This is a guest article written by Damon Culbert. The author’s views are entirely his own and may not reflect the views of IT Governance USA.
A Baymard Institute study of 4,560 online shoppers found that unexpected additional costs during checkout is the top reason (50% of respondents) they will abandon their cart. Organizations must be upfront and straightforward about extras throughout the entire customer journey.
Being asked to create an account (28%) or an excessively long checkout process (21%) are the other main reasons for abandonment during checkout. The Edelman Trust Barometer states that consumers are also worried about what you do with their information once they sign up. Allowing users to checkout as a guest is the best way around this. Remember that you should never ask customers for data that you don’t need.
Another main reason for abandoned carts in the Baymard Institute study is shoppers not trusting e-commerce websites with their credit card information (17%). However, as long as you are using a secure payment gateway and display trust seals such as Norton and a padlock icon in the browser to indicate security, you should have no problem with this.
Providing a positive experience
Research from software company Eptica shows that two factors convince buyers to trust a brand, both of which are impacted by the customer experience: 63% of respondents said that a consistent experience makes them trust a brand, and 59% need quick and satisfactory customer service. Your website should not be difficult to use and your items should not be difficult to find. Having well-thought-out and sensible categorization is one of the best ways to achieve a good user experience. Streamline your checkout process by limiting the amount of data required. Always show information about delivery and payment methods to avoid any confusion at the final stage of a purchase.
Social proof could transform your business
Social proof is fundamental for any online business that needs to drive sales. Trust factors such as testimonials and reviews are so vital for e-commerce businesses. SurveyMonkey found that 82% of individuals trust the voice of customers over information that is given by organizations: “They trust recommendations from their friends and family, customer reviews on third-party sites, and testimonials on your brand site–in that order.”
So how can you nail these trust factors? Pick a trusted review provider, for example Trustpilot or Reviews.io. Third-party websites are more trusted than testimonials and offer greater transparency because it’s easy for your business to display just the positive reviews. Customers are savvy and you will see the benefits of being transparent wherever you can.
When deciding whether to make an online purchase, a significant consideration for customers is whether they trust your business. Research has consistently shown that consumers will purchase from brands they trust. Give shoppers all they require to convert confidently with your business. And if you only do one thing after reading this blog, ensure it’s creating a simple and secure checkout.
