Definition:
The electronic shopping cart is a fundamental tool within e-commerce, allowing customers to select and store products virtually before proceeding to checkout. Commonly represented by a shopping cart icon, this software is an integral part of e-commerce platforms and facilitates the management of the purchasing process.
Electronic Shopping Cart Functionality
The cart acquires special importance within the last stage of the customer’s life cycle, which we call action,since it is the last step that the customer executes before finalizing the payment and acquiring the product. Among the main functions of the shopping cart are:
- Shopping list:in the shopping cart we can see the breakdown of the price of the products we have selected as well as the total sum of the price, so that we can modify our selection if we wish.
- Process the payment: once the customer has selected all the products he/she wishes to purchase, the online cart is the application that allows us to make the payment through the different methods supported by our e-commerce: PayPal, credit card, bank transfer, Redsys gateway, etc…
Cart Abandonment
Cart abandonment occurs when a consumer adds products to the cart but leaves the website without completing the purchase. This phenomenon is a common challenge for e-commerce and requires strategies to reduce it. A high cart abandonment rate can indicate problems such as poor user experience, unexpected costs or complications in the checkout process. Addressing these issues can improve conversion rate and customer satisfaction, increasing sales and customer loyalty.
Strategies to reduce cart abandonment
Reducing cart abandonment is one of the main tasks of CRO to improve conversion rates in e-commerce. Some effective strategies include:
- Cost transparency: Make sure all costs, including taxes and shipping costs, are clear from the beginning to avoid unpleasant surprises at checkout.
- Simplified payment process: Streamlines the payment process to make it quick and easy, reducing the number of steps required to complete the transaction.
- Offers and discounts: Implement special offers or discounts at checkout to encourage customers to complete their purchase.
- Abandoned cart reminders: Use automated emails to remind customers about the products they left in their cart, offering an incentive to complete the purchase.
Trends in shopping cart development
Shopping cart development is constantly evolving to improve the user experience and adapt to new technologies. Some current trends include:
- Mobile shopping carts: With the increase in mobile shopping, shopping carts are optimized to provide a seamless experience on smartphones and tablets.
- Artificial intelligence integration: AI is used to personalize the shopping experience, recommending products and offering real-time assistance.
- One-click payments: This feature allows customers to save their payment information for quick and easy future purchases.
- Omnichannel shopping experience: Shopping carts are being integrated across multiple channels, allowing customers to start a purchase on one device and finish it on another without interruption.