Top 10 Reasons of Cart abandonment

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Cart Abandonment Solution

✍️ Author: Rajesh Ramachandran

Cart abandonment

It is a frequent challenge faced by e-commerce businesses. It refers to the act of customers abandoning their intent to complete a purchase after primarily showing interest. Understanding the reasons behind Cart abandonment is important for businesses to address the underlying issues and improve conversion rates.

1. Unexpected extra charges

Customers may be deterred by additional charges such as shipping fees, taxes, or handling fees that are revealed late in the buying process. A study done by the Baymard Institute found that 48% of shoppers with an actual purchase intent, abandoned their shopping carts because the extra costs (shipping, taxes, and fees) were too high.

2. Complicated Checkout Process

A lengthy or complicated checkout process can infuriate customers and lead to cart abandonment. Customers expect a seamless and user-friendly experience, and any unnecessary steps or excessive form-filling can deter them from completing the purchase.

3. Longer Delivery time

Customers value the timely delivery of their purchases. If the estimated delivery time is too long or not relayed, it can lead to cart abandonment. Customers may abandon their carts if they find a similar product with a faster delivery option elsewhere.

4. Forced Account Creation

Many customers prefer a fast and hassle-free checkout process without the need for account registration. Requiring customers to create an account before making a purchase can be a big cause of cart abandonment.

5. Security Concerns

Trust and security are important in online transactions. If customers have distress about the safety of their personal information, it may lead them to abandon their carts. Displaying trust signals such as security badges, SSL certificates, and secure payment options can relieve customer concerns and build confidence in the purchasing process.

6. Limited Payment Options

Customers desire diverse payment options due to widespread concerns over data, they also have their preferred payment methods. And if those options are not available at checkout, they may abandon their carts.

7. No discounts or coupon codes

Customers are often driven by the prospect of saving money or getting a good deal. If a website does not offer discounts or coupon codes during the checkout process, customers may feel like they are missing out on probable savings.

8. Technical Glitches and Errors

Technical glitches such as broken links, error messages, payment processing failures, slow site speed, and unresponsive apps can create frustration and variability for customers during the checkout process. If customers encounter continuous technical issues, they may lose trust in the website or app’s reliability and choose to abandon their carts.

9. Complex Return Policy

Customers consider return policies while making a purchase. If the return process is complex, unclear, or restrictive, customers may abandon their carts, hesitating due to difficulties returning or exchanging products if needed.

10. Credit card was declined

Facing a declined credit card during the checkout procedure is a common reason for cart abandonment. When customers encounter issues with their payment method, they may hesitate to carry on further with the purchase.

Here are some stats on the reasons for high cart abandonment:

The average cart abandonment rate is 69%, which means, for every 100 shoppers who add items to their cart, only 31 actually checkout.

High shipping costs: Almost 48% of shoppers abandon their carts because of high shipping costs.
Long checkout process: Almost 24% of shoppers abandon their carts because the checkout process is too long or complicated.
Required account creation: Almost 22% of shoppers abandon their carts because they are required to create an account before they can checkout.
Unclear pricing: Almost 16% of the shoppers abandon their carts because they are not sure how much their purchase will cost.
Website errors: 13% of shoppers abandon their carts because they experience website errors or crashes.
Lack of trust in the website: Almost 18% of the shoppers abandon their carts because they do not trust the website with their personal information.
Unsatisfied with the product selection: 12% of the shoppers abandon their carts because they are not satisfied with the product selection.
Unexpected costs: 9% of shoppers abandon their carts because they encounter unexpected costs, such as taxes or fees.
22% say “the Delivery was too slow”
16% complain, “I couldn’t see/calculate total order cost up-front”
12% say “Returns policy wasn’t satisfactory”
9% complain about limited payment methods
4% say “The card declined”

Author Profile

Rajesh Ramachandran: Expertise in regulatory and product compliance with over 15+ years of industry experience. Rajesh is an experienced business operations manager who provides his clients with integrity, knowledge, and strategic support on issues including regulatory and product compliance.

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