Don't reinvent the checkout flow for your Craft Commerce site
By Stephen Callender
May 10, 2022
Remember when shopping at actual retail stores was the only way to buy anything?
Then, just as now, fortunes were made by some chains—while others languished and went out of business.
We're not saying that brick-and-mortar stores are dead. Far from it — even considering the explosion of online shopping during the pandemic.
But the most successful ones have always had one thing in common: they provide a positive shopping experience.
It doesn't matter whether you're talking about Apple, with its minimalist design and bright lights, or the no-nonsense shelves of Dollar Tree. Retail stores spend significant money finding out what their customers want and then delivering it to them.
The one thing they’re not constantly reinventing?
The checkout process.
Customize What Matters
Yes, successful real-world businesses sometimes tweak the buying process.
Kroger has over 2000 stores where you can order online and pick up from the parking lot. At Apple, you flag down a dude with a phone. And at Walmart, you can check yourself out if you want — and that's the only option at Amazon Go!
The process of checking out at retail is relatively the same. Get your stuff scanned. Pay for it. Leave.
So why do so many online retailers mess with the basics?
If you want to get your money’s worth with your ecommerce store, build an experience your customers will love—but leave the checkout process alone.
When it comes to buying, your customers want the most straightforward, most familiar experience you can provide.
They’ve got a cart full of goodies and they can’t wait to get them.
So how do you stay out of their way? As far as we’re concerned at Foster Commerce, it's as simple as not reinventing the checkout flow.
Spending money here is just a waste.
Why?
Because the checkout process we provide is already fully optimized and tested.
Instead, invest in other aspects of your online store to enhance the customer’s experience.
Create a Unique Shopping Experience
Where we suggest you focus is creating a positive experience for your customers. We spend time on designs that will achieve higher conversions, engage customers after a sale, nurture customers toward future sales, and present them with new offers.
Because it should be the shopping experience that differentiates you. Not your checkout process.
For example, let’s say you sell premium t-shirts.
It’s a safe that bet your customers would love to see multiple options.
Since they can't try on their chosen shirt, they're probably going to want to know which colors, sizes, and styles are available. In addition, they're probably going to want to see the front and back.
They may even appreciate content describing what the fabric feels like or how the cloth is stitched. And finally, customers will want to know if what they want is in stock.
To reduce your customers’ nervousness about buying online, you’ll need to decide a few key things:
Does your site need to provide:
Product availability?
Return policies?
Shipping times and costs?
A grid, carousel, or slideshow view?
Recommendations for similar items?
Customer reviews?
Long-form descriptive product content?
These decisions—and the customizations that follow—are where you’ll get the most ROI for the money you spend. So you need an ecommerce shop that can be built on a blank slate, allowing you to take your customers on a journey specific to your brand.
We Understand the Psychology of Shopping
According to Baymard, the average cart abandonment rate is more than 69%, representing billions a year in lost sales.
That's a lot of money left on the digital table.
Don't make it worse — and waste your money — by making your shopping cart challenging to use.
Most businesses don't realize that custom ecommerce sites often cost so much because everything, including the checkout process, gets built from scratch.
Not only is this an unnecessary use of your money, but you also risk losing sales on something that's completely untested.
We know what works in checkout and what doesn't, and we won't let anything get in the way.
We prefer to focus on design elements that contribute to sales and rely on a handful of proven — and reliable — checkout systems. So when you work with us, you will too.
When you realize that ecommerce is about so much more than the checkout flow, you'll better understand how to make more sales.
And, because you didn’t spend money on a custom checkout, you’ll have the extra resources to help make those sales happen.
About Foster Commerce
Foster Commerce is here to help you put your money where it counts.
We build ecommerce shopping experiences focused on suitable customizations — while leaving the checkout process alone.
If you're ready to optimize your ecommerce site, contact us.
*Hero photo by AS Photography on Pexels