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Today’s e-commerce is filled with so many different choices. Merchants can pick out a hundred different ways for customers to check out and complete their purchases online.
Some features matter more than others, but what it really boils down to is what will make your check out process smooth and hassle-free for your customers.
Shopping carts can provide detailed pages, online transaction management and even save popular transactions so customers can return for repeat business.
These are some features for e-commerce shopping carts that you absolutely need for a successful online store.
A Single Page for Faster Checkout
Online stores often put customers through so many different hurdles just to purchase a product.
A shopper who is interested in buying something may become discouraged after going through multiple pages trying to complete a purchase, or they may even become confused or feel misled by the process.
One of the simplest things that you can do to make this better for your customers is whittling it down into a single page checkout form that has as few fields as possible.
This way you get fewer abandoned shopping carts and a streamlined customer experience.
Product Images
Your shopping cart should provide images of what’s in the order as well as a link to the product online.
While people may use their back button to look at a product again, they may want to change the color or size, or they may not be sure about what they’re buying and want to take another look.
You should always provide an organized checkout list with pictures and descriptions as well as price.
SKU Numbers
There should always be a separate line of text just underneath the image or title of the product that includes the SKU number.
This is very important to customers who want to call about products, arrange for returns or need to add it to their own catalog. For example, someone is building an office or they need a rebate on a specific product.
That SKU will be very important to finding that product later. It’s also helpful for customers who want to make a repeat purchase or recommend a product to a friend.
Promotional Codes
The age of the digital coupon is here, and people want to know that you provide deals and coupons.
When you combine your online store with deals from Retail Me Not, Google Deals or Living Social, you offer another way to market products and get more shoppers onto your site.
They feel like they’ve got an amazing deal, and you also have won some new customers.
It’s also important to provide email promotions and deals directly on your site that you can apply at checkout through a simple coupon code box on the checkout page.
It should be easy to apply the discount and see the balance reflect the savings on the checkout page.
Eliminate “Registration” Requirements
Most people are still wary about registering on sites and allowing those sites to access their Facebook page or otherwise store their information.
They simply want to check out. It slows down the process to require people to create an account.
You have to feel very strongly that your products can’t be found anywhere else to provide the motivation to your customers to register.
Even then, you are likely still losing out on some people who just want to click and buy.
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Image Credit: Intersection Consulting
