Tips to avoid abandoned shopping carts
Customers put products into carts for many reasons. They may be competitors checking out your site, consumers comparing prices or finding out your trading policies or novice shoppers who find your site too difficult to use. Some customers may use your site and then place the order by telephone. Abandoned shopping carts aren't necessarily negative. Browsing your site is just like browsing a store.
- Build trust and more trust and keep your site simple and easy-to-use
- Provide your contact details throughout the site, including a telephone number and physical address
- Promote confidence, respond quickly to e-mails, and answer the telephone professionally
- Explain your postage and packing costs early in the transaction. If the customer proceeds to checkout and decides the postage is too expensive, you lose the sale. However, to justify a single postage charge, a customer may buy more than one product.
Explain your guarantee and returns policy
A rock solid guarantee goes a long way to persuading people to buy.
Describe your terms and conditions and privacy policies.
Explain your security and encryption process
Credit card information is fully encrypted by virtually all vendors as it travels over the Net. Provide details of your security method. This could come from using Secure Socket Layer (SSL) or bank-approved software.
Provide alternative ordering methods
Even if you would prefer your customers to buy through the site, give them the alternatives by fax or telephone. A few people will take advantage of the facility - the rest will order online, feeling confident that you're contactable.
Make the site fast
Use graphics effectively, not for the sake of it. Make the checkout process as easy as possible. Again, ensure that the site is not dynamically database driven unless this is absolutely essential.
Manage customer expectations
In an e-store you need to make sure that customers know exactly what they're getting and when. Amazon tell you that a book 'normally ships in 2-3 days' so you aren't too upset if it takes four days. If you offer delivery in 24 hours, you need to be clear about any time cut-offs, such as 'orders received by 4 pm normally ship the same day'.
Remember customer service is key
Encourage repeat business by going out of your way to meet customer needs. A happy customer will tell their friends, but an unhappy one will tell anyone who'll listen. |
