1. STRUCTURE OF THE SHOPPING CART

There are 3 main elements you need to consider to get more conversions in the shopping cart:
 

1. Speed
2. Clarity
3. Simplicity

The shopping cart should not give visitors the feeling of a long queue like at the checkout in a physical store. On Web shops, you don't expect delays. The longer visitors are in the shopping cart, the more likely they are to leave the shopping cart. In principle, a visitor should be able to see his shopping cart quickly and should be able to proceed smoothly to the checkout.
 

You create clarity by displaying sufficient information or a clear summary above the fold. Scrolling for important information is then no longer necessary.

Simplicity means that the shopping cart must be crystal clear. The design is clear and structured. Misunderstandings should be almost impossible on the shopping cart.

2. DETAILS AND SUMMARY OF THE PRODUCT

The shopping basket is a clear summary of the products, quantities and special features. A special feature is e.g. a free gift, type of shipping or extra accessory(s). Comes down to what the customer can effectively expect from the order.

• The following items are a must:
• Images
• Product name
• Specifications
• Quantities
• Size
• Color
• USPs
   

3. PAYMENT METHODS

Show as many payment options as possible in the shopping cart! There is a chance that visitors will cancel a purchase if his/her favorite payment method is not present. So not only do you increase conversions, but you reassure potential customers with trusted and reliable payment methods. The more payment options, the more likely a visitor will go to checkout.

PHPro tip: add the familiar icons of the different payment methods below the summary in color.

4. TRUST BADGES

Trusted webshops with familiar elements usually have a higher conversion rate. Such a trusted element is the 'trust badge'. You can easily add this yourself on the web shop by using trustmarks or reviews. These trustmarks redirect visitors to their member page which may or may not include all customer reviews. They are seen as independent and provide a sense of trust.

5. CONTACT INFORMATION AND CUSTOMER SERVICE

Visitors want to be sure that there is a legitimate company behind an online store. A phone number, address and chat are clear hints that a webshop is a real company. Of course, you also offer contact options to guide the lead through your shop and checkout.
 

6. COUPON VISIBLE

Visitors can be enticed into making a purchase by marketing promotions. A visitor then wants to make a purchase using a coupon code. Preferably with an attractive discount. To do this, the lead must first know how much discount he will receive and that his coupon can actually be used on the web shop. Here the presence of a discount code field in the cart plays a major role.

In the shopping cart, a lead can try out his discount code and thus be enticed to proceed to the checkout process. So be sure to make it visible in the shopping cart and increase conversion by doing so!
 

NEXT: INCREASE CONVERSION IN YOUR CHECKOUT

Every web store is different. We recommend to always test conversion optimizations well on your own web shop. The reason for a lower-than-expected conversion ratio is usually inherent to the flow of the web shop. You can get inspiration from competitors, but do not assume that they will have the right solution to your problem.

Conversion rate optimization (CRO) requires qualitative research to make correct decisions. For example, you can run A/B tests, solicit feedback from your visitors or set up polls to effectively increase your conversion rate. Also, use these quantitative CRO methods alongside our practical tips to ensure adjustments specific to your e-commerce platform!