Help Needed: High Add to Cart Ratio but Low Initiate Checkout and Purchases

[Kenneth2014]

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for advice to improve conversions on my website. I have a decent Add to Cart (ATC) ratio, but the drop-off between ATC and Initiate Checkout (IC), and further to Purchases, is significant. Here are the numbers for this month so far:

• ATC: 44
• IC: 14
• Purchases: 7

It seems like there’s a barrier preventing customers from proceeding to checkout and completing their purchase.

Has anyone experienced a similar issue? What could be causing this drop-off, and how can I address it? I’d appreciate any tips or strategies for optimizing this part of the funnel.

Website: gullsluken.no/products/gmf 

[LizHoang]

Hi @Kenneth2014, it sounds like you’re doing well with the ATC metric, and here are some recommendations that can significantly boost your conversions:

First of all, I believe addressing cart abandonment is important. Generally, costs like high shipping fees or added taxes discourage customers, you can consider offering free or flat-rate shipping and communicating this early in the process, such as on the product page. Your return and refund policies should be easy to find and straightforward, as this reassures shoppers who may feel hesitant to commit. Moreover, adding trust badges (like secure payment icons) and customer reviews near the cart can also increase confidence and reduce drop-offs.

Secondly, you should simplify the checkout process. A complicated or time-consuming checkout is one of the biggest reasons for drop-offs, and Shopify’s one-page checkout feature can be useful. Avoid forcing customers to create an account by enabling a guest checkout option, which makes the process quicker and appeals to new shoppers. Also, you should provide multiple payment methods to ensure flexibility for different customer preferences.

Moreover, you can create urgency or provide incentives to customers, encouraging customers to proceed with limited-time offers or urgency messages. For instance, you can add a banner in the cart that says, “Free shipping ends in 2 hours” or “Only a few items left in stock.” Abandoned cart emails or SMS messages are also powerful tools to remind customers of their pending purchases, especially when paired with a discount code or free shipping incentive.

I hope my feedback is helpful to you, and please feel free to share your opinion.

Liz

[PageFly-Kate]

Hi @Kenneth2014,

Kate here from the PageFly Shopify Landing Page Builder App.

I wanted to share a few suggestions that can really enhance your website’s user experience and drive better results. By making these simple adjustments, you can not only engage your visitors more but also boost conversions and make a lasting impression.

1. Highlight Product Price and Sale Badge More Effectively
The product price and sale badge should be immediately noticeable. Currently, they are a bit hard to see, which may cause potential buyers to miss out on your promotions. To improve this, consider making the price larger and more prominent. Additionally, adding a sale badge directly on the product media (e.g., overlay on product images) can attract attention and make the sale more obvious. This simple change will encourage customers to take action faster!

2. Add Multiple Payment Options for Convenience
Offering a variety of payment options is key to catering to all your customers' preferences. Make sure your product pages feature popular digital wallets like Apple Pay and PayPal, along with traditional credit/debit card options. Having these visible and easy to select during checkout can remove friction and improve the purchase flow.

You can check this image for reference:

3. Fix the Slideshow Navigation
Currently, there seems to be an issue with the slideshow navigation — clicking on the arrows to move to the next image doesn’t work. This can disrupt the browsing experience for your visitors. It’s important to ensure that the slideshow section is functioning properly, as smooth navigation through images encourages users to explore more products.

4. Include a Newsletter Signup Incentive

Suggestion: Promote an enticing offer such as “Get 10% off your first order” or “Enjoy early access to new arrivals and exclusive discounts” in a highly visible spot on your homepage.

Why? Offering a clear and attractive incentive gives visitors a reason to subscribe to your email list. This not only boosts engagement but also encourages first-time purchases, especially when there’s an immediate reward like a discount.

I would also recommend reaching out to friends, family, and fashion enthusiasts for feedback on your website. Their honest opinions can be invaluable.

Good luck!

[BON_Loyalty]

Hi @Kenneth2014! I'm Tracy from BON Loyalty, the top-rated Shopify loyalty app. 

Thanks for sharing your question and providing those detailed metrics! First off, it’s great to see that you have a decent Add to cart ratio—this shows your product and website are doing a good job of capturing interest. However, the significant drop-off between ATC, Initiate checkout, and Purchases is a common challenge many stores face. It’s important to know that this is perfectly normal, as customers often take time to weigh their decisions. Let’s break it down and focus on a few key strategies that you can start with.

Why customers drop off between ATC and Checkout
Here are some common reasons why shoppers might hesitate:
1/ Hidden costs at checkout: Unexpected fees like shipping or taxes can feel like a deal-breaker. If customers are surprised by extra costs, they’re more likely to abandon their purchase.
2/ They expect discounts: Many shoppers intentionally leave items in their cart hoping for a follow-up discount or free shipping offer. If your store sends these emails, they may be waiting for one.
3/ They’re thinking it over: Adding to cart is a way for customers to signal interest, but deciding to buy involves more consideration. Maybe they’re comparing your prices to competitors, double-checking their budget, or waiting to see if they truly need the product.

How to make improvements
1/ Be upfront about costs: Avoid surprises by showing total costs, including shipping and taxes, as early as possible. Adding a shipping calculator on product pages or showing estimated costs in the cart can help set clear expectations.
2/ Use friendly cart abandonment email: If someone leaves their cart, send them a reminder email. Keep it light and engaging—something like, “Your favorites are still waiting!” Adding a small incentive, like 10% off or free shipping, can be a great motivator.
3/ Simplify your checkout: Streamline the process. Allow guest checkouts, minimize the number of steps, and ask only for essential information. Focus on removing unnecessary fields and reducing distractions to make the experience as smooth as possible.

