Many add to cart, but none checkout

[Mike0541]

I am new to ecommerce, I developed some collections of products to sell online Mostly stuff I made myself that I thought others may enjoy. The items are metals signs, steel targets, architectural aluminum products we make in house at our FL facility. I set the store up, developed a collection of signs I made for my daughters room called "The princess collection". I am fluent in running FB ads and using ads manager, so i set up a campaign properly to sell this collection. I have had what i think is good engagement but do not have a lot of data in selling widgets. As most of my ad running experience is for my other business which provides a service. The data i have so far is showing 178 add to carts at $8.5 per add to cart. The items range from $70-$200 depending on design and size. We offer free economy shipping, even tried a 15% discount. We are fairly priced from my research. We have a production facility and no middle man. None of those went on to be sales except for the few times it popped up on my timeline, and I purchased some to ensure the links and ad was operating properly. Is this normal shopping behavior? Does anyone have any tips? Thanks..

[masoomi-saxena]

Hey there. Love the carriage lights! 

Okay, so I noticed your ad copy doesn't directly convey the product properly. You can add the daughter part and make it more professional, crisp, and direct. Something that woos your target audience. 

Speaking of target audience, considering you know your way around Facebook ad campaigns already,  are you retargeting ads to remind customers to complete their purchase? I recommend running retargeting ad campaigns that reach those customers who reached "Add To Cart" part but not "Checkout." Set up a pixel to retarget those customers and to generate a retargeting audience. Test your audience targeting. Some people might be clicking out of curiosity, not real buying intent.

Also, you’re getting good engagement, but it’s worth testing different ad creatives. Try Advantage+ placements, Advantage+ creatives, etc., if your budget allows. 

You can also send reminder emails to those customers using Mailchimp or Klaviyo. These services are known to reduce cart abandonment. 

For pixel setup that tracks add to cart and purchase events more efficiently, use this free app called AdNabu's Facebook Pixel, it's a built for Shopify app that makes pixel setup and tracking available on your Shopify admin. 

[PieLab]

Thanks for sharing such a case @Mike0541. Tbh, I'm not so familiar with Meta platforms ads/checkout process and I'm also wondering what's causing that conversion pause right now. But, just come up with a few two-cent thoughts on the generic parts of consumer behavior.

Like, are people seeing real proof that your items exist and look like the ad images? Or do they see customer photos, unboxings, or third-party validation? Also, is there anything else to improve the traffic intent with post-click experience?

Since you're selling physical goods now (not services anymore), the psychology may be considerably different. Feel free to share your store page for closer look!

[Zeeumar112]

Have you tried using Abandoned Cart Recovery Tactics?
Since people are reaching the cart, you can set up automated abandoned cart emails using Shopify, Klaviyo, etc. When done right, these can recover a significant portion of lost sales.

Also, here are several areas to evaluate:
Checkout Experience: Is the checkout process streamlined and easy to navigate? Frictions like slow load time, unnecessary form fields, account creation requirements can lead to drop-off.

Trust Signals: Do you have clear return/refund policies, secure payment icons, reviews or testimonials, and prominently displayed contact information? Building trust is essential for a new brand.

Shipping & Discounts: Free shipping is a great offer. Make sure it's clearly communicated early in the funnel (e.g., product pages and cart). The 15% discount might not be seen as compelling enough if not positioned as limited-time or exclusive.

Mobile Optimization: A large percentage of traffic from Facebook ads is mobile. Ensure your site is fast, responsive, and intuitive on mobile devices.

Retargeting ads to people who visited product pages or added to cart can also be effective by showing dynamic product ads or offer a timed discount to encourage return visits.

[ShizaRizwan]

Hey! First off, love that you’re making your own metal signs and products. That’s super cool and unique!

So yes, what you’re seeing does happen often, especially with new stores. Getting 178 add to carts and no real conversions is a strong sign that your ads are working in terms of grabbing attention, but something’s dropping off at checkout. A few things you might try:

Cart recovery emails: If you’re not already using Shopify’s abandoned checkout emails, turn those on and maybe even customize the message a bit to make it personal/friendly.

Trust signals: Add some product reviews, real-life photos, or even a quick “about us” on your product pages. First-time buyers especially need that trust.

Simplify checkout: Make sure there are no unexpected steps or confusing details in your checkout process.

Retargeting ads: Since you're solid with FB ads, run a retargeting campaign specifically for people who added to cart but didn’t purchase. Maybe show a lifestyle photo or a quick video of the item being made in your facility!

You’re definitely on the right track. Sometimes it just takes a few tweaks and a bit of time. Keep going. You’ve got this!

[Wendell4]

Hi @Mike0541

Can you share the store URL or page URL you mentioned in the screenshot so that I can further check if exist any optimization space? Also one more reminder here: If your visitors prefer to find store via Google Search, you can search store with "site:store URL" in Google to know how your store pages look like in search results. There you can know more details and see how to optimize the search results in a further way. Thank you!

[Akohub]

Hi, I’m Wayne from Akohub. We have been working with many brands to run online stores. After viewing your website, I believe our expertise could add value to your business. 

To bring more orders to your website and recover abandoned carts, I would recommend a combined strategy of ads and retargeting campaigns. Dynamic ads attract new visitors by targeting potential customers based on their interests and behaviors, while retargeting campaigns remind those who have already visited your site but didn’t make a purchase to come back and complete their order. This approach keeps your brand top of mind and gently nudges interested shoppers toward conversion, increasing the chances of turning browsers into buyers. Here’s a blog I have written previously, feel free to explore more details about Why Retargeting Is the Key to Recovering Abandoned Carts. 

Best wishes! If you have any more questions or need a free professional consultation, feel free to let us know! Don't forget to like and mark it as a solution if you find this helpful.