Ecommerce Conversion Rate Optimization Considerations [CRO Chat Streamcap]
Our latest #CROchat was a great one for our clients that sell things with a question set that covered “Conversion Rate Optimization Considerations for Ecommerce”. The following is the transcribed Streamcap from the live chat:
Q1: There is a lot of Optimization that can be done for an Ecommerce site. Where do you start and what gets your most attention?
- Start with the cart!
- The cart is very important, but sometimes there is little data going into the cart to gain insights from.
- Function first. That is what actually makes the $$. A little wonkiness in #Ux will be ignored if they can pay w/o pain.
- The cart is very important, but sometimes there is little data going into the cart to gain insights from.
- I start by manually auditing the site’s usability to see how easy it is for customers to find and add products to the cart. If the UX review uncovers anything, then that is typically the first point to work on. The cart funnel would be next.
- I start with usability tests & looking at the site’s analytics. Analytics reveals the WHAT, user tests reveal WHY.
- Not to sound reductionist, but w/ ecom payment is always the issue.
- Reviewed an ecom site recently where you needed to create an account in order to add-to-cart. Payment was not the issue.
- I think we have semantic difference in what we mean by payment. Barriers to the cart are = to failures in processing.
- Reviewed an ecom site recently where you needed to create an account in order to add-to-cart. Payment was not the issue.
- I should clarify, that I start with UX issues if the cart is not getting enough data to test and is mostly functional.
Q2: How do you address trust and reputation for shopping sites to build customer confidence?
- Use and use the logo of well known SSL providers above the fold.
- Always make sure payment or any page where a visitor has to enter information, is on a secure page (https).
- Real testimonials are key, Tools like Feefo invaluable here. Delivery is also key, the how, when and how much can make a sale.
- Badges for the BBB or secure shopping are great to have, and I also find that social media widgets can be another trust symbol.
- Building trust for ecommerce isn’t vastly different. Trust symbols must include payment safety. Still need usual trust symbols.
- A different site auditor would help – at least provide different insights, not necessariy better!
- Trusted customer rating badges are very helpful (BizRate, etc.) for establishing legitimacy.
- Feels like in general, badges are a win. Both in the SERP and on-site.
Q3: What is your approach to optimizing Category pages, and do you try to get buyers into the cart or to the product page?
- For me, category pages are points into deeper pages. If I identify UX issues here to solve, conversions typically increase.
- Agreed- I think category pgs should be the initial focus of UX optimization. Then take deeper dives as needed.
- Category pages tend to be strongest– amazing when you have nimble developers on board to create custom cat pgs based on data.
- I agree. We think catergory pgs can work the hardest and we can help direct ppl on to where we want them to go next.
- Category pages are great for helping to define and refine better performing segments.
- Heatmap , Check popular brands through Analytics, design tests with different emphasis, Give option for info or Buy. Cat pages should reflect how your traffic uses your site, research your internal site search, do the cust’s filtering for them.
Q4: How and what do you optimize for on Product pages?
- Product pages should answer this question: Why should I buy this product from you? Answering this always helps increase sales.
- Headline, Offer, image, buy button, content and more.
- When possible, show a video demo of a particular product, or an image of the product in use.
- Ensure key marketing messages are repeated on the product pages, not just left on the home page, get the sale.
- Right! Professional photography with various angles, ability to zoom in, etc, if possible.
- Product pages often lack the relevant information that customers need to make the buying decision.
- Latest product pg optimization recs were around social extensions. Shares/likes/pins are soft conversions w/major conv potential.
- Product pages should highlight return policies and consumer guarantees.
- CLEARLY state the shipping cost!
- Or figure out if free shipping is feasible.
- Cat pages help them choose your store, product pages drives the purchase.
- Curious, do you push sales and add-to-cart on category pages or reserve that for product pages?
- We reinforce Value Props, and highlight popular products on category pages, also can add to cart from any page! <- huge! w/ a lot of prods that are different flavors of the same & repeat shoppers, having a list instead of links is a benefit.
- Curious, do you push sales and add-to-cart on category pages or reserve that for product pages?
- Add to wishlist, save as favorite, compare, email/tweet/like etc are important, but clients think they’re “fancy extras”.
- This is why I’m really loving Assisted Conversion data.
- Giving a stream of “What people are saying on Twitter” can help reduce decision making anxiety.
