When you’re shopping online, the shopping cart seems like such a secondary part of the process. The shopping was in comparing the products, getting the best price, reading the reviews. The shopping part of it was the big deal, right?
In fact, this isn’t really the case. The shopping cart is one of the primary places an online business does its most important work, and having the best shopping cart setup can be the difference between recurring sales and a customer who gives up out of complete frustration.
For the proprietor of an online business, a proper shopping cart is a primary tool of business, not a secondary one. A well-handled shopping cart can gather emails for a database, so that ongoing contact can be kept up with the customers who have already shopped; returning sales are one of the largest market segments for online businesspeople, so any system that helps generate them is important.
Another benefit of the checkout page is its use in tracking promotions and their value. Online coupon codes are a popular way to save money on an online purchase, and are entered in the shopping cart and checkout page. The page can track which codes are most frequently used, allowing the owner to determine which sales and which sources are generating the most client visits and purchases.
Proper checkout cart design is important as well. You do not want the customer to get lost on the way to the “submit payment” option. Too many pages to click through between “checkout” and actually submitting payment can frustrate a customer into reconsidering their entire order. In which case, you lose the sale, the contact information, and possibly some good word of mouth. A properly streamlined checkout page can carry a customer through in as little as one click.
1Shoppingcart.com is an example of a company that can design a solid shopping cart for your business. Such companies know how to determine their client’s needs and wishes, helping them keep ahead of the competition by putting in the best services in their shopping carts. Comparison features, promotion tracking, database signup; companies like this help streamline the process and reduce the headache of setting up a business’ checkout page and shopping cart, allowing them to get on with the selling and the marketing that make the money they need.