How can retailers significantly improve conversion rates?
The first part of our basket abandonment article, ‘why 68% of customers don’t complete their purchase’, discussed some of the most common reasons why retailers lose customers during the checkout process. For part two, we’ve asked our team to offer advice on how retailers can increase sales.
Better understand your customers
Catherine Rigby, head of planning
“Identifying and understanding user behaviours is integral in developing a successful e-commerce strategy. If you know what your users require, and what they respond best to, you’ll be able to more successfully cater for their needs. This, in turn, means that they’ll enjoy a more superior experience of your platform and, therefore, will be more likely to convert.
“Understanding users and analysing their behaviours is paramount is delivering an experience that fully caters for their needs. All websites need to be built around the individuals using them; with e-commerce platforms in mind, the checkout should be tailored entirely around the requirements of users – based on extensive insight and analyse of their behaviours and preferences.”
A/B split test
Paul Rafter, senior technical consultant
“With an understanding of users in place, and having identified which areas of your checkout may not necessarily be encouraging conversions, you’ll want to implement A/B split testing techniques. This will allow you to see which tactics work best, and which should be incorporated to help increase conversions.
“The flexibility of Magento is fantastic when it comes to implementing split testing techniques; you can modify the checkout process however you wish, in line with user behaviour findings. By then trialling various tactics and techniques, you’ll be able to quickly identify those your customers are more receptive to and optimise, as necessary. By continuing a strategy as this, you can ensure your checkout is fine-tuned and caters for the needs of your audiences on a long-term basis.”
Refine the user experience
Gemma McGreal, Head of UX
“UX plays a key role in how a platform is perceived and utilised by its end user. With e-commerce in mind, you need to ensure the online shopping experience is seamless through ensuring all core user journeys and scenarios have been mapped out and continuously tested with real users. This feedback naturally evolves the ongoing strategy of the website and leads to a more open and transparent checkout process, that encourages users to return and shop.
“The checkout process should be as simple and straight-forward as possible; the user has spent time browsing your website adding items to their basket – why would you want to lose them at this point? Instead we need to ensure they convert through submitting the order. The best way to do this is to ensure all supporting information is available, reinforcing delivery costs, payment options and how easy it is to return an item, if it is unsuitable. Users are far more receptive and emotive when they have all the information at hand to make an informed purchasing decision”.
Re-engage consumers
Gavin Burgham, head of PPC and biddable media
“Sometimes basket abandonment is caused by a consumer’s position in the buying cycle; they simply may not be ready to buy. There’s not too much you can do about this onsite, but there are tactics you can employ to ensure users stay engaged with your brand and the products they may have been interested in.
“Remarketing can contribute here; conducted away from your website, this technique allows you to re-engage with consumers by presenting them with ads around products that they had browsed on your platform. You can also implement tactics such as offering users discount codes or generating personal messages encouraging them to return.”
Catherine added; “Further to this, you also have email marketing; campaigns that can be devised and implemented based on users behaviours. You’ll probably have experienced this yourself, with retailers having reminded you of the products you’ve been browsing or those you’ve left in your basket. A triggered email marketing plan is a great strategy for re-engaging users and subtly encouraging them to revisit your platform and, most importantly, continue their transaction.”
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