Shopping online seems simple enough, right?
You find something you like, click a few times, and you’re done.
But it’s not until you actually start selling products yourself that you realize how complicated the buying process can be.
Because even the most minor interruptions can turn a “sure thing” into a lost sale.
That’s why it’s so important for your eCommerce store to optimize its checkout flow.
In this guide, you’ll learn:
How to create a seamless eCommerce checkout flow for your storefront
The most common checkout mistakes merchants make (and how to avoid them)
Optimization tips from top brands you can borrow for your own checkout flow
What is an eCommerce checkout flow
An eCommerce checkout flow is the process and steps required to move shoppers from your product pages to a finalized purchase.
From scrolling through product photos to entering your credit card information, there are a lot of subtle steps of the checkout process that can make-or-break a sale.
Seriously, though. Something as simple as an unclear line or copy or extra form field during checkout is enough to make someone bounce.
Perhaps that’s why the average eCommerce cart abandonment rate sits around a staggering 70%. Yikes.
Translation? The majority of people shopping for products lose their way on the path to purchase.
But by consciously paying attention to your eCommerce checkout flow, you can predict customer drop-off points and plug ‘em up. The end result is a more straightforward buying process and (most importantly) more sales.
Which are the steps in an eCommerce checkout flow
1. The pre-checkout stage, when shoppers are in the “just browsing” mindset
2. The add-to-cart stage, when someone actually adds something to their cart
3. The cart stage, where shoppers review their potential purchases
4. The billing and shipping stage, where shoppers enter their payment info
5. The summary and review stage, where shoppers finalize their purchases
And below we’ve broken down specific optimization tips for each step.
Stages to optimize your eCommerce checkout flow
How do you optimize the checkout process? Most eCommerce experiences can be broken down into five distinct steps, all of which build on top of each other. Here are five ways to optimize your checkout process.
No matter what industry your eCommerce website is in, these are all details you should pay close attention to.
1. Enhance your pre-checkout stage with descriptive product pages
Even before someone adds something to their shopping cart, you’ve got some work to do.
There’s so much that goes into any given product page. We get it.
For the sake of optimizing your eCommerce checkout flow, let’s look at some elements of product pages that are proven to boost conversion rates. Specifically:
Product images and video(s)
Keyword-rich product descriptions
Ratings and reviews
Customer photos
First impressions matter, right? That’s why your product imagery is so important. Including multiple, high-quality images of whatever you’re selling makes it much easier for your customers to imagine it in their hands.
Slideshows are a great touch for eCommerce product pages, especially via mobile where shoppers can quickly swipe from image to image. That said, product-centric videos are even better for showing off your product in action.
Here’s a brilliant example from Bellroy, their product video encourages shoppers to look at their stylish products from any and every angle possible.
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ecommerce-checkout-flow-bellroy
Although you should definitely let your product images speak for themselves, don’t neglect your copy. Beyond traditional product page SEO, brainstorm terms centered around features, benefits, and qualities of your products that stand out.
For example, Glossier’s product descriptions are scannable but rich with terms that make what they’re selling seem so enticing to customers (“nourishing,” “ultra-moisturizing,” “flexible”).
ecommerce-checkout-flow-glossier
Speaking of customers, don’t forget to harness the power of social proof. Winning over new customers means proving to prospects that you’ve satisfied shoppers in the past.
The link between product reviews and higher conversions, giving buyers a much-needed peace of mind when buying from a merchant for the first time. Amazon, for example, always puts reviews front and center, making them easily accessible for shoppers.
ecommerce-checkout-flow-amazon
But remember: a picture’s worth a thousand words (or purchases, in this case). We’re seeing more and more eCommerce brands integrate customer malaysia phone number library photos from social media as part of their product pages. This user-generated content goes hand in hand with higher conversions and can give any product page a more personal touch.
Check out how Arctic Fox pulls photos from their Instagram for their product pages, showcasing what their styling products look like in the wild.
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Put yourself in your ideal shoppers’ shoes and ask yourself: what would you need to see to feel comfortable buying from an online store you’ve never heard of? Think about the user experience here.
There are so many elements to optimize on your product pages and fine-tuning them all can take a bit of experimenting.
But when these elements work together, they ultimately encourage folks to click that ever-so-important “add to cart button.”
Leverage your add-to-cart stage to cross or upsell
The process of adding items to a cart might seem stupidly simple.
But it’s actually one of the key steps of any eCommerce cm lists checkout workflow. This is the moment where you separate the window shoppers from paying customers.
Also, the add-to-cart stage provides opportunities to further build trust and boost sales.
For example, this is the perfect place to highlight your shipping policy.
The fact that free shipping is considered “the main driver” for 77% of online purchases is telling. Customers have come to expect it (thanks, Amazon!) and you should ideally deliver upon that expectation.
Check out how Nalgene prompts shoppers to let them know how much more they need to spend to score free shipping. They likewise upsell additional relevant products which is a smart move during the add-to-cart stage.
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Here’s another example of effective upselling and cross-selling from Old Navy. Not only do they recommend products, but they also use the add-to-cart stage to create a sense of urgency by highlighting that popular items can only stay in your cart for so long.
