Make check-out easier

Contributors

@andreea-macoveiciuc-content-expert


Business Benefits

Make the buying process as simple and intuitive as possible.


If you don’t have a branded online buying experience, conduct conversion research to discover opportunities.

Use a service like Qualaroo to learn what visitors are looking to accomplish on your site, what they think is missing, and where you are failing to meet expectations. Your site’s search queries will show you what, specifically, your visitors are interested in buying.

If you already have a branded online buying experience, conduct conversion research to discover issues.

Use a service like UserTesting.com to find out how long each step of the buying experience takes, where consumers have troubles, and how your experience compares to the competition. If you don’t have much testing traffic, start optimizing near the end of your buying experience and work backwards.

Use ecommerce prototypes like a shopping cart, clear CTAs, and a guest option, to show that transacting on your site is possible.

If buying on-site is not allowed, don’t mislead visitors making them think it is. For mobile, build checkout from the ground up. Take advantage of mobile-specific features like using specific keyboards for different fields, dividing up forms into many more pages, and getting rid of unnecessary fields, like not asking for a city/state if you have a zip code.

Display a phone number prominently for call-in orders and support. Offer social logins to avoid data entry requirements. Optimize the buying experience for every device.

Use social proof such as testimonials, customer reviews, and social media praise to build authenticity.

Include activity data like 43 other people are viewing this product, and storytelling like With this product, your life will be like this. Place it around calls to action.

Use trust seals like Better Business Bureau’s security seal, a privacy policy, a return policy, and warranty information.

Include contact information in the form of a physical address, a phone number, a contact form, a live chat, and social media profiles. Place them around calls to action.

Use high quality content in the form of product manuals, product specs, product features and benefits, and editorial content.

Have someone outside of your product department write a few product manuals. Additionally, give context in the form of prices on third party retailer sites, prices of competing products, prices and specs of similar products, and a compare button.

Complete an authenticity audit to check if your social proof, trust signals, and content & context, seem authoritative and trustworthy.

Use a one-click add-to-cart button and show checkout calls to action as soon as the customer adds a product to the cart, to make buying intuitive.

Use Find your match questions to narrow down the available product alternatives.

Optimize your site for search engines with content, link, and keyword research, plus technical audits, to make it easy for customers to find you.

That’s where the majority of your visitors are beginning their search. They want to purchase from your brand site, but it’s your responsibility to make it as easy as possible to find it.

Test ideas to optimize the buying experience.

  • Test recommending complementary products instead of similar products.
  • Test with products based on the consumer’s previous behavior, instead of on the product they’re currently viewing.
  • Test with variations of how and where your free shipping offer is highlighted.
  • You can also try with relevant promotions or coupons based on their activity.
  • If you can’t afford free shipping, use a flat rate like a $10 shipping charge for all orders. Make the shipping fee obvious.

Last edited by @hesh_fekry 2023-11-14T11:55:17Z