5 proven UX considerations to improve your ecommerce conversion rate

The ecommerce checkout page is prime real estate for your brand—and the final frontier before a customer completes their purchase. However, cart abandonment is still common, with an average rate of 70% across ecommerce. Optimizing your product, cart, and checkout pages can help recover these lost sales, while boosting conversion rate and customer lifetime value (LTV).

In this blog, we’ll share five proven strategies to enhance your checkout experience with real-world examples. Discover how to avoid common pitfalls and transform cart abandoners into repeat customers. 

Understanding the impact of checkout experience on sales

The checkout experience directly impacts your sales performance. A smooth, hassle-free checkout process can lead to higher conversion, while a cumbersome process can drive customers away.

The role of user experience in reducing cart abandonment

User experience (UX) plays a vital role in reducing cart abandonment. A user-friendly checkout page should be intuitive, fast, secure, and responsive. At a high level, these are some of the top UX barriers preventing sales:

• Length and complexity of checkout: 28% of consumers will abandon a checkout process if it is too long or complicated.
• Lack of trust with payment: 25% of consumers abandon checkout if they do not trust the site with their payment information.
• Slow site speed: Nearly 70% of consumers say a website’s loading time affects their decision to make a purchase.
• Unexpected shipping costs, taxes and fees: Around 48% of U.S. consumers abandoned online purchases due to unexpected costs appearing late in the checkout process.

Checkout conversion rate benchmarks

Understanding industry benchmarks can help you set realistic goals for your ecommerce checkout optimization efforts.

Generally, a good checkout conversion rate ranges between 60-80%, depending on the industry. Analyzing your performance against these benchmarks can provide insights into areas where you need improvement. Consider these five proven strategies to begin mapping out your checkout page optimization efforts.

Simplify the checkout process for a seamless user experience

A seamless checkout process is essential for retaining customers and increasing conversions. Here are some strategies to simplify the checkout process.

The power of streamlined forms and fewer steps

One of the most effective ways to optimize your checkout page is by streamlining forms and reducing the number of steps required to complete a purchase. The average checkout process has around 15 form fields, but reducing this number can lead to better results.

Keep form fields to a minimum, and only ask for essential information. Use auto-fill options and offer guest checkout to speed up the process—as recent studies found that approximately 35% of users abandon a purchase if they are forced to create an account.

Optimizing checkout for mobile: A critical consideration

As of 2024, nearly 60% of global ecommerce sales were done via mobile devices. With more consumers shopping on mobile devices, it’s crucial to optimize your checkout page for mobile users. A delay of just one second in mobile page load time can result in a conversion rate drop of up to 20%, emphasizing the importance of speed.

Ensure that your checkout page is responsive, loads quickly, and is easy to navigate on smaller screens.

Be transparent with shipping costs, taxes & hidden fees

High shipping costs are a leading cause of cart abandonment—55% of shoppers leave without purchasing when faced with unexpected costs. Additionally, hidden taxes and fees can further deter customers.

To combat this, consider offering alternate options like subscription services, which can provide discounted prices and benefits such as free shipping—passing savings onto your shoppers, while increasing LTV. Brands like Curology offer a bonus incentive with a free skincare starter for their subscribers.

Strategically place elements to guide users

When it comes to an effective checkout page experience, less is more. The strategic placement of elements on your checkout page should provide value—and when done well—can guide users effectively while increasing AOV.

The importance of clear call-to-action buttons

Clear and prominent call-to-action (CTA) buttons are essential for guiding users through the checkout process. Use contrasting colors and concise, action-oriented text to make your CTA buttons stand out. Place them in easily accessible locations to ensure they are visible at all times.

Using visual hierarchy to highlight key information

Employing visual hierarchy on your checkout page helps highlight key information and guide users’ attention to the most important elements. Use headings, bullet points, and different font sizes to create a clear and organized layout.

Offer multiple payment options to reduce cart abandonment

Providing multiple payment options can significantly reduce cart abandonment while increasing conversion rates by up to 30%.

Integrate popular payment methods

Integrate popular payment methods such as credit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, and Google Wallet to cater to a wider audience. Offering various payment options can make the checkout process more convenient for customers and increase the likelihood of completing a purchase.

The benefits of offering subscription payments

A lack of payment options can often lead to customers abandoning their carts at checkout. Subscription payments offer a great alternative to keep shoppers engaged. By offering subscription options, you can provide customers with a convenient way to purchase products regularly, at a discounted rate.

Brands like Better and Better have 65% of customers convert to subscribers by implementing strategic subscription offers.

Minimize distractions to keep customers focused on completing purchases

Keeping your checkout page clean and free from distractions is crucial for maintaining customers’ focus on completing their purchases.

Avoid unnecessary pop-ups and links

Avoid using unnecessary pop-ups and links that can distract customers from completing their checkout. Keep the checkout page focused and straightforward to prevent any interruptions that could lead to cart abandonment.

Keeping the checkout page clean and focused

Maintain a clean and organized checkout page design by eliminating clutter and focusing on essential elements. Use white space effectively to create a visually appealing and easy-to-navigate layout.

Leverage subscription options to boost conversions and retention

Subscription commerce is growing rapidly in the ecommerce space, offering businesses a way to boost conversions and improve customer retention. 

Subscription commerce is experiencing rapid expansion, with the market size growing from $199.41 billion in 2023 to $330.58 billion in 2024. With more consumers opting for subscription-based services, this model provides businesses with a steady revenue stream and enhances customer loyalty.

How subscriptions increase customer lifetime value

Subscriptions are a powerful tool for boosting customer lifetime value (LTV) and reducing churn by promoting repeat purchases and building long-term relationships. When customers subscribe, they are more likely to stay loyal and engaged with your brand. 

For instance, Native—a DTC brand that sells clean and cruelty-free personal care products—has effectively increased their LTV by tackling the number one cause of subscription cancellations: customers receiving too much product. Over a 9 month trial period, the results showed that customer lifetime value increased when delivery frequency was tailored to individual customers and their products.

Optimizing your checkout experience for BFCM 

As you look ahead to high traffic days like BFCM, consider implementing these five proven strategies to streamline checkout, reduce cart abandonment, and improve customer retention. A seamless checkout experience not only elevates the user journey but also drives significant sales growth. Subscription solutions offer a unique way to drive customer engagement and build longevity with your brand—increasing lifetime value well beyond checkout.