN EVERY STEP

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Background: An “of the month” club that offers an ongoing subscription to products like wine and cheese. Goal: To increase shopping cart completions Primary research question: Which shopping cart will generate the most total subscriptions. Approach: A/B/C Split test

Research Notes:



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Experiment: Control

• This is the first stage in the shopping cart process once someone has decided they would like to join the Wine of the Month Club

Control Cart

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Experiment: Treatment #1

Treatment Cart #1

• In all the treatments, we broke the steps into a more justifiable structure (more on this later)

• But we also tested integrating points of value into the treatments.

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Experiment: Treatment #2

Treatment Cart #2

• For treatment 2, we tested emphasizing the value even further with specific wine descriptions for the current month.

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Experiment: Treatment #3 Treatment Cart #3

• For treatment 3, we expanded the value even further including a personalized letter from the vice president of product selection

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Experiment: Results

Design Conversion Rate Relative Difference

Control 15.6% -

Treatment 1 16.5% 6%



17% Increase in Total Cart Conversions Treatment 3 increased the rate of conversion by 18.2%

What you need to understand: There is a corresponding relationship between the amount of expressed value in each treatment and conversion rates. As more value is communicated, conversion rate increases.

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Experiment: Subsequent pages

Shopping Cart Step #2 Shopping Cart Step #3

Value was even integrated into the main form page and thank-you page.

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Not this, but this

XXXXXXXXX Software Suite

#1 On-Demand. 6459+ World Clients Award-Winning Solution. Free Trial www.XXXXXXXXXX.com/XXXXXXXX

Treatment: Step 1 Treatment: Step 2

{Keyword: [Vertical] Software} Award-Winning [Vertical] Software. Fully Integrated. Free Trial www.[Company].com/[Describe Product]

21% 54% 97%

204% In overall conversion

Not this

But this

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TWEAK #5:

JUSTIFY EVERY ACTION

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Background: An ecommerce site selling text books to professors in academic institutions. Goal: To increase text book purchases Primary Research Question: Which Treatment will generate the highest conversion rate for new and existing users? Approach: A/B/C Split Test

Research Notes:


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Experiment: Control

Control Cart – Step #1

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Experiment: Control Control Cart – Step #2

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Experiment: Control Control Cart – Step #3 Control Cart – Step #4

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Notice the copy: • “…complete

registration so that we can verify your instructor status…”

• “Once you have completed registration, you will be able to quickly request exam copies…”

Treatment – Step #1

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Notice the copy: • “Locate the

school where you teach…find your department…”

• “Once verified, we will automatically ship your exam copy to this address…”


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Notice the copy: • “This

information helps our publishing program.”

• “Confirm Your Order”


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Notice the copy: • “…to make sure

all of the information that has been entered is correct...”

• “Send My Samples...”


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Experiment: Results

Design Conversion

Rate Relative

Difference

Control 33.74% -

Treatment 1 40.02% 18.6%

19% Increase in Total Cart Conversions The treatment cart flow increased generated an 18.6% increase in conversion

What you need to understand: By sequencing the cart and justifying each action the customer is required to take, the treatment cart process increased the rate of conversion by 18.6%.

95%

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Not this, but this Not this But this

Notice how every field now has clear reasons for why you should fill continue each step.

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TWEAK #6:

INTENSIFY ANXIETY REDUCTION

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Background: A website that sells retail and wholesale collector items Goal: To increase conversion rate Primary research question: Which version of the second step in the conversion funnel will produce the highest conversion rate? Approach: A/B variable cluster split test that focused on reducing anxiety through credibility indicators, copy, and re-organization of existing page elements

Research Notes:



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What might be causing the fallout?

• It is unclear why the credit card is required when payment method is different.

• The complexity of the Purchase

Agreement Terms’ causes confusion and concern.

• There is no indication that my credit card information is secure.

Control

Experiment: Control

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How we addressed the issues:

• Third-party security indicators have been added.

• Clearer explanation of why a credit card is required and that it will not be charged.

• “Satisfaction Guaranteed”

promise is emphasized.

