If you have an online store, you naturally want the checkout page to work perfectly. The rule here is: the higher the conversion rate, the more revenue you generate from your visitors. Ideally, you want to collect as much information as possible from your customers so you have a better understanding of your target audience. We’ve put together a list of tips to help you create a great checkout page for your online store. Looking for more tips for your online store? Check out our blog, where we share 10 more online store tips.
Tip 1: Offer the option to check out as a guest
These days, visitors hesitate before registering with a company. Personal data is sometimes misused for unwanted marketing, other communication requests, and even spam. Naturally, this is not what a customer wants. If you give these customers the option to check out as a guest, they can simply purchase products without having to share personal information.
Example of guest checkout
Tip 2: Offer multiple payment options
Ideally, you want to accept as many payments as possible via iDEAL, as these costs are lower. To add more confirmed sales to your store, you need to add an alternative payment processing method. Examples of these include:
- Credit card
- Apple Pay
- Google Pay
- PayPal
Please note: the costs of these payment options are higher than iDEAL, so it’s important to take this into account.
Tip 3: Steps in the checkout process
Customers appreciate knowing which step of the ordering process they are in. You may want to consider including a progress indicator that shows which step of the process the customer is in. This way, they know which steps still need to be completed to finalize the purchase.
Example of visible steps in the checkout process
Tip 4: Make it easy to fill out forms
A clear design makes it easier for customers to fill out forms. There are various standards (web formats) you can implement on the checkout page. Some of these formats include the following elements:
- The use of asterisks for fields that must be filled in.
- The use of radio buttons when there are fewer options.
- Ideally, the size of the input field should match the amount of information you expect customers to enter.
- Labels for input fields must be correctly aligned.
Tip 5: Enable auto-save/auto-complete
Ensure that shipping, billing, and contact information are properly saved if a customer wants to register to retain the order. There is no greater frustration than having to place an order all over again:
Save example of filled-in fields
Tip 6: Enable customization during the checkout process
Offer your visitors the option to make changes during the checkout process. Ensure that customers can at least do the following:
- Make adjustments to the numbers.
- Removing products they don’t want after all.
- Customizing product colors.
- Delete the entire contents of the shopping cart.
Tip 7: Add contact options
Make sure customers can easily contact you with questions during the checkout process. Always include your company’s phone number during checkout and offer the option to contact you directly, perhaps even with a live chat feature. Will customers then abandon the checkout process? Yes, but if you answer their questions well, the chances are much higher that they will still make a purchase from you.
By simplifying the payment process, you can increase revenue and prevent customers from shopping elsewhere. Make sure it’s clear to the customer what they’re buying.
Example of a live chat feature
Tip 8: Make sure delivery and shipping costs are clear upfront
Customers don’t like unexpected surprises. Especially not in the form of shipping costs that turn out to be higher than expected. Always keep in mind that nothing is more frustrating than filling out a lengthy four-page form, only to find out that the shipping costs are higher than you expected. This will likely cause customers to abandon their shopping cart or the checkout page halfway through the process.
Tip 9: Add a field where a discount code can be entered
Offering high-quality products or services at a good price is one thing. Sometimes it’s still advisable to run promotions, especially in competitive markets. Make sure a discount code field is clearly visible and works properly.
Tip 10: Make the checkout process as simple as possible
In short, make the purchasing process simple and efficient. And the good news is: it works in every area you can imagine. Spending money is never fun, so make sure your customer goes through as few steps as possible when checking out for a product.
A good rule of thumb is to make it as simple as possible so that a toddler or a grandmother can make a purchase without much effort. Amazon, for example, added the one-click order button to simplify the purchasing process for customers. This is, of course, for good reason: so make sure your process is as fast and simple as possible.
