Ecommerce Conversion Tip: Remove distractions from the checkout process

A tip often mentioned for improving checkout drop-off rates is to remove distractions from the checkout process.

Certain figures get bandied about for checkout drop-off rates from 60-90%. Every ecommerce site’s products and therefore, customers are different and so are their checkout processes, so it’s difficult to state what is the average complete rate for an online checkout. The best solution is to monitor what drop-off rate and then try to improve it.

Rising completion rates

At JJB, our completion rate rose from 30% to 32% at the tail end of August and since September we’ve been looking at a completion rate of 33%. In July the completion rate was a mere 23%.

The reasons for this our two-fold, the first is we had a real boon with one product creating a real buzz and creating huge sales which, in turn, pushed more people through the sales process. The 2nd reason was that I removed all the majority of the site navigation from the checkout process.

Decisions, Decisions

If you give people the option to make a decision, chances are they will. Great! We’re all for user choice… or are we? The answer to that question is no, not really.

(Most) People still don’t know what they’re doing online so presenting as few choices as possible is the best option if you want higher success levels. If there is an option to get to another part of your site and then there will be people who take it by mistake.

CPC

This technique has also been recommended for CPC landing pages, by a Google rep, to me before, however I can’t believe it’s the same (who am I to argue with a professional!). In the case of someone coming from a Google search (natural or CPC) I think they need the navigation to establish where they are in the site. If they land on your green candles landing page but they wanted something slightly different you have to be able to give them the opportunity to find that.

Summary

There are times when navigation guidelines (Where am I? Where have I been? Where can I go?) need to be altered for your and your visitors’ requirements.

Assume the worse of your e-consumers and never underestimate their inability to read and think whilst online. Do your best to guide them around your site so they go where you want them to. Much like the supermarkets guide you through fruit and veg then onto meat then tinned goods and so on web designers must ensure that customers are given the biggest possible push in the right direction so sales are made and information is consumed

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