10 Actionable Strategies to Reduce Shopping Cart Abandonment for Furniture and Appliance Retailers

When operating an eCommerce website, a common challenge for retailers is shopping cart abandonment. Customers browse through your products and add items to their carts, only to leave before completing the purchase. This can translate to a significant loss of revenue. To combat shopping cart abandonment on furniture and appliance eCommerce websites, here are actionable strategies you can implement to grow online revenue.

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1. Streamline the Checkout Process

Simplifying the checkout process is crucial to reducing friction and keeping customers focused on completing their purchases. Adopting a single-page checkout process, like the one available in the eSTORIS eCommerce platform, helps eliminate unnecessary distractions and improves user experience. By reducing form fields to only essential information, you’re removing obstacles that deter users from finishing their transactions.

Additionally, simplifying a final pricing review provides a transparent, comprehensive breakdown of the total cost, including line items. Further, clear communication about how shipping or delivery fees are adjusted based on cart changes ensures trust. Unclear or unexpected costs are among the top reasons for abandonment and your checkout workflow can help avoid this common obstacle.

2. Offer a Guest Checkout Option

Requiring customers to create an account before purchasing is a top contributor to cart abandonment, accounting for 28% of lost sales. Offering a Guest Checkout option allows new customers to complete a purchase without the hassle of signing up. For those who do have accounts, enable features like saved Ship-To addresses and easy toggling between multiple addresses. These small conveniences can significantly reduce cart abandonment rates by speeding up the purchase process for returning customers.

3. Optimize for Mobile

Ensure that your website is fully optimized for mobile devices. With a large portion of eCommerce traffic coming from smartphones, a seamless mobile experience is crucial for reducing abandonment rates. Optimize page grids, spacing, margins, and touchpoints for mobile shoppers to provide a responsive experience on your checkout page. For instance, adding a sticky “Place Order” button ensures that customers clearly see the final step they need to take to complete their purchase—reducing confusion at the order review stage, which accounts for 11.6% of abandonment, according to Baymard Institute.

4. Provide Multiple Payment Options

Offer a variety of payment methods to cater to different customer preferences. Furniture and appliance purchases often represent a significant financial commitment, so accepting credit/debit cards, digital wallets (e.g., PayPal, Apple Pay), and alternative financing options like Buy Now, Pay Later, can increase conversion rates by providing flexibility and reassurance.

Financing is also an important driver of eCommerce sales. Offering customers the capability to pay for their online orders with in-house or third-party financing can improve eCommerce conversion rates. This means ensuring the online credit application process is streamlined for the user, while also protecting the retailer from online fraud.

Additionally, prominently display the accepted payment methods on the checkout page to build customer trust and confidence that their preferred method is supported. Be sure to clearly identify your security certifications and promote that your website upholds PCI-PA-DSS compliance and data encryption. This ensures customers have a secure and safe experience when buying from your eCommerce website and can confidently submit their payment information.

5. Implement Exit-Intent Popups

Exit-intent popups are a powerful tool for capturing customers who are about to leave your website without completing their purchase. These popups detect when a customer is about to navigate away and offer an incentive, such as a discount or free shipping, to encourage them to stay and finish their order. Personalize these popups based on the customer’s cart contents or browsing history to make the offer more compelling.

6. Provide Real-Time Support with Live Chat

Offering real-time assistance via live chat can alleviate customer doubts during the checkout process. Whether they have questions about shipping, product details, or payment options, having a customer service representative available to provide instant support can prevent shoppers from abandoning their carts. Ensure your live chat agents are well-trained in product knowledge, shipping policies, and payment processes to provide meaningful and helpful assistance.

7. Leverage Retargeting Campaigns

Retargeting campaigns are an effective way to reengage customers who have abandoned their carts. Display targeted ads featuring the products they left behind, along with an enticing message encouraging them to complete their purchase. Experiment with retargeting ads across various channels such as social media, Google, and display networks to maximize your reach.

8. Be Transparent About Shipping and Delivery Costs

Hidden shipping fees are one of the top reasons customers abandon their carts. Clearly communicate shipping costs upfront and avoid surprising your customers during the checkout process. Consider offering free shipping thresholds to incentivize higher cart totals, or provide discounted shipping options based on a minimum spend.

Further, retailers can enable their customers to schedule their preferred delivery date through self-service processes, giving customers more control and the ability to do so without having to make a phone call. Presenting fulfillment calendars highlighting the retailer’s up-to-date logistical scheduling availability prevents having to reschedule. Customers can also select their preferred store or warehouse location from available options for Buy Online, Pick Up In-Store (BOPIS) orders.

9. Enable Wishlist Functionality

Allow customers to save items to a wishlist for future purchases. This gives them the flexibility to revisit their selections later and reduces the pressure to buy immediately. Additionally, you can send reminder emails to customers who have items on their wishlist, encouraging them to return and complete their purchase when the timing is right.

10. Follow Up with Abandoned Cart Emails

An automated abandoned cart email sequence is a must-have for any retailer. These emails remind customers of the items left in their cart and often include incentives such as free shipping or discounts to entice them to complete their purchases. Experiment with different email content and timing to find the most effective approach for your audience. Be sure to personalize the emails by including images of the abandoned items and recommendations for similar products.

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By implementing these actionable strategies, furniture and appliance retailers can significantly reduce shopping cart abandonment rates and increase their online conversion rates. Remember to continuously monitor your website’s performance and customer behaviors with Google Analytics 4’s eCommerce tools to identify areas for improvement.

Now’s the time to optimize your website’s checkout experience and turn more abandoned carts into completed sales.

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