Many consumers enjoy browsing and researching online, but for retailers it can be a challenge to get them to actually purchase. Having large volumes of traffic coming to your site is a good start, but convincing this audience to buy is the key to online success. Fortunately, the answer might be a simple one. Here’s how to tweak your existing online store to boost conversions and turn browsers into buyers.
Make purchases incredibly easy for your customers. According to a Javelin Research report, over 80% of shoppers say that frictionless shopping is important to them. Websites like Amazon.com have success because they make online shopping simple and take the frustration out of buying. Allowing buyers to make a purchase in one step eliminates many of the problems that lead to abandoned carts. To do this, you must store your customer’s payment and shipping information online. Then, with a clear call-to-action, your customers will be able to choose a streamlined checkout and pay in a snap.
Source: Amazon.ca
When users reach the checkout screen, show an itemized list that includes colors, sizes, etc. This will make it easy for customers to change their orders right from the cart instead of having to go back to the shopping page.
One of the simplest solutions to increase sales is to change the placement of the shopping cart icon to a more visible location. This icon is most commonly found on the top right-hand side of the website.
Source: Skullcandy.com
Another option is to pull the shopping cart icon out of the navigation menu, header or sidebar, and put it in an easy-to-find location. Skullcandy makes use of a bar that drops down once you've added a product. Don’t be afraid to make it large and isolate it from other items on the site - this will make it stand out. Next to the shopping cart icon you can place the total cost of all items in the cart and the number of items already in the cart, so users don’t have to click on the cart to see how much they are spending.
Including a clear, action-oriented call-to-action will make things easy for your customers. These days it’s not enough to have a “proceed to checkout” button on every page- it needs to be clear and compelling. Create a call-to-action that fits the market and industry you’re catering to, but keep it professional.
Source: indochino.com
A great example is Indochino’s “Buy Now” and “Customize Now” buttons. They are prominent, easy to understand, and they imitate the feel of shopping at a brick-and-mortar store. For instance, the “Customize now” button gives the customer a sense that they are able to custom fit with a tailor.
When it comes to payment options, there is a simple rule: the more options your customers have to pay, the more likely that their purchases will be completed. Javelin Research shows that consumers use multiple payment types when shopping online, on average 2.6 different forms of payment. When you include multiple payment options you won’t lose customers that can’t complete a purchase because their preferred payment method isn’t available. These options can include various credit cards such as Visa, Master Card, and American Express, as well as alternative payment methods.
A benefit of alternative payments is the ability to reach customers who don’t own credit cards or who don’t want to share credit card information online, but still want to make online purchases. Many customers, from students to homeowners to parents with young children are using alternative payments more frequently than ever before. Additionally, these secure payment systems offer customers privacy and make online shopping simple and affordable. Giving this audience the ability to shop on your site creates an exciting opportunity to boost your sales.
Turning browsers into buyers can be a daunting task for even the highest-traffic sites. It is important to focus on creating a high-converting site, rather than worrying about generating more traffic. Creating a website that is streamlined, easy to use, and offers multiple payment options will not only increase your sales, it will leave your customers happy and motivated to buy from you again.
