The average abandoned cart rate is currently 69.8%. This means that only 30% of people who add products to their shopping cart make it all the way to the checkout. It's daunting, but it's a fact of life. Buyers are distracted, find a better deal, or just go window shopping.
ClearSale Country Manager Australia Ralph Kooi.
ClearSale Country Manager Australia Ralph Kooi.
While these reasons are hard to argue, there are a few things that merchants can tweak to reduce the likelihood of people leaving their carts without buying. In a survey of Australian consumers we conducted in May 2021, we discovered five recoverable reasons for shoppers to abandon their shopping carts.
1. Shipping was too expensive or would take too long
Consumers today are all about convenience. Amazon's next day delivery service has placed incredibly high expectations on everyone's shipping, and if a brand can't promise a product will arrive on time, they will go elsewhere.
Shipping not only takes too long, consumers also don't want to be burdened with excessive shipping costs. For many, the worst part is getting to the checkout without realizing that shipping costs weren't added to the total. It's a surefire way of losing consumer confidence and getting them to leave their shopping cart without further ado.
The easiest way to avoid shoppers abandoning their carts due to shipping issues is to have merchants be upfront from the start. If you let customers know the shipping deadlines and the exact costs, you can avoid nasty surprises and attract more customers. Some brands offer customers free shipping if they exceed a certain amount. This increases the average order value and increases the overall profitability.
Myer offers free delivery to its customers on orders over $ 49, but has also linked its delivery policy at the top of the page.
2. Additional hidden costs and fees
Australian shoppers are quick to abandon their carts with hidden costs and fees at checkout. What was originally bought cheaply suddenly becomes very expensive due to delivery charges, taxes or import duties.
It can be tempting for merchants to hide these hidden fees until the last moment when the customer seems more invested in the purchase, but doing so can actually do the opposite: scare off buyers and lose confidence.
It is important for brands to be educated about any additional costs a buyer might incur from the start. They should either link to a policy page where customers can learn all about additional costs, or they should be clearly stated on the appropriate product pages.
Shein has clearly stated its delivery charges and any additional costs on its product pages.
3. Complicated or lengthy checkout process
When someone is in “buy mode”, they want to shop as soon as possible. The more tires they have to jump through, the easier it is for them to get out of their cart or change their minds.
Confusing checkout processes are a major reason Australian shoppers abandon their shopping cart for good reason. The technology available today makes it easier than ever to create a smooth experience from start to finish.
Providing smooth payment options can help bring in more customers and streamline the process. Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) services and subscription payments can help customers feel more comfortable when purchasing.
City Beach clearly sets out the steps customers must take to check out.
4. Do not trust the website with credit card information
The survey found that Australian shoppers routinely abandon their shopping carts for not trusting a website with their credit card information. Buyers are more skeptical than ever when it comes to sharing their data. So this isn't really surprising, but it's up to brands to make sure they take steps to make customers feel happy and safe.
Customers want to be sure that their personal financial information is kept safe, especially if they have never shopped with the brand before.
Introducing protocols to reassure customers can go a long way. Small features like security badges, the presentation of accepted credit card companies, and the prominent display of a privacy policy can make all the difference. Additionally, it's a good idea for merchants to implement an e-commerce fraud protection solution to keep their customers and themselves safe.
The Platypus Shoes privacy policy is clearly linked in the footer of every page.
5. Required to create an account
Buyers know they will be bombarded with email when they sign up with a brand. Aside from that, creating an account is also an extra step in the buying process which is another way for buyers to exit their cart and go elsewhere.
For many buyers, creating an account is just not something they want to do. It's one more password to remember and another set of emails to receive every day.
Brands should give customers the opportunity to design their own journey. Rather than forcing buyers to create an account to make a purchase, merchants can offer them the option to checkout as a guest with minimal information required.
Not only does this reduce friction, but it also helps build trust with shoppers who are jaded from shopping at too many brands.
David Jones offers customers the option to checkout as a guest instead of creating an account.
Reduce the cart abandonment rate
Customers will give up shopping carts. It is a fact of life. However, if merchants focus on implementing these measures and reducing friction in the checkout process, they can recoup some of the sales that would otherwise have been lost. It's critical that brands deal upfront with shipping and other costs, simplify the checkout process, and make sure they put in place security measures to put customers at ease.
About Ralph Kooi and ClearSale
Ralph Kooi is Country Manager Australia at ClearSale, a full-service, cloud-based platform that automates fraud prevention and enables companies to increase revenue while reducing risk. ClearSale is the only company that never automatically rejects an order before a manual review process, which enables us to achieve high approval rates across the industry while avoiding false rejections and generating additional revenue for our customers. Ralph Kooi previously worked for several international SaaS companies in Australia.
