Why do so many customers go through the time and trouble to load up their shopping carts, only to leave without the merchandise?
There are a variety of reasons. Global Millennia Marketing conducted a survey of 833 online shoppers to find out how they use shopping carts on a variety of e-commerce sites. Their findings offer some key insight. According to the survey, the top 15 reasons for shopping cart abandonment, and the percentage of shoppers citing each as a reason, include:
1. Cost of shipping too high and not shown until checkout (69%)
2. Changed mind and discarded cart contents (61%)
3. Comparison shopping or browsing (57%)
4. Total cost of items too high (49%)
5. Saving items for later purchase (47%)
6. Checkout process too long (44%)
7. Out of stock products at checkout time (39%)
8. Checkout requires too much personal information (35%)
9. Poor site navigation and long download times (31%)
10.Lack of sufficient product or contact information (31%)
11.Checkout process confusing (27%)
12.Site requires registration before purchase (23%) 13.Site unclear on delivery times (17%)
14.No order tracking options (16%)
15.No gift certificates (11%)
These are all important factors that should be addressed by your checkout process and shopping cart design.
But the question remains ' how you can bring someone back to complete a purchase?
We've identified a powerful technique that can boost sales by 4% to 12% when applied correctly. Even more important, it can increase your profits by up to 20%!
Why? Because you have already incurred all of the online marketing expenses to get these customers to come to your site. So if you can get more of them to complete their transactions then your profits will rise significantly.
This tactic works on customers who abandon your cart for the following reasons:
1. Changed mind and discarded cart contents
2. Comparison shopping or browsing
3. Saving items for later purchase
4. Checkout process too long
5. Out of stock products at checkout time
6. Lack of sufficient product or contact information 7. Checkout process confusing
The problems mentioned above are primarily faced by customers who are dedicated to buying your product but simply cannot understand how to complete the checkout process OR who are waiting for more information before finalizing their purchase..
Recapturing these customers can significantly boost your sales. As in all our tactics, it is important to understand why the customer behaves the way he does. Consider the design of your checkout process and understand what problems and fears your potential customers may have.
By understanding what keeps your customers from buying, you can work on eliminating these barriers and close more sales.
A friendly and informative email that addresses the possible fears that you've identified can do the trick to help you recapture a significant portion of those potentially lost sales.
Shopping Carts For Sale
One of the most overlooked e-business tools on the internet today is the ability to integrate your shopping cart checkouts with an autoresponder in order to verify the information that was received at the time of purchase. This very simple and effective method offers two different e-business tools to the internet marketer. First, the built in system not only gives your clientele a sense of professionalism and that they just made a purchase from a reputable website, but it also helps to eliminate the costly mistakes caused by simple human error.
When you are setting up your website (or improving an existing website) you should be able to find shopping cart systems that come with the autoresponder systems already built into the program, which if course enables you to start preventing human error mistakes and building your professionalism right away.
Messages that let the consumer know that you appreciate their business and perhaps even mention that it generally takes 3 business days to send out their order (or something more time specific to your site) should be kept as a separate autoresponder message from the receipt of purchase. Build a little confidence with your customer or potential client by using your e-business tools to communicate appreciation. Everyone loves to be appreciated. Melting your shopping cart into an autoresponder message that makes a customer feel as though their business counts is a great way to head off those cancellations that can accompany an immediate receipt of sale. Since autoresponder messages that show the customer access to all of their sale information might encourage a quick rethink of the purchase, which can then lead to a cancellation of the purchase.
If you are going for a super effective e-business tool with your shopping cart and autoresponder integration system, take a brief line or two to remind the consumer why they made their purchase in the first place, and how they can expect to benefit from their purchase and what a smart and excellent decision they made. Don't coat it on too thick, but giving them the feeling that they made a purchase that is not only appreciated by you but also will be appreciated by them is just one more way to confirm the sale and cement the sale simultaneously.
This is also a perfect opportunity to apply your e-business tool to the power of impulse buying and accessory purchasing. If you have additional items that can help enhance their purchase, tell them about it. If you are running a super special that will save them money on something that they might need to enhance their purchase, by all means, let them know. In some cases, it is perfectly acceptable to write out a few lines explaining that you want to thank them for their purchase by offering them a discount on these items that will enhance their purchase or offer them a discount on their next purchase of made within a specific time frame. For example, you could plug in, "As our way of congratulating you on your new purchase, we are offering you a fabulous 30% off of your next purchase when made within the next 48 hours!" or "We appreciate your business and we can also reward your decision to join the XYY team by offering any accessory item for a percentage off if purchased within the next six months." You want to leave them with the understanding that there is more that will benefit them and your e-business is happy to accommodate them to the best of your ability.
Use your autoresponder as an e-business tool rather than a method of harassing your customers. Do not send out chronic emails that will simply begin to annoy them and even dissuade them from future business with you. Think about how you feel about getting sales email too regularly. Cut your own autoresponder timing down to less than that and update your messages regularly to avoid duplicated effort.
Both Bjorn Brands & Terry Leslie are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Bjorn Brands has sinced written about articles on various topics from Computers and The Internet, Internet Marketing and Search Engine Marketing. Bjorn Brands is a successful enterprenuer who transitioned from having his own building company to a great online business. Check out his site and see for yourself how his FREE course can help you do the same at. Bjorn Brands's top article generates over 49500 views. to your Favourites.
Terry Leslie has sinced written about articles on various topics from About Branding, Womens Health and Dating and Romance. OR if you would like to succeed immediately to create financial freedom working only 4 hours a week, check out AND rec. Terry Leslie's top article generates over 110000 views. to your Favourites.
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