e-Commerce websites need to convert!

Online retail websites need to ensure they follow usability guidelines to drive conversions and discourage shopping basket abandonment.
 This is according to the findings of a new study by GSI Commerce and YouGov, which found that more than three-quarters of consumers who had abandoned online shopping carts did so as a result of problems with the website in question.

 The top reasons given for abandoning a shopping cart included complex websites, long registration processes and drawn out payment procedures, according to the poll.

 "Retailers need to make sure that the steps to purchase are as simple and quick as possible, as well as including all the information that might affect the purchasing decision such as delivery options, inventory availability and product pictures," said GSI Commerce’s Steve Davis.

 The survey also revealed that free delivery can help to swing consumers’ decisions to buy a product from a particular retailer rather than another, while limited time promotions are likely to encourage shoppers to make impromptu purchases.

 About 3.87 per cent of click-throughs to UK e-commerce sites came from online webmail services, according to recent Hitwise statistics.