10 Product Page Optimizations That Will Persuade Visitors to Checkout
Over the last ten years, eCommerce businesses have lost $260 billion worth of orders due to checkout flow issues, ranging from limited payment methods to complicated checkout processes.
Now we are trying to recover the loss in profit, which will not be easy. However, knowing the reasons and having the right solutions for checkout improvements can help you get back on top.
In this article, I will tell you about 10 product page optimizations and checkout optimizations that you can apply to your eCommerce store right away. Use them to encourage visitors to complete purchases and increase your revenue.
For your reference, here are the 10 product page optimizations that will persuade visitors to checkout:
Let's see these in detail.
1. Improve the Visuals
Over 60% of people are visual learners, meaning visual content is essential to help them remember information, including product details.
Here are several content ideas to try when improving the visuals:
- White background. Help users focus on the product. If you don’t have a paper sweep or white wall, consider using an image background remover.
- 360-degree product images. Let visitors view the product from different angles. Third-party tools like Magic 360 can show 360-degree images without coding.
- Product videos. Use general overviews, the process of making the products, and product demos. Make sure your website is managed in a good hosting server to make the process goes smoothly.
- User-generated content. Let visitors see the real-life reviews from previous users’ photos or videos.
2. Show Progress
Adding a progress bar helps indicate where the customers are in the checkout process, so they’ll know how long they’ve got left.
Generally, the checkout process follows these steps:
- Billing details. Includes customers’ names, addresses, and phone numbers. If they’re returning customers, you may give them an option to log in to fill out the form automatically.
- Shipping information. Information to whom the product will be delivered. It can be different or the same as the billing details.
- Shipping method. Refers to which delivery service or provider the users choose.
- Payment info. Shows available payment options.
- Order preview and confirmation. Consists of brief product details, like item name, quantity, and other relevant information, like subtotals, taxes, and total cost.
3. Include Product Summary
A product summary refers to the overview at the end of the checkout page before making the payment.
It’s better to include relevant details other than the product name and quantity, such as size and color, so that users can verify their purchases before checkout. Also, make it easy for users to make adjustments to their order to avoid redoing the checkout flow if something is wrong.
Moreover, display the estimated delivery date for each shipping method to help shoppers predict when they will receive the product.
4. Simplify the Checkout Form
Around 18% of cart abandonments are due to complicated checkout processes. Two reasons for the turnoff are the form being too long and visitors having to create an account before the checkout.
One way to solve this problem is reducing the number of form fields by:
- Using a single field for users’ full names rather than split up the first and last names.
- Asking them to tick a box if the billing and shipping details are the same.
- Informing which fields are required and which are optional.
An alternative is to provide guest checkouts. This way, users don’t have to create an account for purchasing a product. If you suggest signing up, try to give an incentive, like a discount or free shipping.
5. Add Multiple Checkout Buttons
Multiple checkout buttons help customers purchase at any time as they don’t have to search for them when they’re ready to buy.
A rule of thumb is to put the buttons at the top and the bottom of the page. Like Adidas and Everlane, some brands use a fixed sidebar to continuously display a checkout button when customers scroll the product page.
6. Recommend Related Products
Suggesting related products or cross-selling can improve sales and encourage customers to add additional products to their carts. With this strategy, they can add additional items during the checkout process.
However, hard-selling methods like asking them directly to buy another product may scare them away.
Try to use subtle language like what Violet Grey does. This skincare brand uses cross-sell without being pushy by saying, “Pairs well with.” This phrase describes that the selected product will work well with the suggested ones to take care of the skin.
7. Add User Reviews
Testimonials are essential since around 93% of consumers read them before purchasing products. Positive reviews help shoppers be more confident with their purchase as they know previous users like the products.
To make the most of the reviews, consider providing the reviewers’ related details. For example, Sephora shows the users’ hair color and skin tone. The information can help visitors with similar complections be sure whether they buy the right product.
8. Promote Free Product Shipping
Over 40% of consumers abandon their carts due to the cost of delivery. No wonder free shipping has become one of the popular incentives.
However, offering free delivery costs may not be profitable for the seller.
Here are some methods to gain profits while promoting free shipping.
- Increase product prices. Make up for reduced profits per sale.
- Limit the offer to certain products. Boost sales on selected products.
- Offer free shipping with a minimum order. Encourage customers to shop more to get the offer.
9. Add Multiple Payment Options
People may have different preferences for their payment methods. For example, some create a bank account for an online shopping budget, and others feel safe using a specific online wallet.
If the seller limits the options, customers can feel forced to opt for the payment method they don’t want or not have access to a payment method at all.
Therefore, consider using some popular payment options, such as:
- Credit and debit cards.
- Electronic payments, like PayPal and Amazon Payments.
- Bank transfers.
If you use WordPress, install the WooCommerce plugin to offer multiple payment methods.
Go to WooCommerce -> Settings -> Payments, and you should see installed payment gateways. Start setting up the options you want by filling out the details. For example, a bank transfer option needs the bank name and account number.
Also, make sure to include security seals near the payment options to show that you’re a secured online store.
10. Differentiate the Checkout and Continue Shopping Buttons
If you have the “checkout” and “continue shopping” buttons side by side, consider using colors or outlines to differentiate them.
Decide which button to emphasize based on your priority. Use a bolder color for the button you want your visitors to press and a lighter color for the button that’s not as important. Some online stores even only outline the second-priority label.
Conclusion
Cart abandonment is one of eCommerce's significant problems, which can lead to severe revenue loss. One way to avoid that is to optimize the checkout process.
To summarize, here are the main areas for checkout optimization:
- Layout and design. Adding a progress bar and improving visuals.
- Shipping and payment. Providing multiple payment options and free shipping.
- Product. Giving product recommendations to visitors.
Checkout optimization is an ongoing process. Try to measure and test the strategies above to find what works best for you.