5 easy steps to lower THE NUMBER of people abandoning aN OFFSHORE SHOPPING cart

A common problem faced by most merchants who have online stores is the number of people who desert their shopping carts and leave the website. This fact is termed as “cart abandonment rate”. When this abandonment rate is kept under control, traders can increase their profit margins manifold.

Following are 5 steps that aid in controlling the abandonment rate –

Consumers shouldn’t be made to register until it is necessary – A common frustration among online shoppers is that they feel irritated when they have to register for a new account in order to use a shopping cart. If shoppers are forced to enter personal information even before they make a purchase from that particular website, chances are that they will leave the website. It is best to ask consumers to register only after they know the cost of a particular product including shipping rates. This gives a good impression about a particular firm and will also lead to more sales.

The prospect should know how much a product with cost him/her – A number of consumers use shopping carts in order to know the price of a product after shipping. It is an obvious fact that products purchased online need to be shipped. Hence, people are reluctant to shell out high amounts for shipping. Hence, people wish to know the final cost of a product when it is delivered at their doorstep. If the prices are reasonable only then a consumer takes the pain of registering for a new account.

High shipping charges – Most of the online shoppers would have encountered a firm that has high shipping charges. All necessary measures need to be taken to ensure that the shipping rates are not high. Shipping estimator should be included on the website.

There must not be many steps for finalising purchases – If the number of steps in the cart system before the consumer makes a final purchase increase, the chances of consumers dumping the cart also increases. All the required information should be collected from the consumer is minimum number of steps. This will reduce the shopping cart abandonment rate.

The number of outbound links should be minimised – With the inclusion of outbound links, the chances of consumers moving away from the shopping cart process increases. Only the necessary links need to be kept and the rest must be avoided.

It is essential remember these five tips in order to reduce or minimise the shopping cart abandonment rate. Implementing these points will help traders to increase the number of consumers who end up making a purchase from their websites. If the prospects are treated with respect then they are sure to but products from your website. Information need by consumers should be found easily on a website. Moreover, streamlining the check-out process will aid consumers while buying a product online. This in turn will lead to an increase in the number of consumers and also significantly lowers the abandonment rate of shopping carts.

Contact one of our helpful account representatives to assist you in the setup of a high risk merchant account or offshore merchant account for a high risk merchant.