As the owner of an online store, you want to make sure that the process of checking out is as easy as possible. A smooth and quick checkout process can help decrease the number of carts that are left empty and increase sales. In this lesson, we’ll look at how to improve the checkout flow with WooCommerce, a famous eCommerce tool for WordPress.
Before we start, it’s important to know what each step of the checkout process is. Here are the steps that make up a normal checkout process:
The customer puts things in their cart.
At checkout, the customer gives their payment and shipping details.
Payment: The customer chooses the way they want to pay.
Confirmation: The customer looks over their order and says that they want to buy it.
Now, let’s look at the different ways you can use WooCommerce to improve each step of the checkout process.
Optimizing the cart
The cart is the first step in the check-out process. Here are a few ways to make the most of this step:
a. Make it easy to add items to the cart:
Make sure customers can quickly and easily add items to the cart. Make sure the “Add to Cart” button can be seen and found easily.
b. Show what’s in the cart:
Make sure that customers can always see what’s in their carts. This makes it easier for them to keep track of what they buy and how much it costs.
c. Suggest products:
You might want to add suggestions for products to the page for the cart. This can help buyers learn about other goods they might want to buy.
d. Show shipping costs:
On the cart page, show how much you think shipping will cost. This lets customers know how much their whole buy will cost, which can make them less likely to leave their carts.
Optimizing the WooCommerce Checkout Process
The checkout is the second step in the payment process. Here are a few ways to make the most of this step:
a. Cut down on the number of form fields:
Customers should only have to fill out as few form fields as possible. Only ask for the details you need to handle the payment.
b. Let customers check out as guests:
Give customers the choice to check out as guests. This lets them check out quickly without having to sign up for an account.
c. Show progress indicators:
Show buyers how many steps are left in the buying process by using progress indicators. This lets them know how long they have to finish the buy.
d. Give options for shipping:
Give different options for shipping, like regular or fast shipping. This lets buyers choose the way of shipping that works best for them.
Getting payments right
The money is the third step in the checkout process. Here are a few ways to make the most of this step:
a. Offer more than one way to pay:
Offer more than one way to pay, like credit card, PayPal, and Apple Pay. This lets buyers choose the way of payment that works best for them.
b. Make sure the checkout page is safe:
Make sure the checkout page is safe so that customers feel okay entering their payment information.
c. Show an overview of the order:
On the payment page, show a summary of the order. This should include the total cost and shipping information. This makes it easier for customers to know what they’re paying for and lowers the chance of mistakes or confusion.
Optimization of Confirmation
The approval is the last step in the process of checking out. Here are a few ways to make the most of this step:
a. Show order confirmation:
After the buy is made, show a confirmation page. This lets customers know that their order was successfully handled.
b. Send a confirmation email:
Send the customer’s email address a confirmation email. This lets buyers know what they bought and lets them track their order if they need to.
c. Provide next steps:
Give information about what to do next, such as when the order will be shipped and how to track it. This helps people know what to expect and makes it less likely that they will be confused or make a mistake.
Now that we’ve looked at the different ways WooCommerce can be used to improve the checkout process, let’s look at some of the specific improvement methods you can use with WooCommerce to make the checkout process better for your users.
Turn on “One-Click Checkout.”
One-click checkout is a popular way to improve the checkout process by making it easier. With one-click checkout, buyers can finish their purchases with just one click, without having to give any other information.
WooCommerce has several apps, like the “WooCommerce One-Click Checkout” plugin, that make it possible to check out with just one click. Customers can skip the cart and checkout pages and go straight to the money page with this app. This can cut down on the time it takes for customers to finish their purchases and make the checkout process better overall.
Change the fields at checkout
As we already said, lowering the amount of form fields in the checkout process can help make things better for the user. But some areas, like the shipping location and money information, are needed to make the sale.
You can change the checkout fields with WooCommerce so that you only ask for the information you need. You can get rid of fields that aren’t needed or add unique fields to get information you need to process the sale.
Go to WooCommerce > payment Fields in your WordPress panel to change how the payment fields look. Here, you can add, remove, or change the fields that show up during checkout.
Implement Address Autocomplete
It can take a long time to type out a full shipping address, especially on mobile devices. You can speed up this process by using “address autocomplete,” which offers locations as the user types.
WooCommerce has a number of plugins, such as the “WooCommerce Address Autocomplete” plugin, that let you automatically fill in an address. This app works with Google’s Places API to suggest addresses as the user writes.
Address suggestion can make it easier for customers to enter their shipping address and save them a lot of time. It can also improve the entire shopping experience.
Use cross-sells and upsells.
Upsells and cross-sells are strong ways to boost sales and improve the average value of each order. Upsells are similar goods that are more expensive than the one the customer is buying. Cross-sells are items that go well with what the customer is already buying.
There are several ways to add upsells and cross-sells to the checkout process with WooCommerce. You can show similar goods on the cart page, upsells on the checkout page, or cross-sells on the confirmation page.
Go to WooCommerce > Products in your WordPress dashboard to set up upsells and cross-sells. Here, you can choose which goods you want to offer as upsells or cross-sells and change how they show up during the checkout process.
Don’t charge for shipping
Customers are more likely to finish their buy if you offer free shipping. In fact, studies show that free shipping is the number one thing that would make people more likely to shop online for 90% of them.
You can offer free shipping to your customers in more than one way with WooCommerce. You can give free shipping on orders over a certain amount or on certain goods or groups.
To set up free shipping, go to your WordPress homepage and click on WooCommerce > Settings > Shipping. Here, you can set the rules for free sending and set the shipping rates for your store.
Improve payment gateways.
The payment method is a key part of the checkout process, so it’s important to make sure it works well with your shop. WooCommerce has a number of payment methods that work well with the platform, such as PayPal, Stripe, and Square.
To improve your payment method, make sure it’s safe and that customers feel fine typing their payment information. Check the payment method carefully to make sure it works right and that customers can buy things without any problems.
Check and see
Lastly, it’s important to keep testing and measuring the checkout process to find ways to make it better. Use analytics tools like Google Analytics or WooCommerce’s built-in analytics to track things like the number of carts that are abandoned, the number of people who buy something, and the average price of an order.
These measures can tell you a lot about how your customers use your checkout process and where there may be jams or other places of trouble. Use this information to make smart choices about how to improve the checkout process.
A/B testing is another great way to improve the checkout process. With A/B testing, you make two versions of the checkout flow, each with a slightly different look or set of features. Then, you give people one of the two versions at random and look at the results to see which one is more successful.
A/B testing can help you figure out what changes can make the checkout process better, like where to put the “Place Order” button or how to word the copy on the checkout page.
In conclusion, optimizing the checkout flow in WooCommerce is one of the most important things you can do to improve the user experience and boost sales. By enabling one-click checkout, customizing checkout fields, using address autocomplete, offering upsells and cross-sells, offering free shipping, optimizing payment gateways, and constantly testing and measuring, you can create a smooth and efficient checkout process that encourages customers to finish their purchase and come back to your store in the future.
