As the world of e-commerce has evolved in recent years, one of the problems that does not seem to have a definitive solution, however, concerns abandoned shopping carts by customers. According to some statistics on the rate of abandoned carts, many ecommerce businesses are plagued by what seems to be a and real plague. Perhaps this problem will never be completely solved, but it is good to try to follow some tips to reduce the phenomenon and increase conversion rates.

Abandoned shopping carts in 2016
The phenomenon of abandoned shopping carts is growing steadily and is of no small concern to the e-commerce world. An authoritative industry study conducted by Compass in 2016, showed that 25% of users abandon the cart before payment, while 70% left the site just after adding products to the cart. Very worrying data also because in ecommerce there is nothing more disheartening than seeing users not finalize their purchase after viewing products in a catalog.

A serious issue to be remedied to curb its negative impact, a problem to be solved with the right measures, new ideas and resources. In fact, we are talking about an average abandonment rate of about 68 percent, a percentage that is bound to grow without the appropriate counter measures.

Carts abandoned in 2018
With data updated to the second half of 2018, SaleCycle created an infographic to report on the remarketing situation in e-commerce. The document reported the cart abandonment rate on e-commerce sites both globally and concerning different industries.

The cart abandonment rate in 2H 2018 globally according to the data stands at 75.4 percent, while it is even noted that in the travel sector the rate rises to 81.8 percent.

It would seem that even the situation has worsened over the years. Obviously this cannot be affirmed as it would be to compare the two studies on abandoned trolleys by the two companies. What is certain, however, is that with each passing year the web audience becomes more discerning and educated about research and purchasing.

This is a very serious topic that must be countered with extreme competence, starting precisely from the knowledge of the causes that lead users to abandon the shopping cart without making a purchase. In this logic, the Customer Journey, which includes the entire process to conclude a purchase and the contact points of consumers with a specific brand, plays a decisive role. So, the Customer Journey, must be particularly efficient and well-structured to allow potential customers a linear and transparent procedure.

Carts abandoned in 2020
I have searched for many resources that have reported statistics regarding the percentage of cart abandonment rate in 2019, I found a couple of them but they do not cite sources and consequently it is useless to talk about it. If you have definite sources on this please comment on the article so we can update it. So how to estimate the % of shopping cart abandonment by users who do not complete purchases in ecommerce in 2020? I thought of analyzing the traffic of some ecommerce and will update this paragraph as soon as possible.

Abandoned shopping carts: why does it happen?
For the majority of ecommerces, the phenomenon of abandoned carts is mainly due to the following problems:

Low trust transmitted
The main reason why many online customers abandon shopping carts before conversion is attributable to a lack of trust. In fact, despite a sharply growing popularity of online shopping, several users are still unwilling to provide their personal data partly due to a lack of information about GDPR and data protection. The latter have no intention of providing data to Internet companies without being certain who will process it.

Lack of transparency
Lack of transparency is another reason that makes it easier for consumers to abandon shopping carts before purchasing. In this case, much depends on the fact that, in the course of the various stages related to the purchase, consumers discover additional or poorly understood charges, a factor that obviously annoys a lot and induces them to discontinue transactions.

Therefore, it is very important to be clear in the offer, in the price and in the components of the same such as taxes and shipping costs.

User Experience

Page loading speed, transparency, and compatibility with mobile electronic devices are crucial elements in optimizing the user experience. Elements that can have a major impact on the propensity to purchase and increase trust in a website. On average, about 7 percent of conversions are lost for each second of waiting time during the page loading phase.

Conditions of return
For all those who choose to make purchases online, the policies implemented in terms of returning goods are crucial. Consumers, before moving on to the final purchase of a product, look for precise information on how they can possibly return the product or exercise their right of withdrawal easily. That is why, a reputable site, must appropriately provide such information in a clear and transparent manner.

Payments and registration
With respect to payment methods, not guaranteeing users a high number of payment instruments greatly complicates purchase transactions

In addition, requiring users to register on the site with every purchase can cause nervousness because it immediately suggests an unnecessary expenditure of time.

Too many steps to go through

Many times what causes a shopping cart to be abandoned prematurely are the many steps to be taken before finalizing the purchase. Between pages to browse, pop-ups to close and other suggestions to reject, often the steps to finalize the purchase are long and tedious. Not to mention the data that must be entered into a form, you often find ecommerce that does not have a one-page process to give the user to finalize a purchase in seconds.

No advantage for the buyer
There are several users who are ready immediately to change e-commerce sites in the absence of coupons or clear initiatives that promise them specific benefits. With online shopping, people want to spend less and less, and discounts are important, as well as being a valuable aid in customer loyalty and turning a simple visit into a return and direct visit.

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