10 proven ways to prevent checkout abandonment

Shopping cart abandonment is a real challenge for most businesses. In fact, more than 70% of shopping carts are eventually abandoned.

Unfinished transactions not only signify lost sales but also underscore potential friction points in the customer journey. Addressing and preventing checkout abandonment is important to keep your business thriving.

Without any further ado, let’s dive into 10 proven ways to improve your checkout process, reduce abandonment rates, and boost the overall customer experience.

1. Ensure transparent pricing and policies

We cannot stress this enough. Unexpected extra costs like shipping, taxes, and fees are the key reasons for abandoning almost 50% of checkouts. So what can you do?

Be upfront with costs, so your customers aren't hit with surprises. Make shipping info crystal clear – no one likes to go through multiple stages of checkout just to find out that delivery is too expensive or too slow.

And shout out your return and refund policies loud and clear. It's all about trust and keeping things hassle-free. When you're open and real, customers feel good about doing business with you.

2. Optimize your website’s performance

One of the biggest reasons for checkout abandonment is the website speed. Speed is a killer, literally. It is frustrating to see a webpage stuck on loading, and many won’t wait longer than 3 seconds before abandoning it.

Here’s a trick - Google’s PageSpeed Insights will show a detailed breakdown of your website’s performance for different devices and identify areas for improvement. Simply paste your URL and access the full analysis for free.

Besides your page speed, you should also test your page’s performance on different devices, and make sure the navigation is straight-forward and easy to understand.

3. Simplify your checkout process

Everyone loves a shortcut, whether it’s skipping the line at the store or finishing the full checkout process on a single page. Don’t overwhelm your customer with all the requests for information and focus on the goal – them pressing the checkout button.

That is the key reason why Checkout Page was created in the first place, and we proudly stand by it. Nobody's got time for unnecessary info.

Offer your customers a guest checkout option for one less roadblock in your customer’s journey. Or choose any other strategy to optimize your checkout - here are 20 easy ways to increase your conversions.

4. Build trust and credibility

In the era of scam calls and data leaks, we’re all super protective of our data. Your customers want to be sure that the payment they will be making to your business is trusted and secure.

19% of checkouts are abandoned for this exact reason. This is the time to show off your security badges (like the one we’ve got for Stripe). Incentivize your customers to leave a review for your services and products – let them do the talking.

5. Provide multiple payment options

Enhance the payment experience by offering a diverse range of payment options from traditional credit/debit card transactions to the seamless convenience of digital wallets like Apple Pay and Buy now, pay later options.

By exploring alternative payment avenues, you can cater to various preferences offering a suitable payment option for everyone.

6. Retarget your marketing strategies

Remember, most of the abandoned carts are simply forgotten. Revitalize your marketing game with strategic retargeting and remind your customers what they had in mind. It is easy to send them abandoned cart emails – a friendly nudge to remind customers of what they left behind.

You can also get personal with tailored offers and incentives, making them feel like it’s just made for them. Timing is everything, so play it smart with well-timed and frequency-tuned retargeting messages.

Use a CTA that’s clear and add the incentive and urgency in the headline encouraging your recipient to take action. By reconnecting with potential customers in a targeted and personalized way, you'll boost engagement and bring those hesitant shoppers back into the game.

7. Address any security concerns

Security is always the top priority. If you haven’t yet, then it’s time to fortify your website with SSL certificates, ensuring that all your data travels through a secure channel.

Commit to the industry standards and maintain PCI compliance to safeguard your payment information. It's not just about what you do – it's about keeping your customers in the loop and educating them on the security measures in place.

8. Optimize form design

Time is precious, so keep your checkout process clean and clear. Autocomplete features and prefill any fields possible, like a discount code when your customers click on a referral link.

Enable autofill for the shipping and billing address – small things like this absolutely matter. Skip any unnecessary information and make your customers’ path to payment straightforward.

That's why for our checkouts we've trimmed down all unnecessary form fields to help you keep this process swift and frustration-free.

9. Implement exit-intent pop-ups

More often than not, online shoppers are facing the decision – do I really need this? If only there was anything businesses could do to convince them… Well, there is – capture those moments of indecision using strategic exit-intent pop-ups.

Just as your potential customers are about to swipe to another page, grab their attention with a pop-up discount. These pop-ups are not just about closing the deal; they're a part of your commitment to enhancing your online experience.

After the purchase and in case the cart is abandoned, make sure to collect feedback on any reasons that lead to this and use it strategically to enhance your user experience.

10. Leverage social proof

Since it is all about trust, hearing from others might mean a great deal to your customers. User-generated content, such as reviews, ratings, and social media endorsements can be the key to building hype about your site and product.

Remember, humans are social creatures, and social interaction is a fundamental aspect of human nature. Make sure to highlight the bestsellers and showcase all popular products. Incentivize shoppers to leave a review – all you need is a discount code for a future purchase.

Showcasing real-time purchase notifications might also be helpful to see what others are currently loving.

Conclusion

In the fast-paced world of e-commerce, where over 70% of shopping carts face abandonment, mastering the art of a seamless checkout process may not be easy.

With these 10 proven strategies, we're here to help you combat checkout abandonment and create a shopping experience that resonates with your customers. From ensuring transparent pricing and policies to optimizing website performance, we encourage you to simplify your customer journey with a user-friendly checkout process, building trust through security measures and turning visitors into customers.