Tools to help you learn and improve
1/ Heatmaps and session recordings: Tools like Hotjar or Lucky Orange can show you where customers are hesitating or dropping off during the checkout process. This gives you a clear picture of what’s causing friction.
2. A/B testing: Try different versions of your checkout page to see what works best. For example, test different button texts like “Place Order” vs. “Complete Purchase,” or experiment with layout changes.
3/ Ask for feedback: Use tools like Typeform or Google Forms to embed a simple one-question survey in your abandonment emails. Ask something like, “What prevented you from completing your purchase?” to gather direct feedback. These insights can help identify specific issues your customers face. After someone abandons their cart, consider a short survey asking why they didn’t finish. Even one or two open-ended responses can reveal a lot.

The drop-off from Add to Cart to Checkout is something almost every store faces, but the good news is that it’s manageable with the right steps. By being transparent about costs, simplifying your checkout process, and using tools to analyze and test improvements, you can make the experience smoother and drive more conversions. Let me know if you’d like a closer look at your site or any additional feedback.

If you find these suggestions helpful for you, please let me know by giving BON Loyalty  a 'LIKE' or marking it as a 'SOLUTION'. 😊

Cheers,

Tracy | BON Loyalty team

[convertifyapps]

Hi, 

One thing I noticed is that you don't have any products on your home page.

You can subtlety add products on your home page with Shoppable Image Hotspots

The app lets you add links to images that will pop up when someone hovers over an area of the image, this keeps your design looking nice.

It beats adding 6 products and takes up less space on your home page too.

[Akohub]

Hi, I’m Wayne from Akohub. We have been working with many brands to run online stores. Hope our expertise can help you with your low conversion rate. 

After going through your website, I think it is well-designed and the checkout page is brief and easy to complete. So I think you can focus on upgrading the marketing strategy instead. From my experience retargeting campaigns are very helpful for converting cart abandonment, I would suggest launching retargeting campaigns for the lost sales. Utilizing retargeting ads that specifically target users who have previously visited your site or added items to their cart but didn’t complete their purchase. These ads can remind potential customers of the specific products they showed interest in and keep your brand top-of-mind. You can also incorporate personalized offers, such as discounts or free shipping. This could incentivize them to return and finalize their purchase. Additionally, consider using Shopify’s built-in abandoned cart recovery feature, which automatically sends personalized emails to customers who left items in their carts, encouraging them to complete their transactions.

Best wishes! If you want to try setting up retargeting campaigns, you can take a look at our Ako marketing app, which is particularly designed to help merchants boost their conversion rate. 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. 

[DaisyVo]

Hi @Kenneth2014 

It sounds like you're facing a classic bottleneck between Add to Cart (ATC) and Initiate Checkout (IC), and further to Purchases. Based on the data you shared, your numbers show a significant drop-off (44 ATCs to 14 ICs, and then to 7 Purchases), which means something is discouraging customers from moving forward in the funnel. Here are some actionable steps to tackle this:

1. Optimize Your Checkout Process

• Simplify Checkout Steps: Make sure the checkout process is quick and straightforward. Too many steps or requiring account creation can scare off customers. Consider enabling a guest checkout option.
• Clear Shipping Costs Early: If shipping costs or extra fees are only revealed during checkout, this can lead to cart abandonment. Be upfront about all costs.
• Mobile Optimization: Ensure your checkout flow is smooth on mobile, as many users shop from their phones.

2. Review Your Product Page and Pricing

• Reassess Pricing: Compare your prices with competitors. If customers feel your product is overpriced, they may hesitate to proceed further.
• Trust Signals: Include reviews, testimonials, and any badges for secure payments to reassure buyers.
• Clear Product Info: Ensure the product details (like size, materials, and return policies) are crystal clear to avoid confusion.

3. Address Possible Distractions

• Speed Up Your Site: Slow-loading pages can make customers abandon their carts. Run a test (e.g., with Google PageSpeed Insights) to check for speed issues.
• Exit-Intent Popups: If someone is leaving at checkout, use an exit-intent popup to offer a small discount or free shipping.

4. Cart Abandonment Recovery Strategies

• Email Reminders: Use email sequences to remind users of their abandoned carts. Tools like Klaviyo or Shopify’s built-in options can help.
• Incentives: Offer a small discount, free shipping, or a freebie to entice users to complete their purchase.

5. Analyze Your Metrics Further

• Heatmaps & Recordings: Use tools like Hotjar to see where users might be dropping off. Are they struggling with payment options or shipping methods?
• Surveys: Add a short post-abandonment survey (or popup) asking why they didn’t proceed with the purchase. Sometimes customers will tell you exactly what's wrong.

6. Consider Psychological Triggers

• Scarcity & Urgency: Add low-stock indicators or countdown timers to create urgency.
• Social Proof: Highlight recent purchases or show how many other people are viewing the product.

Example Image: Clear & Trust-Building Product Page Layout

Here’s an example of a product page layout that reduces barriers:

These steps should help bridge the gap and improve your funnel conversions. Try implementing changes one at a time and track how they affect your IC and Purchase rates.

If you need any other assistance, feel free to reply and I will try my best to help.

Best regards,
Daisy