Basket abandonment is an important concern for businesses that accept payments online. Recent studies indicate that over 70% of online shopping baskets are abandoned before the purchase is finalised. But basket abandonment isn't just about lost sales – it's a sign of deeper issues that might be plaguing the buying journey.

Businesses that sell to customers online need to understand the root causes and ramifications of basket abandonment. This phenomenon reflects the customer experience, trustworthiness, pricing strategies and a range of other important factors that affect a company's viability. Once you understand the complexity associated with basket abandonment, it's easier to craft solutions that can drive conversion rates up and steer potential customers back to the checkout page.

This article provides an in-depth exploration of basket abandonment, its indicators and practical solutions. Armed with insights and strategic perspectives, businesses can transform this challenge into an opportunity, refining their online platforms to cater to customer preferences.

What's in this article?

• What is basket abandonment?
  
• Why does basket abandonment happen?
  
• What basket abandonment can indicate for businesses
  
• Why basket abandonment is an important concern for businesses
  
• How to reduce basket abandonment
  
• How Stripe can help
  

What is basket abandonment?

Basket abandonment refers to a scenario where potential customers begin an online transaction – for example, adding items to their online shopping basket or starting to sign up for a subscription service – but leave the website without completing the transaction.

Why does basket abandonment happen?

Basket abandonment can potentially lead to lost revenue and missed opportunities. Understanding its causes in depth can provide actionable insights for businesses. Some of the key reasons why basket abandonment happens include:

• Unexpected costs
  When shoppers encounter unexpected fees, especially those added late in the checkout process, it can deter them from finalising their purchase. These could be delivery charges, taxes or handling fees that the business didn't communicate transparently.

• Complex checkout processes
  A lengthy or confusing checkout process can be off-putting. Customers prefer simplicity, especially when making online transactions. If there are too many steps or if the process isn't intuitive, shoppers might abandon their baskets.

• Mandatory account creation
  Forcing customers to create an account before purchasing can be a deterrent. While capturing customer data is beneficial for businesses, some shoppers might not have the patience or might be wary of sharing more personal information than is necessary.

• Limited payment options
  Modern customers expect multiple payment methods, including digital wallets, buy now, pay later (BNPL), bank transfers and various credit card options. If a business only offers a few payment methods, it might not cater to all customer preferences.

• Security concerns
  Online security is a top concern for customers and they will often drop out of a shopping experience if there's any indication of security risks. If a website doesn't look trustworthy or if there are no visible signs of secure payment methods, customers might hesitate to provide their payment details.

• Website performance issues
  Slow loading times, crashes or other glitches during the checkout process can cause customers to abandon their baskets out of frustration.

• Ambiguous return policies
  If customers are unclear about how they can return products or get refunds, they might hesitate when it comes to finalising their purchases. Clear, favourable return policies can instil confidence.

• Out-of-stock items
  Sometimes, customers add products to their basket, only to find out later that the item is unavailable. This can result in immediate basket abandonment.

Businesses should address these factors strategically, focusing on improving the customer experience, offering transparency and making sure that customers have an easy and secure shopping journey throughout the checkout process.

What basket abandonment can indicate for businesses

Basket abandonment doesn't just signify missed sales – it can also indicate other business aspects that need attention. These issues could include:

• Customer experience inadequacies
  A high rate of basket abandonment might hint at friction in the checkout process. Perhaps the steps are too cumbersome, the website loads slowly or mandatory account creation discourages potential buyers.

• Pricing discrepancies
  If customers consistently add items to their baskets but fail to finalise the purchase, it may be worth analysing whether the pricing is competitive. Hidden fees, high delivery charges or a perceived lack of value can deter customers from completing a purchase.

• Payment process bottlenecks
  A limited range of payment options, concerns about payment security or tedious payment input fields can act as deterrents. Businesses need to optimise for trust and convenience in this important step.

• Trustworthiness concerns
  The absence of trust signals, such as verifiable reviews, security badges or clear return policies, might instil doubt. Building trust is key during online shopping experiences, especially when potential buyers are indecisive.

• Lack of persuasive elements
  Elements such as scarcity indicators, clear value propositions or time-bound offers can sway decisions. Without these elements of persuasion, customers – especially new visitors – might hesitate to buy.

• Website performance issues
  Unexpected crashes, error messages or mobile incompatibility are immediate red flags for customers. They can cause basket abandonment and might also discourage customers from returning.

• Misaligned marketing messages
  If promotional content promises something that the site doesn't deliver, customers might feel misled and abandon their baskets. Consistency in messaging is key to maintaining trust throughout the buying journey.

• Product presentation flaws
  Insufficient product details, low-quality images or lack of product reviews can make customers hesitant. These elements play an important role in simulating an in-store experience online.

• Inventory issues
  Out-of-stock notifications after a product has been added to the basket can frustrate users. This highlights a need for better stock-prediction algorithms or real-time inventory tracking.

Basket abandonment is a diagnostic tool, presenting clear indicators of where to make strategic improvements. As businesses aspire to improve their operations, understanding these nuances is important.

Why basket abandonment is an important concern for businesses

Basket abandonment has major implications for business operations, marketing and finance:

• Direct revenue loss
  Each abandoned basket represents missed revenue. For businesses operating on fine margins, even a modest reduction in abandonment rates can translate into significant earnings.

• Inflated marketing costs
  Consider the resources spent to get a customer to the website: advertising budgets, SEO efforts, content marketing and more. When a basket is abandoned, the return on these investments diminishes, making customer acquisition more expensive.

