According to SellersCommerce, 70.19% of online shoppers abandon their carts in 2024 because of minor obstacles. As there are 24 million stores on the internet, customers have numerous options to choose from, and store owners cannot afford to ignore customer expectations.
Customers expect a friendly, seamless shopping experience in this fast-paced digital world. They’re quick to abandon their carts at the first sign of an obstacle. In this situation, simplifying the ecommerce experience can be the best practice to reduce these obstacles and retain customers in your shop.
In this blog, we will explore the best tips to simplify the ecommerce experience to create an intuitive experience for your customers.
3 Reasons to Simplify the Ecommerce Experience
Customer experience is a major determinant in retaining visitors in your online shop. Simplifying ecommerce experience helps the business in different ways.
Here are 3 reasons to simplify the ecommerce experience –
Reduced Cart Abandonment Rates
The complicated checkout process is the one thing that makes customers leave early. According to multiple research data, about 70.19% of customers abandon carts, due to a lengthy checkout process. Simplifying this process will help reduce this number and help customers have an engaging experience.
Increased Customer Trust
A complex ecommerce website can make customers doubt your website’s credibility. Simplifying the ecommerce experience signals trust and security. Clear return policies, security terms, and secure payment options make customers feel more comfortable purchasing from your store.
Reduced Product Return
Simplifying the ecommerce experience also means simplifying the product presentation. High-quality images, accurate descriptions, and user-generated reviews help customers trust the product and confidently complete their purchase, reducing the likelihood of returns.
3 Major Stages of Ecommerce Experience
Ecommerce experience does not depend on one component; rather, it has several stages you need to understand and fulfill.
To simplify or improve the overall ecommerce experience, you need to focus on each stage and component. We have categorized the ecommerce experience into 3 major stages, for your convenience.
- Pre-purchase Stage: In this stage, you need to attract visitors to your store and influence them to become customers. Simplifying the pre-purchase stage will instantly catch visitors’ attention and influence them to explore your store more.
- Purchasing Stage: This is crucial for getting your users to purchase your products and keep them satisfied. Make sure the entire buying experience is smooth and easy, to align with the fast-paced digital world.
- Post-purchase Stage: The ecommerce experience doesn’t end at checkout; in fact, that’s where customer retention truly begins. Your store needs clear terms and conditions to inform customers of your post-purchase policies for a hassle-free experience.
10+ Expert Tips to Simplify the Ecommerce Experience
Now that we’ve covered why a smooth ecommerce experience is essential and explored the main stages of the customer journey, let’s dive into the top tips for simplifying the ecommerce experience.
Stage 1: Pre-purchase Stage
1. Simplify Navigation
Clear, intuitive navigation makes it easy for customers to find what they are looking for in your store. Customers will likely feel frustrated and leave if your website is too complex. Poor, complex designs drive 38% of web visitors away. Simplifying the navigation process can easily solve this.
To make your website navigation easier, here are some of the things you can do –
- Put navigation buttons right where visitors expect them.
- Customize your navigation bar.
- Make your sidebar stand out from others.
- Make the search bar prominent.
- Include a detailed filter option.
2. Optimize Page Load Speed
Page speed is a crucial factor in keeping customers engaged. Research shows that 70% of consumers say page speed impacts their willingness to buy from an online store. Many will abandon the page if the website takes more than three seconds to load.
There are several simple ways to improve your page load speed. Optimizing image sizes, minimizing HTTP requests, and using a content delivery network (CDN) can significantly reduce loading times. Faster sites keep users on your platform, increasing the chances they’ll make a purchase.
3. Enhance Mobile Optimization
With over 65% of the traffic coming from mobile, making your site mobile-responsive is no longer just an option. Your site must be responsive and fast for users who browse using mobile phones.
Using touch-friendly buttons, easy-to-read fonts, pictures that fit the mobile screen, and mobile-friendly themes helps users to have a seamless experience. While making your website mobile optimized, you need to make sure –
- Consider the user’s network type and screen size.
- Include large, noticeable buttons and CTA.
- Use a graphic resolution that is optimized for mobile devices.
4. Personalize the Shopping Experience
According to Ninetailed, 77% of the shoppers are willing to pay more and come back to shop in an online shop that offers a personalized shopping experience. Catering to a personalized shopping experience helps you ensure that users get exactly what they are looking for and get that quickly.
Shoppers are more likely to convert when they feel your store caters to their needs. Personalization, such as AI-driven product recommendations based on browsing history or past purchases, simplifies shopping by presenting relevant products at the right time.
5. Display Social Proof and Reviews
Reviews and social proof work like magic in your online shop. According to research, 91% of shoppers read reviews before making a purchase decision.
Displaying user reviews and ratings on product pages builds trust and makes it easier for potential buyers to make confident decisions. Social proof validates their choices, giving them added assurance and increasing conversion rates in your store.
6. Offer Clear Shipping Information
Transparency in shipping information will positively impact your conversion rate. Unexpected shipping costs are one of the top reasons for increased cart abandonment rates in your store.
