Frictionless Conversion strategy for your checkout process Part 2 of 2

Part 2 of the previous blog covers in greater depth the methods and case studies that point to the best practices in executing conversion optimization. Online sales are a complex mix of emotional and logical human engagements to their devices, and enticing them to add to the shopping cart and take them through the payment methods takes an understanding of the psychology to drive your conversion rate. To reduce your friction to conversion, below are the points to consider.

Deliver security and site speed

PCI compliance is a requirement for all online transactions, and platforms such as Shopify, BigCommerce, and other cloud eCommerce offerings offer Level 1 PCI compliance by default. There are payment gateway marketplaces that have integrations to the gateways which are PCI verified, and ready to go.

Further peace of mind past the transaction, there are services such as Route which covers and insures your package at checkout for loss, damage,d and theft with a tracking system to follow your order to your door. Clyde offers additional warranties beyond product warranties for the store owner to offer additional coverage for their customers.

Amaze your customers through the delivery process

An important aspect to a returning customer is the post-transaction experience in a fast shipping and exciting unboxing experience. Sure, it is beyond your conversion rate optimization (CRO) onsite efforts, but your marketing budget is optimized by tapping into returning customers. The user experience is crucial before, during, and after the purchase including 6 months later. With logistics and supply chain challenges in recent years afflicting the online shopping industry, you have to manage expectations for the desired action.

With ShipBob across the USA have fulfillment centers around the country to have a 2-day delivery shipment at an affordable price. Other services such as ShipStation, Arka, Route, and Narvar offer many various fulfillment options with associated carriers to help you execute your deliveries. Keep in mind that BOPIS (Buy Online Pickup In-Store) is expected to reach 11.7% of all retail sales by 2024, making up to $141B in sales - as customers try to save on Shipping and the delays that can be associated with them.

Frictionless Returning

This might be counter-intuitive, however, giving the consumers a frictionless return adds peace of mind during the purchase process, reducing friction at checkout. Making it easy either with a guest checkout or a loyal customer will improve the number of conversions and if it is pronounced in the menu for website visitors to see clearly, it will be a clear message of your policy.

Keep the relationship growing in value

Your digital marketing spend has to have lasting value, and you do this by growing your customer base. A one-time purchase is the highest cost conversion as the cost of acquisition is only attributed to a one-time event. A returning and loyal customer reduces your cost of acquisition at every conversion. Besides, a returning customer has a higher conversion rate than a new client, therefore your CRO strategy has to be focused just as much on the returning customer segment. Loyalty programs are a key component tool for your online store. Additional incentives for account-based customers such as VIP access or early access to new collections increase the percentage for a good conversion rate. When you have customers create an account, you can send them email marketing with these announcements - they follow it to a landing page with the offer explained, add to the basket and take them to the checkout page. When they complete the purchase, continue to reward them with points, and the cycle repeats.

Be aware that the cycle cannot be repeated too quickly or sales fatigue creeps in and makes your cycle less effective. Using holiday-based events makes good sense, endless sales just reduces the brand equity as it cheapens your brand value and desirability, as they can visit anytime to capture the "deal of the month".

Conclusion

Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) takes on the responsibility to look at the various friction points your Online Store may have. This could range from navigation issues, color selection, size selection, and anything that becomes frustrating to add to the cart and then checkout. Tools like FullStory record frustrating sessions by identifying a user's recorded session to have multiple clicks on the interface. It of course captures any user input to be redacted for data privacy issues. However, you can then review and detect what users struggle with. By removing their struggles and making the online store frictionless, with the higher focus of the user being on the purchasing experience, and not having to "fight" the store to get what they want. When it comes to tools there are plenty of them to look through and see which ones work for you - anything from your digital marketing approach to your checkout process, using best practices and applying them to your business is a great starting point. Not all tools integrate seamlessly, which requires your scrutiny and verification to ensure they are frictionlessly integrated and deliver a greater experience. We hope this helps and if you feel you need assistance on this front, feel free to reach out to us at wish@thegenielab.com