Three Ways to Improve the Checkout Experience of Your E-Commerce Site

If your website has any type of e-commerce functionality, the checkout experience is likely the most important conversion point on your site. It's where browsers become buyers and every additional conversion means more sales and more revenue. Even small improvements to your online checkout process can mean big results for your bottom line! Here are three best practices that will improve the checkout experience for your customers.

Full Cart and Mini Cart View

The most user-friendly shopping sites offer two views of a customer's cart: a mini cart and a full page view. The mini cart is visible on any page the user navigates to. It's usually tucked away in the upper corner or sidebar, and it serves as a reminder of the items and total price of customer's cart.

The full cart view is used when customers want a detailed view of their items. It's usually accessed by clicking on the mini-cart, and it allows users to add and remove items, adjust quantities, view product details and proceed to the checkout page.

Provinding two cart views gives customers the choice of how much information to view at any point, giving them more control over how they navigate your site and how they shop.

TOMS is a great example of an easily accessible mini cart and detailed full cart page. 

Step by Step Checkout

Every checkout is set up differently, so it makes sense the customers would want to know where they are in the process and how many steps there will be. A great way to subtly indicate this is by using a progress bar along the top of the checkout screen. 

DSW provides a helpful three step process along the top of their checkout page. 

Don't ask for billing info first

Nothing screams "We want your money!" like asking for a customer's billing information before you've told them what shipping will cost. Although getting payment information is a top priority for your business, it's certainly not for the customer. Always ask for the shipping address first, and then provide details about shipping methods, timing and rates. By aligning with your customers needs, you'll put them at ease, and make the whole experience more enjoyable.

How does your checkout experience measure up? Are you customers able to confidently navigate your checkout process and complete transactions easily? Conctact ArcStone today for a free consultation about your e-commerce site!