- Totally but it can also be risky if not filtered/monitored properly.
- Twitter streams are pretty easy to filter if you use the advanced modifiers.
- Totally but it can also be risky if not filtered/monitored properly.
- Start with Why I should buy this product, next what info does buyer need?Then how do I deliver that to make him/her buy.
- That is a good point. Just b/c they are on the pg doesn’t mean they see the benefits of the product.
Q5: What factors and elements do you take into consideration when optimizing Shopping Cart pages?
- If you offer free shipping after an amount spent, put a section that says “$xx.xx more and you qualify for free shipping!”
- Drop off points, time to complete, a nice layer of assurance and finally AOV (looking for opportunities to increase it).
- Often CRO for shopping carts is improving UX & maintaining trust. They already want to by, now make it easy for them.
- Make sure button text says whats going to happen next and add trust where possible e.g. “Checkout using our Secure Server”
- Cart Concerns: Order of operations, payment methods, security, reiteration of value, guarantees, delivery, and satisfaction.
- Shopping cart “Status” bars help reassure customers where they are at and where they are going.
- When possible reduce the number of steps for checkout and payment.
- I once had a client whose shopping cart kicked people out after they clicked the continue button. Easy improvement!
- Big win, little effort! Browser compatibility can also be a big win with little effort.
- Make sure price in the cart reflects the price that was on the product page. Obvious but we had a client that failed this.
- Amazon is no longer a fulfillment company. They are best monetized as a payment gateway.
- If the product you buy requires something else, offer that item when they’re in the cart.
- Offer/promo codes. Without clear instructions on how to apply, what to add to cart…many abandon.
- I do this. And if we can’t find out how to use them, a less web savy individual would not either.
- I do this. And if we can’t find out how to use them, a less web savy individual would not either.
Q6: Do you measure any non-sales conversions, and if so, how do you report on them?
- I measure everything I can, including contact form submissions, social interactions, newsletter subscribers, RSS readers.
- Measure all add-to-carts. They may abandon, but we got their attention, and they may be back. Same with wish lists.
- Great 2nd tier things to measure for ecom!
- Every site needs to measure micro conversions: event tracking in GA, each step in the funnel, etc.
- Yep. This very much circles back to Assisted Conversions. Any and all can help demystify the funnel.
- Right & it also circles back to user testing, another way to identify & prioritize the obstacles to conversion, then fix.
- Yep. This very much circles back to Assisted Conversions. Any and all can help demystify the funnel.
- I find that measuring these helps better understand the entire site. Also Assisted Conversions help demystify conversions.
- Secondary conversions in ecom should be tied to the cost and buy cycle of your product. If you are selling durable goods an appropriate secondary would be review or social share.
- Great points. Reviews & social shares are like free content generation and marketing. They have so much value.
Resources
- CROChat Member List – on Twitter
- Useful Tips to Increase Conversion Rate for an Ecommerce Site
- CRO – It’s a number game – 5 tips
- PPC Chat Streamcap – E-Commercer Pay Per Click Campaigns
More CRO Chats
Don’t forget to stay tuned for the next #CROchat on Thursday at 12 noon Eastern, 9 am Pacific and 5pm in the UK. Same Chat time, same Chat channel.
PPC Chat
Also, join us for #PPCchat on Tuessdays 12 noon Eastern, 9 am Pacific and 5pm in the UK for a similar sessions revolving about everything PPC. Those streamcaps can be found on Matt Umbro’s PPCChat Blog
CRO Chat Participants
Check out the CRO Chat Twitter list to see and connect with all current and prior participants.
- James Svoboda – Host (@Realicity)
- Paul Kragthorpe (@PaulKragthorpe)
- Carlos del Rio (@inflatemouse)
- Chris Kostecki (@chriskos)
- Emily Las (@emlas)
- James Hume (@zerospin)
- Mukul Mehta (@MukulMehta)
- Simon Cahill (@Simon_CRO)
- Theresa Baiocco (@theresabaiocco)
About the Host
SEO since 1999. WebRanking CEO. MnSEARCH.org Co-Founder. MarketingLand Contributor. #CROchat Host. #PPCchat Faithful. Husband & Father in Eden Prairie, MN. If you like this post and want to find others related to it, then you can find me on LinkedIn and Twitter:
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