With the advent of the Internet and technology, many people are making their purchases online for convenience. Making this process easy and elementary is very crucial to encourage conversion of sales. The checkout page is where the consumers go to once their carts are full and how easy it is to checkout determines the success or failure of the online business. This article provides some of the ways online businesses can make the payment process easy for online consumers. How fast the customers can check out from the website determines their return rate.
-
Offer a variety of payment methods
For online shopping, people across the globe have different payment options. A website should incorporate these payment methods as online shopping is frequently done. Companies should conduct market research on the target audience and their preferred payment choices to see what methods they use often. People expect a variety of options on the checkout page, and when a company omits the popular methods, customers create a different perception of the brand. According to Brian Simmons, Marketing Director at SolidEssay, determining market segments that the brand aims to target gives an overview of the majority of people who visit the website, therefore, offering choices like allowing direct bank transfers and credit cards are a viable option.
-
Offer a seamless and consistent design
From the inceptive stage which is the headline and call to action, to the checkout page, it is important to maintain consistency in terms of font, color, and design. This not only augments brand recognition but also ensures that confusion is at its minimal for the consumer scrolling through the website. Giving the consumers a checkout page that looks different from the rest of the pages raises suspicion of fraud and scams. As stated by Laura Miles, COO at ConfidentWriters, a company should have control of their checkout page to avoid skepticism and low return rates of clients. Using design that works best for creating brand awareness and recognition might turn window shoppers to actual clients.
-
Ask for important information only
Consumers can grow weary of having to fill out numerous forms before they make their purchases. This leads to site abandonment, hence no conversion of sales. The amount of information to be asked should be limited and essential to ease the payment process. Consumers want processes that save time in order for them to make their purchase convenient. If extra information, other than the payment details, is needed, such as the phone number, an explanation of why it is required should be given.
-
Ensure privacy and security of information
It is important to give reassurances on the safety of sensitive information and to provide a detailed showcase of the measures that have been put in place to ensure security. With the rising rate of cybercrimes and loss of privacy, it is essential that customers feel their personal data are protected before they provide the essential information. Trust between customers and the brand can be formulated by ensuring a consistent design and avoiding redirecting people every time they want to check out. A Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate for the website can be issued, which provides encryption for credit card information and also offers a secure connection for the customers. A PCI compliant website is also guaranteed of security on the credit card information on the person transmitting and processing the card data.
-
A clear call to action
Online customers want elementary processes throughout their purchasing journey. Leaving the customers guessing in what to press next is one way of promoting cart abandonment. A good website should guide the customer throughout their purchase by providing a clear call to action. This is facilitated by using clear and precise words such as ‘Continue shopping’ to avoid confusion and ambiguity. When a prospect adds an item on their cart, guide them to the checkout page precisely using clear words like ‘Continue to checkout’ to keep them prepared and anticipated on the next step. It’s also a good idea to use specialized writing tools like NeverCheat and SwiftPapers to make sure your calls to action are effective. Guiding people throughout the page is salient to make the payment process easy and avoid cart abandonment.
This article describes how making payments online has become a standard business practice in the digital world. Making considerations on the online payment portal and the checkout page can help the firm grow considerably, even if businesses are still not aware of the strategy.
About the Author
Paul Bates is a communication manager living in San Diego, California. He is a regular contributor at HuffPost, Paper-Research, and BeeStudent blog.