To avoid this, display clear shipping information upfront. Make it very clear whether you offer free shopping or require customers to pay a certain shipping fee.
Ensure you have an easy shipping cost calculator so visitors can easily understand it. Transparency simplifies the shopping experience and reduces frustration.
Stage 2: Purchase Stage
7. Display Clear Product Information and Image
Studies show that about 93% of consumers consider visuals a key factor in purchase decisions. Apart from influencing the purchase decision, the right product image can get you a lot of new customers, as 40% of the visitors are more likely to share it on social media.
Provide clear descriptions and high-quality images of your product to help your visitors quickly make purchasing decisions. Descriptive details and images reduce uncertainty and build trust, leading to more sales and fewer returns.
8. Simplify the Checkout Process
Simplifying the checkout process makes shopping much easier for customers. Research shows that 17% of shoppers abandon their carts due to a long or complicated checkout process. A smoother, quicker checkout can increase conversions, as 34% of customers are more likely to complete their purchase if it’s easy and fast.
Optimizing the checkout process of your online store and providing easy, simple ones takes little time so here are some tips to get you started –
- Allow a guest checkout option.
- Use Google’s Autocomplete Address form.
- Take advantage of the one-click checkout option.
- Reduce steps and form fields.
9. Provide Multiple Payment Options
Flexibility in payment options simplifies the ecommerce shopping experience and reduces the cart abandonment rate significantly. Studies show that 56% of customers expect a variety of payment choices, and 8% abandon their carts if their preferred method isn’t available.
Offering multiple payment choices, such as credit cards, digital wallets, and buy now, pay later services, can meet diverse customer needs and make the shopping experience easier. Small businesses with multiple payment options experience a nearly 30% revenue boost.
10. Display Strong Security
Showcasing your security measures to protect customers’ data and privacy simplifies the ecommerce experience by reducing hesitation. About 19% of people were seen abandoning their online shopping because they did not trust the site with their personal information.
With clear security indications like SSL certificates, encryption badges, and trust payment gateway assurance, you can help customers make quick purchasing decisions.
When shoppers feel secure, they are more likely to complete their purchases and return a second time.
11. Show Real-time Cart Updates
Showing real-time cart updates can be a game changer. When shoppers see instant changes to their cart—like updated prices, added items, or applied discounts—it reduces confusion and builds trust.
As 48% of customers love real-time updates, it is no surprise that 24% of them will abandon the cart if they cannot see cart updates up front.
Keeping customers updated at every stage of the shopping process creates a smooth, transparent experience, which boosts quick purchases and customer satisfaction.
Stage 3: Post-purchase Stage
12. Offer a Clear and Simple Return Process
A clear and simple return process is the key to improving customers’ shopping experiences. According to a study by Narvar, 96% of shoppers would shop again with a retailer if the return experience was easy.
As customers do not have any physical contact with the product, a straightforward return process reduces their anxiety and makes them confident in their purchase. A simple return system also saves the business and customer service teams time that can be better spent elsewhere.
13. Send Order Confirmation and Updates
According to a report by Convey, 83% of customers expect regular communication about their orders. Sending order confirmations and updates greatly simplifies the shopping experience by keeping customers informed about their purchases.
This proactive approach builds trust and gives customers peace of mind. It streamlines the entire shopping process, allowing customers to plan accordingly without the frustration of not knowing what’s happening behind the scenes.
The continuous update process simplifies the ecommerce experience and makes your online store a trusted place for consumers.
14. Easy Access to Customer Support
Addressing customer issues quickly and efficiently is the most important thing to consider when simplifying the ecommerce experience. About 89% of consumers say a quick response to their queries is essential in building loyalty.
When customers can easily reach support through various channels—such as live chat, email, or phone—they feel more confident shopping, knowing help is readily available if needed.
In ecommerce, where convenience and trust are critical, making support easily accessible significantly improves the overall shopping experience.
Wrapping Up
With the growing number of completions in the ecommerce market, you need to ensure customer satisfaction first. Nowadays, simplified ecommerce is a trend, and customers often lean towards shops that make shopping easy.
You need to understand customer pain points to simplify your online shop and provide a smooth shopping experience. By doing so, you can provide exactly what your customers want and expect from your store.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- What is the value of offering product bundles or kits to streamline customer buying?
Product bundles or kits allow customers to purchase related items together, reducing the time spent searching for individual products. Bundling simplifies the buying process, increases convenience, and often offers value to customers, encouraging faster decision-making.
- What benefits do subscription models bring in simplifying repeat purchases in ecommerce?
Subscription models allow customers to automate repeat purchases, eliminating the need to reorder regularly. This convenience saves time and ensures customers never run out of their favorite products, simplifying the shopping process for routine items.
- What is the role of free trials or samples in simplifying high-involvement purchases?
Offering free trials or samples helps customers experience a product before committing to a purchase. This can be especially important for higher-cost or complex products. It simplifies the decision process by reducing the perceived risk of trying something new.