Webshop optimisation

What is webshop optimisation?

Webshop optimisation is the work of optimising a webshop to attract more visitors and/or sell more. The work may include SEO (search engine optimisation), linkbuilding, conversion optimization and much more. To find out more about these topics, click on the red links.

In this post, I focus exclusively on abandoned shopping carts - a challenge that the vast majority of webshop owners face, and which can cost the business dearly. I'll give you tips and tricks on how to combat abandoned shopping carts and increase the number of purchases on your website.

It's important to say that a certain percentage of abandoned shopping carts is perfectly normal - and you can't necessarily do anything about it - but there's also a lot you can do to prevent abandoned shopping carts and thereby significantly improve your conversion rates. That's why webshop optimisation is important.

How to combat abandoned shopping carts

The infographic as text

Danes are indecisive when shopping online. 69% of people who put an item in their shopping basket do not complete the purchase process. This isn't always due to a lack of desire to buy, so there are simple steps you can take to increase the number of purchases on your website. It will also have a positive impact on your search engine optimisation work, because user behaviour on your website has become a more important part of Google's algorithm.

Below I have described 15 common reasons why buyers do not complete the purchase process, and a number of concrete solutions you can use when working with webshop optimization.

1. There are hidden costs associated with the purchase

58% of all buyers have abandoned a shopping cart because the total price was higher than expected.
25% of all buyers have abandoned a shopping cart due to unexpected delivery costs.

Solution

• Be open and honest with your customers.
• Clearly write the total price including shipping on the website.
• Include all fees and charges in the price of the goods.

2. Buyers are not ready to make a purchase.

17% of all buyers have abandoned a shopping cart because they were simply doing research.
57% of all buyers have left a shopping cart because they just wanted to estimate the final price.

Solution

• Send the buyers an email reminding them of the abandoned goods.
• Please note that mailing requires the consent of the buyers.
• Create a sense of urgency through e.g. limited time offers and limited stocking.
• Save the items in the shopping basket so that buyers can continue shopping later.
• Give buyers the option to add the items to a wish list.
• Set up remarketing campaigns targeted at buyers.

3. Delivery times are too long or unclear

18% of all buyers have abandoned a shopping cart because no delivery time was indicated.
28% of all buyers have abandoned a shopping cart because the delivery options did not suit them.
42% of all buyers perceive a delivery time of 3-4 days as fast delivery. Only 10% perceive a delivery time of 5-7 days as fast delivery.

Solution

• Clearly state the expected delivery time on the website.
• Write clear delivery terms and clear prices on the website.
• Give buyers a choice of delivery methods.
• Make sure you always have your goods in stock. Return items you don't have in stock.
• Offer track & trace on all shipments.

4. Delivery costs are too high

81% of all shoppers cite "free delivery" as an important purchase factor when shopping online.

Solution

• Offer free delivery, possibly conditional on purchases over a certain amount.
• Offer a range of affordable delivery methods.
• Offer fixed delivery prices regardless of order size.

Free delivery on purchases over a certain amount may encourage some to buy more. But
it may also cause those who do not reach the threshold to drop out.

5. You are not competitive

31% of those who leave a shopping cart subsequently buy the product from a competitor.

Solution

• Keep an eye on your competitors and match their prices.
• Offer a price guarantee to reassure buyers that you are the cheapest.
• Differentiate yourself from your competitors by offering a better service.
• Interact with buyers to build loyalty.
• Optimise the user experience to increase buyer preference for your website.
• Offer a wider range of products than your competitors.
• Work on SEO so buyers find you before your competitors.

6. Purchase requires user creation

28% of all buyers have abandoned a shopping cart because they did not want to create a user.
51% of all buyers prefer webshops with a personal login, because it allows them to save purchase information (delivery address, etc.) for the next time.

Solution

• Offer user creation so buyers can easily shop with you again.
• Make sure buyers can also shop without creating a user.

7. Payment options are not sufficient

25% of all shoppers have abandoned a shopping cart because they could not use their preferred payment method.

Solution

• Offer different payment methods according to your customers' needs.
• Examples of common payment methods: credit card, Visa, MasterCard, MobilePay Online, PayPal, giro card and electronic invoicing (EAN).

8. The website has technical errors

24% of all buyers have abandoned a shopping cart due to technical problems and inadequacies.

Solution

• Perform a technical analysis of the website.
• Fix any errors so the website works optimally on all devices.
• Pay particular attention to the load time of the website.

9. The buying process is too complicated

23% of all buyers have abandoned a shopping cart because the purchase process was too long and complicated.
The average purchase process consists of 14.88 fields.

Solution

• Ask buyers for essential information only.
• Minimise the amount of information at each stage of the buying process.
• Show buyers what stage of the buying process they are at.
• Allows you to go back to previous steps in the purchase process.
• Remove unnecessary menus and links from the purchase process.
• Make it easy to change the contents of your shopping cart.

10. The website does not appear trustworthy

17% of all shoppers have abandoned a shopping cart because they were concerned about the security and misuse of personal information.

Solution

• Display clear security logos during the purchase process.
• Highlight customer testimonials and positive reviews.
• Make it easy to find customer service contact information.
• Offer full satisfaction or your money back.
• Use HTTPS instead of HTTP.
• Get certified by the e-label.

11. Returning goods is complicated

15% of all buyers have abandoned a shopping cart because the return conditions were not clear.

Solution

• Clearly write the return conditions on the website.
• Include return labels in the packages so that buyers can return the goods free of charge.
• Read and respect the law.

12. The website is not mobile optimised

4 out of 10 mobile users have made one or more purchases via mobile.
The number of mobile searches on Google is higher than the number of desktop searches.

Solution

• Make a mobile-friendly version of the website.
• Consider using Accelerated Mobile Pages or Progressive Web Apps.
• Customise the purchase process for all types of mobile devices and tablets.

13. Website lacks call-to-actions

It is wrong to think that buyers who have added goods to the shopping basket do not need incentives to complete the purchase.

Solution

• Insert clear buttons that guide buyers through the buying process.
• Highlight buttons and areas on the website that are important to the buying process.
• Display images of the contents of your shopping cart throughout the purchase process.
• Create a sense of urgency through e.g. limited time offers and limited stocking.

14. Product descriptions are inadequate

3% of all abandoned shopping carts are due to missing or unclear product information.

Solution

• Describe your products thoroughly.
• Be brief and to the point - buyers are often in a hurry.
• Write clearly and understandably - buyers may not know your lingo.
• Implement a chat function where buyers can get answers to questions instantly.
• Offer the possibility of product comparison.

15. You don't know why shoppers abandon the shopping cart

Solution

• Conduct user surveys and user tests.
• Set up automated tracking tools (e.g. Google Analytics and Hotjar).
• Optimise the buying process based on knowledge of buyer behaviour.
• Evaluate the solutions and adapt them if necessary.

Conclusion

There can be many different reasons why shoppers abandon your shopping cart. Fortunately, the solutions are numerous, but there is no one-size-fits-all solution.

Analyse your users' behaviour and find out why they leave your shopping cart. Implement the right solutions and evaluate the impact. Adapt solutions if they are not having the desired effect. Good luck with your webshop optimisation!

All statistics in the infographic come from the following sources: Cart Abandonment Rate (Baymard Institute), The Average Checkout Flow (Baymard Institute), Deloitte Holiday Survey 2016 (Deloitte), Pulse of the Online Shopper 2014-2016 (UPS) and Statistica.com.

Frequently asked questions