Losing Customers at Checkout

Is this to be expected?

[Adam_T]

Hello,

I have been browsing the forums for several weeks now, but decided to take the plunge at last and join :) After all the Christmas activity (in which i saw my peak in sales) I have recently found some quite worrying results, mainly evolving around customers dropping off at my checkout point - it would appear that of the customers that i derive from my online Ads, alomst two thirds of them (!) seem to leave when it comes to creating an account and paying for their goods.

What i was wondering is, is this a typical-ish figure? Or would you say this was quite worrying? I don't have any previous figures to go on, but it seems quite worrying to me, a possible registration form re-design may be needed, but it is only 2 pages long, i thought maybe it might be a typical occurance?

Thanks

[lorax]

Hello Adam_T,
Welcome to WebmasterWorld!

Shopping cart abandonment is not uncommon. The percentage of people that drop the process varies dependent upon a lot of different circumstances. Here's a good thread to get you started on the why's and wherefore's: [webmasterworld.com...]

>> but it is only 2 pages long

Reduce it to one and you'll likely see an increase in completion.

[Christi]

Hi Adam,

>>creating an account

Is this necessary for them to purchase? I find a lot of people don't like to have to create an account just to purchase something.

Christi

[Adam_T]

Unfortunately yes, we only offer a 'credit account' situation, setting up a credit account, and then paying this off at your discetion, so users need to set all this up - we hope to implement a 'buy now' feature in the future, but after reading the related topics, it seems a bag - buy ratio of 33% isn't actually too bad, seems about average - if it was just increased to something like 50% though it would make a massive difference, hopefully a one page process may help this out,

Thanks for the help, i will definitely get on with re-schemeing it into one page

[Staffa]

we only offer a 'credit account' situation, setting up a credit account, and then paying this off at your discetion, so users need to set all this up

I also hate to sign up just to buy something.
However, your reason why is very understandable but is it also made very clear to your prospective customer either when they come to the checkout or before. If not it may be part of the reason why they are leaving.

[Corey Bryant]

Do you also offer them to pay via credit card if they want? And as previously stated, is everything clear before they hit that page?

-Corey

[Chris_R]

>>>>creating an account

Nothing irritates me more than this. I want to buy something.

Here are the steps:

1) Find item
2) Put Item in Shopping Cart
3) Do not make ANYTHING mandatory (where you heard from us - if that will kick the back), etc - that is not necessary for the deal
4) Get info from customer (add check box if you'd like for them to make an account)
5) Get payment details.

Otherwise you will lose sales. I guarantee there are $10,000 + dollars of my money I went somewhere else so as not to have to go through all that crap. Especially if it is a commodity I can get anywhere.

That may not be the case with you.

At least give it at try.

Ask yourself - do you need an address to make a sale?

Of course.

Do you need a title?

no

Do you need to know where they heard about you?

no - it would be nice, but would you rather get a sale or find this info.

When I find stuff like that I just hit the first thing available - unless I really like the site and want to help them out.

My 1 pence