Cart Page

Definition

The cart page is a fundamental component of an eCommerce website, allowing prospects to inspect and organize items they plan to buy. 

It acts as a digital shopping cart, exhibiting chosen products, quantities, prices, and overall expenses. 

Users can modify their selections by adding or removing items, adjusting quantities, and moving on to the checkout process. 

This page is pivotal in the online shopping journey, offering customers a summary of their intended purchases and guiding them toward finalizing the transaction.

To better understand what a cart page does, consider it a typical shopping cart in a store.

People can keep adding whatever they want to buy in the shopping cart and, later, check out at the counter. 

Similar is the case with a cart page, only that the shopping is done online on an eCommerce website.

How Does It Help?

A cart page offers a sense of ease to the users, allowing them to check out everything in one go instead of paying individually for every item they buy. 

In addition, users can also save a great deal of time while shopping, especially if users buy multiple items from the website.

How Does It Work?

As soon as users find something they want to purchase, a small ‘shopping cart’ icon is available by the product. That particular item gets added to the shopping cart by clicking on it. Users can add as many items as they want in their shopping cart.

Once done with the shopping, this is where the cart page comes into play. 

Users can visit the cart page on the e-commerce website they are shopping from and see all the items they choose to buy. 

This page shows the individual prices of each product a user buys, the quantity in which it is being bought, and the total amount of all the items being purchased. 

People can then proceed to checkout and receive a receipt of their payment via email.

Cart Page vs. Checkout Page

The cart and checkout pages are distinct stages in the online shopping journey. 

The cart page functions as a virtual shopping cart, allowing customers to gather selected items, review prices, and apply discounts. 

It provides flexibility to modify quantities or remove products. 

Once satisfied, customers proceed to the checkout page.

In contrast, the checkout page is where the actual transaction occurs. 

Here, customers provide essential details such as shipping address, billing information, and payment method. 

It guides them through steps to finalize the order, including reviewing the purchase, selecting shipping options, and making additional choices.

The cart page is a preparatory step, enabling customers to refine their orders. 

The checkout page is the final stage, where the transaction is processed, turning prospects into customers. 

The Importance of the Cart Page

For many eComm people, the cart page is an afterthought. Their focus is narrowed to Ads, Targeting, the Products Suite, etc. 

Yet, ignoring the cart page is like training for a marathon, running it, and spraining your ankle in the last hundred meters of the race. 

All the work is lost. 

Here’s why we’re advocating for an intentional focus on continuously improving the checkout page:

It Streamlines the User Experience

A well-designed cart page ensures a seamless and intuitive user experience, reducing cart abandonment rates. 

The ability to easily add an item to their cart, adjust quantities, and apply coupon codes is crucial for prospects. 

A prominently placed checkout button also encourages people to complete their purchases, resulting in a smoother user experience and more revenue coming your way.

It Maximizes the Average Order Value

The cart page provides an opportunity to boost the average order value of your store. 

Using strategic tactics, online retailers can leverage the cart page to upsell and cross-sell complementary or higher-priced products. 

It Reduces Cart Abandonment

Cart abandonment is a primary concern for online retailers, and an optimized cart page can help mitigate this issue by providing a smooth and user-friendly cart page. 

It Encourages Repeat Purchases

An optimized cart page can also nurture existing customers and help increase sales in the long term.

For example, the saved cart functionality allows customers to keep their cart for future reference, enabling them to revisit and complete their purchase at a later time quickly. 

Wishlist integration enables customers to save desired items and receive notifications when they are on sale or back in stock. These simple techniques create a sense of loyalty and encourage repeat purchases.

How to Improve Your Cart Page

Keep It Simple

Too many options on the cart page will confuse your customers. 

You should know that they are on a path or road when they are shopping online. If you don’t respect the fact that this path should be as simple as you can design it, your customers will get lost on their way.

Take, for example, this cart page from Zapos; if you’re paying attention to details, you should observe that there are just a few options for a customer who finds himself in this place. 

In this case, the customer can either continue the shopping or proceed to the checkout process.

Add Testimonials

Adding testimonials or smiling faces will personalize your cart page. 

The customer will be more likely to convert if he sees that the other person was satisfied with his purchase. 

A social proof like this is telling your potential customer that the product he is about to buy is the right one for him. 

You can cover with a testimonial not only the benefits of a product but also emphasize other competitive advantages that you have: free shipping, free delivery, great returns policy, etc.

Incorporate Security Markers 

Security of users’ provided data on a page is crucial. 

