The checkout page is the endpoint in the long and eventful online shopping journey of the customer. In other words, it is the moment of truth that decides whether or not the customer will go through with the purchase, buy the product and make the payment, that is to say, another customer will have converted into a sale. There are, however, numerous instances of customers changing their minds at the very last moment. Why does this happen? Well, here are the main reasons behind why potential customers often hit the brakes on the possibility of converting the items added to the cart or bag into a confirmed sale:

1. If the order is not eligible for free shipping
2. If the customer wants to know the final order total on the checkout page and then compare it with prices on other e-commerce sites before making a purchase.
3. If the order total adds up to be a lot more than the actual price of the product due to the addition of shipping charges to the sum total.

So, what do you do to make sure a potential customer’s cart items convert into a confirmed sale? Well, you follow the list of recommendations given below by us at Motivate Connection religiously.

1. Keep the Option of Guest Checkout Open

People love shopping online because of the ease, speed, and convenience it offers, and there is nothing that ruins the shopping experience more than being forced to sign up as a member or user by creating an account with the e-commerce platform just before they are about to checkout. People lose motivation and interest and your business loses out on a potential customer. So, resist the temptation to collect e-mail addresses for future marketing and keep the option of guest checkout open. After all, a bird in hand is better than two in the bush. People anyway always prefer quick things and not many formalities.

2. Endeavour to Create a Single-page Checkout

Time is of the essence here as the longer a customer’s checkout process is drawn out and the more steps they have to go through, the more likely they are to get fed-up midway and leave the purchase incomplete. To avoid such a situation, you must endeavor to work all the customer, payment, and shipping information required into one check-out page.

3. Mode of Payment Should be Reasonably Flexible

It is in your best interest if the business is flexible when it comes to the mode of payment. Customers should have options and varieties. Try to be a business that can accommodate and adjust to the customer’s needs by offering multiple modes of payments from various types of cards, internet banking, E-wallets, etc., so you can be accessible to the maximum number of customers.

4. Ensure Secure Checkout

In this day and age, where technology is frequently misused and online fraud is rampant, it is imperative that you offer your customers a seamless and secure checkout experience. Be sure you do not give them any cause for complaint in this regard, to build a strong and loyal customer base and boost your conversion rate.

5. Don’t Distract Your Customer with Upsells

Upsells are all well and good, as long as they offered after the customer has made a confirmed purchase. Distracting them with upsells before they have checked out and confirmed the purchase and made the payment will be counter-productive and will most likely prompt them to compare prices of the product on other sites.

6. Keep the Form Fields ‘Need-to-Know’

Make sure the forms you ask your customers to fill don’t ask for any unnecessary details that might put your customer off their decision to shop with you. Stick with the essentials and keep the forms strictly ‘need-to-know’.

Are you looking for help in setting up and expanding your e-commerce store? Well, your search ends here. Motivate Connection is your one-stop-shop for everything related to e-commerce.  

In us, you will find a reliable partner that will help your business grow and flourish. From boosting sales to creating websites and search engine optimization to social media management, we have solutions for all your problems. Connect with us today itself!