• Missed opportunity for repeat business
  Completing a purchase is often the beginning of a relationship between the business and the customer. Abandoned baskets can mean missing out on future purchases and potential customer lifetime value.

• Inventory management challenges
  Abandoned baskets can skew inventory forecasting. Businesses might anticipate demand based on items added to baskets and allocate stock accordingly. Abandonments can lead to overestimations, resulting in unnecessary holding costs or even obsolescence.

• Feedback void
  Completed purchases often lead to customer reviews or feedback. Abandoned baskets leave a void in understanding customer preferences and areas for product or service improvements.

• Competitive disadvantage
  In competitive, global markets, customers have many choices. Persistent basket abandonment issues can provide competitors with an advantage, especially if they've streamlined their checkout processes or addressed the factors that are causing the abandonment.

• Negatively affected brand perception
  Regular abandonment might indicate larger customer experience issues. Over time, this can lead to a perception that the brand doesn't prioritise customer ease and satisfaction.

Addressing basket abandonment is not just about recouping lost sales, it's also about refining the broader shopping experience. Businesses can use customer feedback, even negative feedback such as basket abandonment, to improve operations and build a strong brand reputation.

How to reduce basket abandonment

Reducing basket abandonment is an ongoing challenge that requires strategic planning and careful, consistent execution. Below are recommended strategies that directly address the most common reasons why shoppers abandon their baskets:

Address unexpected costs

• Transparency is key: display all fees (including delivery charges and taxes) clearly and early on in the checkout process.

• Free delivery offers: consider providing free delivery to alleviate one of the biggest unexpected costs that deter customers.

• All-inclusive pricing: bundle costs together and offer a single, all-inclusive price.

Simplify the checkout process

• Reduce steps: minimise the number of steps needed to complete a purchase.

• Progress indicators: use a progress bar to show customers how far they've come and what's left in the checkout process.

• Auto-fill and easy corrections: make use of auto-fill options for information and allow customers to make easy corrections without restarting the process.

• Offer one-click checkout: one-click checkout is designed specifically to reduce basket abandonment. It's about as simple as a checkout can be.

Deal with mandatory account creation

• Guest checkout option: offer a guest checkout feature so that customers can make a purchase without creating an account.

• Quick account creation: if account creation is necessary, simplify the process.

• Post-purchase account creation: give customers the option to create an account once their purchase has been completed.

Expand payment options

• Diverse payment methods: incorporate various payment options, including digital wallets, multiple types of credit cards and buy now, pay later.

• Local currency: provide currency-conversion options for international customers.

• Payment plans: implement instalment payment options for higher-cost items.

Elevate security measures

• Visible trust signals: display any third-party security certifications and badges.

• Data encryption: use high-level encryption technologies for secure data transfer.

• Multi-factor authentication: offer two-step verification options for added security.

Optimise website performance

• Speed up loading times: optimise images and scripts to improve loading times.

• Regular testing: conduct regular performance checks to identify and fix any issues that could cause slowdowns or crashes.

Clarify return policies

• Accessible information: make your return policy easily accessible from the basket page.

• FAQ section: include a frequently asked questions section about returns and refunds to take a pre-emptive approach to addressing any concerns.

Manage stock effectively

• Real-time inventory updates: display real-time stock levels on product pages.

• Email notifications: allow customers to sign up for notifications to find out when out-of-stock items come back in.

• Alternative recommendations: suggest similar products when a desired item is out of stock.

For most businesses, minimising basket abandonment is complex but achievable.

How Stripe can help

Reducing basket abandonment is a top concern – and a deeply complex one – for businesses that are trying to refine their online sales processes. Stripe addresses this challenge through a variety of features which are designed to simplify and improve the customer checkout experience.

From one-click checkouts and mobile optimisation to supporting local payment methods, Stripe focuses on creating optimised checkout pages that work effortlessly for both businesses and their customers. Here's a brief overview of how Stripe does this:

• One-click checkout
  When a customer decides to make a purchase, they are often discouraged by lengthy checkout processes that require multiple steps. Link, Stripe's one-click checkout, mitigates this issue. Following an initial transaction, Stripe stores customer information securely, allowing them to check out in the future with a single click. This reduces the time commitment required from customers, encouraging them to finalise their transactions.

• Mobile optimisation
  With a significant percentage of online shopping now conducted via mobile devices, mobile optimisation is necessary. Stripe's mobile-ready capabilities make it simple for customers to complete transactions on the go. The interface is designed to be intuitive on smartphones, reducing the likelihood that a cumbersome mobile experience will lead to basket abandonment.

• Local payment methods
  Stripe supports more than 135 currencies and local payment methods, allowing businesses to cater to a broad range of customers. Offering familiar payment options can increase trust and encourage shoppers to complete their transactions, reducing the chances of basket abandonment.

• Fraud detection
  Customers are more likely to abandon their baskets if they encounter security warnings or other issues that make them doubt the safety of the transaction. Stripe employs advanced machine learning algorithms for fraud detection, making transactions more trustworthy and less likely to be abandoned.

• Dynamic payment flows
  Stripe's APIs allow businesses to create flexible, customised payment flows that suit the specific needs of their customer base. Customisation options, from splitting payments to offering subscription models, allow businesses to better meet customer expectations. When customers find that the payment process is tailored to their preferences, they are less likely to abandon their basket.

• Performance analytics
  Understanding why customers abandon baskets is half the battle. Stripe offers comprehensive analytics tools that provide insights into customer behaviour. By analysing this data, businesses can identify weak points in their checkout process and make any necessary adjustments.

Learn more about how Stripe facilitates the creation of highly customised checkout pages that are resistant to basket abandonment.