8 Checkout optimization Lessons Based on 5+ Years of Testing
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The document discusses eight key lessons for optimizing checkout processes based on extensive research and user testing by the Baymard Institute, highlighting critical factors such as reducing steps and unnecessary information requests, improving form usability, and enhancing perceived security. It emphasizes the importance of user experience during checkout, recommending strategies like utilizing guest checkout, avoiding duplicate information requests, and effectively managing validation errors. Overall, these insights aim to reduce cart abandonment and improve conversion rates for e-commerce sites.
8 Checkout optimization Lessons Based on 5+ Years of Testing
- 1. 8 Checkout Optimization Lessons based on years of testing at the Baymard Institute
- 2. ! Easy A/B testing platform for marketers ! Customers include JustFab, Dafiti, ShoeDazzle and 3700 others ! https://vwo.com/ ! https://twitter.com/wingify
- 3. ! Co-founder of Baymard Institute ! Helped several Fortune 500 companies optimize their checkouts ! Regular contributor to Smashing Magazine ! http://baymard.com/ About Christian Holst
- 4. Years of Checkout Research Large-scale checkout usability study of 15 of the largest e-commerce sites Benchmark study of the top 100 US e-commerce sites' checkout process Large-scale eye-tracking study of checkout processes Audited and consulted on checkout optimization for several Fortune 500 companies baymard.com
- 5. baymard.com Checkout Basics Offer a 'Guest' checkout option Provide total cost estimate in cart Support multiple payment methods Have a linear checkout process
- 6. baymard.com Checkout Optimization 68.06% cart abandonment rate – and still rising (2006 - 2014 average of 28 independent studies) Good checkout usability requires going beyond basics with 10-30 smaller design improvements Today we'll look at 8 checkout optimization lessons
- 7. baymard.com Agenda 8 Checkout Lessons Questions from Siddharth Deswal Questions fromYou
- 8. 1) Number of Checkout Steps Number of checkout steps for the top 100 US e-commerce site (avg. 5.08 steps from 'cart' to 'order review') baymard.com
- 9. 1) Number of Checkout Steps It’s not about the number of checkout steps, but what you ask users to do at each step (and how you ask them) Learn more: baymard.com/blog/one-page-checkout
- 10. 2) Form Field Attention Users show a disproportionate amount of attention towards empty form fields Users will feel they are overpaying when seeing a coupon code field 32 eye-tracking participants at L.L.Bean - © baymard.com 2014
- 11. 2) Form Field Attention To avoid 'coupon hunting' hide coupon code field behind a link Only utilized at 26% of all sites Consider renaming it 'reward code' or even 'gift certificate' 32 eye-tracking participants at REI +
- 12. 3) Seemingly Unnecessary Info “Look, why do they need my phone number? What do they need that for? They don’t need it!” Every single subject we've tested at one point complained about a site asking for too much personal information A required phone cause privacy concerns as users 'know' that they can be (and typically are) contacted by email Symantecbaymard.com -
- 13. The subjects were very forgiving if the site explained why phone was required Either make phone optional or explain it 61% of all sites require phone without explaining what it will be used for Also applies to other personal info such as gender, date of birth, social security number, etc. Learn more: baymard.com/blog/checkout-experience-seemingly-unnecessary-information 3) Seemingly Unnecessary Info Williams-Sonoma +
- 14. 4) Don't Ask for the Same Info Twice 50% of all sites ask for the same info multiple times during checkoutbaymard.com - -
- 15. 4) Don't Ask for the Same Info Twice Rarely happens on the same page Reduce friction by pre-filling things such as name (in particular cardholder name), e-mail, zip code, or an address typed earlier (e.g. during account creation) For most B2C sites billing address can default to the shipping address (but don't pre-fill – hide the fields entirely) Learn more Smashing Magazine + + +
- 16. 5) Avoid Inline Labels Field labels inside the field is visually very simple, however… … the form fields get very difficult to interact with, and … … each field loose its context the second the user starts typing Especially problematic on errors Learn more baymard.com/blog/false-simplicityApple -
- 17. ll 60% overlook the ‘Guest Checkout’ option will be perceived as ‘forced’ account creation 6) Placement of 'Guest Checkout' Learn more baymard.com/blog/mobile-checkout - - © baymard.com 2014 © baymard.com 2014
- 18. 6) Placement of 'Guest Checkout' ll ‘Guest' is top-left, following a western reading pattern Postponed account creation (perceived as just 2 fields) Learn more baymard.com/blog/mobile-checkout + +
- 19. Test subjects talked about different areas of the checkout page as particularly 'secure' or 'insecure' Primarily concerned about their credit card information Users have little technical knowledge of HTTPS, but go with their gut feeling 7) Perceived Level of Security baymard.com
- 20. 7) Perceived Level of Security Visual clues such as borders, a background color, and security icons add to the user's perceived level of security 89% of sites don't encapsulate their credit card fields Learn more: baymard.com/blog/visually-reinforce-sensitive-fields +
- 21. 7) Perceived Level of Security All are fields identical ‘Sensitive’ fields are visually reinforcedbaymard.com +
- 22. 7) Perceived Level of Security baymard.com
- 23. 8)Validation Errors Input errors are bound to happen – the user’s 'recovery experience' is vital to conversion (100% abandonment on unresolved errors) baymard.com - - -
- 24. 8)Validation Errors 1) Persist all typed data – retyping is infuriating and can lead to repeat errors 2) Highlight field and have the error description nearby (never only at the top of the page) 3)The error message should print the actual validation rule invoked – don’t simply write ‘invalid phone number’; instead write ‘+ character not allowed’ or ’10 digits required’ 4) Consider using non-blocking warnings instead of validators (currently only 36% have address warnings) 5) 1-4% of all transactions are declined: guide the user through the process, offer alternatives, and phone support. Learn more baymard.com/blog/validations-vs-warnings + + +
- 25. The 8 Checkout Optimization Lessons It’s not about the number of checkout steps, but what you ask users to do at each step (and how you ask them) Hide coupon code field behind a link, to avoid needless attention Explain what the phone number will be used for Pre-fill all prior typed info (e.g. cardholder name) to reduce typing Don’t use inline labels 'Guest Checkout' should be in the top left area (or chosen by default) + have optional password fields late in the checkout Encapsulate your credit card fields to add visual reinforcement Display the actual error rule triggered and consider non-blocking warnings instead of validators, etc Learn more baymard.com/research/checkout-usability
- 26. Learn more 31 checkout related articles with more of our findings are available at baymard.com/research/checkout-usability Here you can also find the benchmark database of the top 100 US e-commerce checkouts + our paid research products
- 27. What do you think of Google’s address autocomplete API for shipping/billing?” Rishi Rawat Ecommerce CRO Strategist @BetterRetail https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/examples/places-autocomplete-addressform http://getziptastic.com baymard.com
- 28. Checkout Q&A onVWO Blog https://vwo.com/blog/christian-holst-about-checkout-optimization
- 29. Thank You! Talk to us at @Baymard and @Wingify