Treatment


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Design Conversion Rate

Control 82.33%

Treatment 86.04%

Relative Difference 4.51%

5% Increase in total conversion The new credit card page increased conversion by 4.51%

What you need to understand: While it might seem like a small increase, choosing this specific step in the sales funnel to test resulted in a projected $500,000+ increase in revenue per year. This underscores the potential impact of a properly identified research question.

Experiment: Results

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Examples of Anxiety Reducers

Specific Sources

1. Quality

2. Reliability

3. Security

4. Price

Specific Corrections

1. Satisfaction Guarantee

2. Testimonials

3. Third-Party Seals

4. Low-Price Guarantee

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Examples of Anxiety Reducers

Ease of use

Product quality

Customer satisfaction

Cost justification

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Summary

TWEAK #1: Remove Unnecessary Steps

TWEAK #2: Eliminate Competing Options

TWEAK #3: Demonstrate a Clear Sequence

TWEAK #4: Add Value in Every Step

TWEAK #5: Justify Every Action

TWEAK #6: Intensify Anxiety Reduction

Six Tweaks to Improve Shopping Cart Conversion:

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Live Optimization

Unchangeable information: None Steps to current page: 1. PPC ads to Store front 2. Products page 3. Individual product page 4. Shopping cart page 5. Checkout page

Page URL: http://bit.ly/TC0pnU

Target audience: People (probably older) looking for cost-effective ways to heat their houses and possibly reduce heating bills.

Electric Fireplaces

http://bit.ly/TC0pnU

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Unchangeable information: None

Steps to current page: 1. Store front 2. Product page 3. Cart Page

Page URL: http://bit.ly/SZuDlP

Target audience: Weight Loss consumers, women 18-50

Sozo Nutritionals

Live Optimization

http://bit.ly/SZuDlP

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Live Optimization


Steps to current page: 1. Store front 2. Products page 3. Product page 4. Checkout Page

Page URL: http://bit.ly/RCOGFx

Target audience: Females ages 35 to 45 in the UK

My Deco

http://bit.ly/RCOGFx

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Unchangeable information: Cart is flexible

Steps to current page: 1. Store front 2. Product pages 3. Cart Page

Page URL: http://bit.ly/TYcOEM

Target audience: Working women

John’s Shoes

Live Optimization

http://bit.ly/TYcOEM

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Live Optimization


Steps to current page: 1. Store front 2. Products Page 3. Cart Page 4. Checkout Page

Page URL: http://bit.ly/RCRtP3

Target audience: Women pet owners ages 25-65.

Dog Collar Boutique

http://bit.ly/RCRtP3

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Live Optimization

Unchangeable information: Much of it is hard coded, but categories, navigation and data is flexible Steps to current page: 1. Store front 2. Catalog page 3. Product Page 4. Cart page

Page URL: http://bit.ly/SKfCBV

Target audience: Lubrication users

Shoco Oil Inc.

http://bit.ly/SKfCBV

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Live Optimization

Unchangeable information: The product price and description information Steps to cart page: 1. Store front 2. Product Page 3. Cart Page

Page URL: http://bit.ly/UoQlg0

Target audience: Customers buying reading glasses

reading glasses shopper

http://bit.ly/UoQlg0

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Live Optimization

Unchangeable information: Parts of the header and footer

Steps to current page: 1. Ads to store front 2. Product Page 3. Checkout 4. Add to cart pop-up 5. Cart Page

Page URL: http://bit.ly/SKnuTO

Target audience: Women, 35-55, general interest in home w specific interest in cooking

Fresh Finds

http://bit.ly/SKnuTO


www.act-on.com

World-Class E-mail

Marketing Core &

Deliverability

• Third-Generation Email Marketing Platform

• No extra charge for deliverability

Complete Set of Tools on One Platform

• Drip/Nurturing, Web Analytics, Landing Pages, Forms, Scoring, CRM Integration, Social Media, Reporting and More

• Focus Usability, Simplicity & Manageability

Approach & Terms that Work

• Start Simple, Automate at Your Own Pace

• Affordable Pricing; Month-to-Month Contracts

• Live Customer Support – At No Additional Costs


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optimizing shopping carts for the holidays

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