High quality product photography

Consumers want to be sure that they know exactly what they’re buying, and if they see grainy, low res or blurry images while browsing, they aren’t going to be encouraged to buy. It is a good idea to provide several zoomable images of the product from different angles and in context to allow consumers the opportunity to shop as if they were in the high street.

Guest checkout

A customer may abandon their purchase if they are forced to fill out lengthy forms to become a fully-fledged member of your website. By offering a guest checkout, you can improve the chances of converting the shopper into a buyer, then encourage sign-ups by providing a good experience and a strong nurture programme.

Make additional costs as clear as possible

A study by Shopify showed that 56% of online shoppers have abandoned a purchase because they were presented with unexpected costs. Wherever possible, make sure that any additional costs are presented clearly and early in the purchasing process.

Detailed and concise descriptions

Product descriptions need to provide consumers enough information to feel sure that they are making the right choice. A good idea is to offer both a concise description to quickly illustrate the key features of the product while also providing an in-depth description that explains the product in more detail. Amazon has turned this into an artform, providing users with everything they could want to know presented in a clean and easy-to-read way. They even offer comparison charts against similar products in their descriptions.

Use colour to create a pathway to purchase

Make your checkout process as simple as possible for users by directing them using visual cues. Many companies use coloured buttons to highlight to the user how to proceed through the buying process, encouraging them complete their purchase. Below, you can see how Amazon have used buttons that are the same colour as the “Add to Basket” in the image above, guiding the shopper to completing the purchase.

Pricing guarantee

Many consumers will look at their basket when they are done shopping and wonder whether they could get the same, elsewhere, for less. If you are confident that you are providing the best deal for your customers, say so! Ensure that you are reviewing competitor pricing regularly, and have a mechanism in place for dealing with the times where your promise falls short.

Send emails when customers abandon a product page or basket

With modern email automation tools, it is easier than ever to send emails that are triggered when a customer leaves a website mid-purchase. According to Bronto, 7% of UK retailers currently send out at least one email to shoppers who have browsed a product page on their website, whilst more than double the amount (15%) of US retailers do. Product page abandonment emails can be used to offer support, recommendations or information to shoppers so if you haven’t considered engaging with your customers in this way it’s worth investigating, as it could be a source of recovered revenue.