The 5 Main Reasons Why Customers Abandon Shopping Carts

Shopping carts are the lifeblood of any e-commerce business. So, it’s no surprise that a lot of effort goes into optimizing the checkout process to increase sales and reduce shopping cart abandonment.

Despite these efforts, the average shopping cart abandonment rate is still quite high at 69.23 percent. In other words, nearly 7 out of 10 customers who add items to their shopping cart end up leaving without completing the purchase.

There can be many reasons why customers abandon their shopping carts. In this article, we will look at the top five reasons why customers abandon shopping carts and how to avoid them.

Reasons for abandoning the cart

Complicated check-out process

The complicated sign-up and registration process at check-out can be a source of frustration for online shoppers. In fact, it is one of the main reasons why online shoppers abandon their shopping carts.

Unfortunately, many online retailers require shoppers to create an account and login before they can checkout. This not only adds an extra step to the process but can also be confusing for shoppers who are not familiar with the site.

There are a few things that online retailers can do to prevent this from happening.
First, they can make the sign-up and registration process as simple as possible.
Second, they can offer a guest checkout for shoppers who do not want to create an account.
Finally, they can provide clear and concise instructions on how to checkout.

By following these simple tips, online retailers can improve the checkout experience for their customers and decrease the chances of abandoned shopping carts.

The high cost of shipping

One of the main reasons customers abandon their shopping carts is due to the high cost of shipping. Customers often view shipping costs as an additional cost of the product, so if the shipping cost is too high then customers are likely to abandon their shopping cart.

Customers are also more likely to abandon their shopping cart if the shipping cost is not made clear during the checkout process. A potential customer may add items to their cart expecting a certain shipping cost only to find out that the actual cost is double what they expected.

To prevent customers from abandoning their shopping carts due to the high cost of shipping, include shipping costs in the price of the product and make them visible and clear to customers before they initiate the checkout process.

The lack of free shipping

With so many ecommerce businesses offering free shipping, customers have come to expect it as the norm. Customers often view free shipping as a perk and if they find out that there is a cost associated with shipping then they are likely to abandon their shopping cart.

To prevent customers from abandoning their shopping carts due to the lack of free shipping, offer free shipping to customers who spend above a certain threshold and include the details clearly in the checkout process.

The hidden costs at checkout

Customers will become frustrated and abandon their shopping carts if they find out that there are hidden costs that were not made clear during the checkout process. This can include taxes, fees, currency conversion rates and more.

To prevent customers from abandoning their shopping carts due to the hidden costs, include all applicable taxes, fees and currency conversion rates before the customer initiates the checkout process and make them visible and clear to customers.

The long delivery time

Customers are often in a hurry and want their purchases delivered as soon as possible. If the expected delivery time is too long, customers are likely to abandon their shopping.

To prevent customers from abandoning their shopping carts due to the long delivery time, offer express or expedited shipping options and make them clearly visible during the checkout process.

The poor return policy

A poor return policy can be one of the main reasons why customers abandon their shopping carts. If a customer has doubts or worries about a company’s return policy, they may not feel comfortable buying from that company.

To prevent customers from abandoning their shopping carts due to a poor return policy, include a clear and concise return policy and make it visible to customers during the checkout process. With the help of Digital Consultancy you can also make sure customers are happy with their purchases by offering a satisfaction guarantee.

Conclusion

Shopping cart abandonment can be a major issue for ecommerce businesses, and there can be many reasons why customers abandon their shopping carts. In this article, we discussed the five most common reasons why customers abandon shopping carts and how to avoid them. There are many ways to keep customers from leaving their shopping carts, like offering free shipping and a clear return policy. This will help customers feel safe and comfortable when making a purchase.