The checkout page on your Magento eCommerce site is extremely important to your business and especially for your customers. Many users do not know the difference between the default Magento checkout and the Magento extension, OneStepCheckout. In this blog post I will explain the pros and cons and the effects it has on checkout conversions.
Default Magento Checkout
The Default Magento checkout page has a step-by-step process for the customer. Once they are finished with the first step, the second step will atomically load on the same page and so on until your transaction went through.
See Organic Pharmer for an example.
The Pros:
- Everything is located on one page and the customer doesn’t have to click through multiple pages to get to the end result.
- The checkout will be easy for customers who are experienced with online shopping.
- On the right-hand side of the page, it shows the customer’s progress so they know exactly what they are doing.
The Cons:
- Customers need to register for the site to follow through with their transaction. Some might not read the checkout instructions and will automatically type in their email address and password in the login area only to realize they can’t continue. This can be a set back that can lead to frustration causing them to leave.
- It’s a requirement to have a login and some customers prefer using guest checkout. Not a lot of customers want to take the time to register for a site.
- Non-tech-savvy customers might be confused on how to get to the next step. There’s a good chance they do not know where the buttons will lead.
OneStepCheckout
OneStepCheckout is a fully customizable Magento extension that simplifies the checkout experience for your customer. Similar to the default Magento checkout, it is also displayed on one page except; the user can see all the steps without clicking a button to continue.
See DC Shoes Australia for an example.
The Pros:
- It’s a faster and easier alternative. Having all the information up front can really speed up the transaction process. This can boost sales and lead to a smoother checkout.
- All the unnecessary fields and questions are removed for a better user experience.
- All content is displayed in an easy step-by-step guide without the confusion of what button to click.
The Cons:
- This extension is not free. OneStepCheckout has three different products to choose from: Standard, Professional, and Enterprise.
Check out OneStepCheckout.
Conclusion
At least 88% of online shoppers abandon their checkout each year resulting in losing a total of $18 billion dollars. Thinking about the overall design of the checkout can make a huge difference. A clean and easy to function checkout page can boost sales and can make new customers into recurring customers.
Here are some suggestions on how to improve sales and conversion rates:
- Include customer reviews for products that are about to be purchased.
- Provide easy to understand buttons that won’t confuse the user. 11% of users abandoned their cart because the process wasn’t user-friendly.
- Offer suggested items during a purchase.
- Save the customers’ cart history.
- Offer guest checkout. 14% of users leave because they do not want to create an account.
- Send a follow up email to customers who abandoned their cart. This could possibly bring them back to your site.
Every Magento store is different in their own way with many unique customers. As a business owner, you must choose what is best for your eCommerce store and think about how your sales will increase. Having a user-friendly checkout page can lead to less frustration meaning more repeating customers. Now that you know the difference between the default Magento checkout and the OneStepCheckout, you can decide what works for your customers and company.
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