The checkout page is considered one of the most important aspects of an e-commerce business. It is the final step required before completing the order and is often the thing that makes or breaks a sale. Traditional checkout requires more than one step to finalize an order unlike one page checkout which compiles each step onto a single page. This makes life easier for the customer which will reduce shopping cart abandonment rates for your online store. The higher the conversion rates, the more revenue for you.
Online stores that use traditional checkout have reported up to 60% shopping cart abandonment. Customers become frustrated if there are too many steps involved to place an order. For the most part, the longer the process, the more likely people will change their minds. You will notice that many people start filling out information in the beginning of the checkout process and then all of a sudden leave midway. A checkout with several pages has another major disadvantage, people have to wait for each page to finish loading and online users have a tendency to lose patience quickly.
One page checkout in comparison, is known for being both more convenient and faster than traditional checkout. Recent studies suggest that single page checkout can increase conversions as high as 70%. It reduces the total amount of steps and allows customers to complete their order without any frustration. There are a few people who like to do it the old way. There is a learning curve involved to get familiar with this new type of checkout and some have difficulty adjusting immediately. If not done correctly, one page checkout will seem overwhelming, because too much information takes up that page. Customers may find it discouraging to complete the entire form.
There are certain techniques you can use to improve your one page checkout. The best technique is to make sure it is short and simple. Refrain from requiring the customer to fill out too much information, stick with the most important. Display error messages as the customer is typing, not after the form is submitted. Make sure to give clear instructions on how to fix the error. Also, separate the different sections on the page to ensure that the customer will never be confused about what to fill out.
Key Fields on a One Page Checkout
- Shipping options
- Shipping address
- Billing address
- Complete order details
- Payment options
- Payment details
- Coupon or promotional code section
- Order confirmation
Besides having a single page checkout for your e-commerce site, there are several other ways to decrease shopping cart abandonment and increase conversions. Try to include a few or all of these features to your checkout page:
- Show product images in the shopping cart
- Display security logo to make customers feel that their personal information is protected
- Allow new users to check out as a guest instead of forcing them to register
- Lower the cost of shipping
- Make it as easy as possible to change color, size or quantity of products in the shopping cart directly within the checkout page
- Offer as many payment options as you can
- Include customer service contact information such as phone, email or live chat
- Add return policy
With a one page checkout, online businesses are able to turn more visitors into paying customers. The first thing you need to do is to choose an e-commerce solution that offers the simplest and most reliable checkout software so you can give online shoppers the best shopping experience and retain more customers. With the right solution, you will be able to improve all other aspects of your online business.
What you need is a full service all-in-one hosting, design, and marketing software made specifically for e-commerce businesses. One that lets you set up your store in minutes, and provides powerful tools to help with not only offering one page checkout, but also SEO, product marketing and mobile commerce. Check out the best possible e-commerce solutions available at http://www.makeanonlinestore.com and try them out yourself absolutely free, no credit card required!
