Ah, the checkout process. A process which can often feel so long and unnecessary but is in fact so vital and important. If you own an e-commerce website or are looking to start one up, it is important to get your checkout process right. Studies have shown that a difficult checkout process is a top reason for cart abandonment with the global rate of cart abandonment being 75.6%, a high figure. 

In this post, we will look at 5 ways that you can make your checkout user experience (UX) as smooth as possible and why this is so important. 

1. Have a clear guest checkout option

The UX for an online checkout should be smooth and easy. If users have to register or sign up to something this could sway them away from buying your product. A survey found that when people were given the task to set up an account with a company before purchasing, 23% of customers abandoned their purchases. By having a guest checkout option with a clear call to action, you can avoid this possibility and create a better UX. 

Here is an example from the Apple checkout: 

The Apple website has a clear guest checkout option with a bold call to action, meaning customers don’t have to spend unnecessary time registering their details if they don’t want to. As well as the guest checkout feature, the Apple checkout page is very well designed as it has a strong emphasis on call to action by using white spaces. It keeps well with Apple’s simple, effective branding and allows customers to easily navigate their purchases. 

2. Make sure that your checkout is compatible with mobile 

Mobile websites are becoming more and more important. UX is especially important on mobile websites as many people will use their phones to make purchases on the go, so the design should be kept simple, engaging and easy. Conversion rates tend to be lower on mobile devices, making it even more important that your checkout process is as effective as possible. 

Common ways to improve your checkout process for your mobile e-commerce website is making sure that it is fast, simple and easy to navigate. When browsing on mobile, users are more likely to be distracted so your checkout should provide no distractions such as redirections. 

Monsoon’s checkout process, in particular, is a good example of a checkout that has been designed with ease and simplicity for the user in mind, creating an excellent, straightforward user experience. 

It also offers other payment options such as PayPal, allowing the customer to select an easier payment option. It also provides the option to scan your card, making the process quicker for the user. Each time a step is made easier, the risk of cart abandonment decreases. 

3. Make sure that the user feels reassured

Customers need reassurance that their payment will be processed securely and successfully. Anything that could be perceived as ‘dodgy’ about the experience could hugely put them off going through with the purchase. Elements that can increase customers’ confidence include a fast loading speed, professional design and simplicity. Also, displaying clear contact information and security trust marks throughout the checkout process can help build trust with the user.

4. Make sure that forms are easy to fill

As we have previously mentioned, speed is of huge importance when designing the checkout process for your e-commerce website. By making sure that your forms are easy to fill, this will decrease the time that the user will spend purchasing the product. To create forms that are easy to fill, you should keep them as short as possible, split them into manageable chunks and keep them visually appealing with enough white space to draw attention to what needs to be done. 

It is important to include a clear call to action within forms and clear error messaging. For the best user experience, you could also consider using features such as a progress bar or a postcode lookup tool. Remember, it is all about UX and making sure that the process is quick and easy and that the customer is confident and reassured. 

5. Remove distractions and possible deterrents

Keeping the customer focused on their order increases the chances that they will complete their order. To keep the user focused it is important to remove all distractions. You can do this by removing the navigation, and making sure that the page is simple with lots of white space. Also, other distractions such as advertisements and promo codes are worth thinking about. Whilst they could encourage customers to buy, they often draw them away from the checkout. For example, if a user sees a promo code box but doesn’t have a code, they might leave the page to search for a code, increasing the likelihood that they won’t go through with the purchase. However, it is necessary to provide essential information that the customer might need, such as security policies and contact details.

Conclusion

The checkout process is often neglected in UX design, but as shown in this article, there is a lot of thought that can be put into it. The most important characteristics of your checkout should be that it is simple, easy and reassuring to the customer. By improving your checkout process, this could help increase your conversions.