Your customer has to fill in forms to give away personal data concerning his credit card. 

If you don’t assure him that he is safe during his experience on the website, more specifically in the checkout process that is about to start after adding products to the shopping cart.

Photo source: ModCloth

Take a look at another example of a marker from Zapos:

Insert a Countdown

Limited offers that are available only for a short period of time will pressure your customers to make the purchase. 

The rarity of goods influences one person to take action. 

If you remind him that he has only a few seconds, minutes, or hours to get your offer, he will not lose time to search for the competitors. 

Moreover, he will not waste any time getting out of your page and website.

Write a Unique USP

Do emphasize what are the benefits of the product that a customer added in his shopping cart. 

Don’t be cold, but be creative and honest with your USP(Unique Selling proposition). 

Give insights about the fashion industry if it is about a clothing item, and tell a story of the product if it has the background. 

The more diverse your portfolio of products is, the more opportunities to use your imagination. 

You can use the USP on the product page or on the cart page. 

Here is another example from ModCloth:

Optimize for Mobile Devices

Considering the meteoric rise of mobile shopping, an unoptimized cart page is suicidal.

Test your cart page across various mobile devices and browsers to ensure a seamless experience for mobile shoppers and ensure all elements are correctly sized and easy to interact with on touchscreens. 

A mobile-friendly cart page will enhance user experience, reduce cart abandonment, and cater to the growing number of customers who shop on their phones.

Implement Cross-Selling and Upselling Strategies

Statistical data indicates that, on average, upselling leads to a 10-30% revenue increase. Additionally, 70-95% of business revenue is derived from upsells and renewals.

The cart page presents an excellent opportunity to boost your average order value by implementing cross-selling and upselling strategies. 

Display related items or products frequently bought together to encourage customers to consider additional purchases. 

This strategy works even better if you’re using your customer data to create bundles or personalized recommendations that make sense to prospects, enticing them to spend more on your brand.

Offer product bundles or package deals that provide added value. Highlight limited-time promotions or discounts on complementary products to create a sense of urgency. 

These tactics will not only increase sales but also expose prospects and customers to a broader range of your product suite.

Mistakes to Avoid

We’ve talked about what you should do. Now, let’s move on to a quick rundown of common mistakes that can hinder the effectiveness of your cart page. 

Here are a few to avoid:

• Hidden Costs: Refrain from surprising customers with additional fees during checkout. Be upfront about taxes, shipping costs, and any other charges.
• Lack of Guest Checkout: Requiring customers to create an account before purchasing can lead to cart abandonment. Provide a guest checkout option for those who prefer a quicker process.
• Confusing or Obstructive Design: Avoid cluttered layouts, small fonts, or unclear instructions. Ensure the cart page is visually appealing, easy to read, and straightforward to navigate.
• Limited Payment Options: Offer a variety of payment methods to cater to customer preferences. Lack of flexibility in payment options may lead to lost sales.
• Ignoring Mobile Optimization: Neglecting to optimize your cart page for mobile devices can frustrate customers and drive them away. Make sure it’s fully responsive and functional across all screen sizes.

When all is said and done, there’s no magic formula to the perfect cart page. 

We can only learn from what worked before for other brands and the experiments and tests we’re conducting on our own. 

Improving your cart page is an ongoing process that requires constant evaluation and refinement.

However, following these best practices and avoiding common mistakes leads to a cart page that enhances user experience, boosts sales, and leaves customers satisfied. 

Remember, simplicity, transparency, trust, and convenience are the pillars of a successful cart page. 

Last but not least, you have to listen to customer feedback and adapt accordingly. 

People will tell you their expectations if you offer them the space to do so. 

Listen to their feedback and incorporate their input. You’ll be on the road to better conversions and developing your online store.

Wrap Up

As you can see, your cart page isn’t just a digital shopping basket – it’s a powerful tool that can significantly impact your sales and customer satisfaction.

Now that you understand the significance of the cart page, it’s time to take action.

Research and experiment with different copy and designs to find the perfect combination for your cart pages. Testing is the key to discovering what resonates best with your audience and drives conversions.

Remember, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to perfecting your cart page. It’s an ongoing journey of learning from successful strategies, conducting experiments, and adapting to customer feedback.

In your journey, use Omniconvert Explore, the all-in-one CRO tool, to A/B test your cart pages. 

With it, you can fine-tune your cart page elements, ensuring an optimized user experience and maximizing your sales potential.

FAQs