HLT Posted February 11, 2003 Share Posted February 11, 2003 First rule of a successful online shop: Any more than 3 clicks from add to cart to checkout confirmation and you risk losing a huge number of customers. OSC for some reason now has upwards of 6 or 7 steps before you complete your order. This is treacherous. Even as the store owner I become exhausted with seeing another, and another, and yet another screen as Im just trying to check out and move on with my day. My completely uneducated, non-programmer, yet completely end-user viewpoint opinion is that we should consolidate these screens immensely. After adding to cart, user clicks to check out and needs to only be presented with 3 screens: 1. A screen to enter their card information, select their shipping method, and add any necessary shipping addresses (they can do this by clicking to go to another screen if they want). 2. A second screen confirming their order information, billing, and shipping all together and... 3. A final screen saying thanks for ordering. We did this on our store, and it actually increased our daily orders by at least 30% over the 6-7 screen process. Its online store logic 101 that there should not be more than 3 screens unless absolutely necessary. There shouldn't be any major problems with consolidating the billing and shipping modules onto a single page, one on top of the other. If anyone wants to see how we did it, you can place a fake order on our store without checking out. HLT PS... I love this store, so this is just a suggestion, don't get me wrong :) . www.hairlosstalk.com Consumer Hair Loss Information & Support Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harald Ponce de Leon Posted February 11, 2003 Share Posted February 11, 2003 OSC for some reason now has upwards of 6 or 7 steps before you complete your order. Lets count them! 1. Select shipping rate 2. Select payment method 3. Confirmation Page 4. Process/Success (is this really a step?) What are the missing steps? Combining steps 1 and 2 will be information overload for the customer - but it is possible (to meet own requirements). Then comes discount coupons/credit modules! Oh what joy ;) , osCommerce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mazza Posted February 11, 2003 Share Posted February 11, 2003 1. Select shipping rate2. Select payment method Arent these redundant ? In the current snapshot there are the edit-links, so if the systems suggestions do not please the customer then he can change them. And could the edit links have some sort of logic, so they would not appear if there are no options (ie. just one payment option or shipping option) ? I tried to change the checkout links in shopping cart and header, but this did not work. The page request took ages and then it started to download the checkout_confirmation.php. "Use no way as way, have no limitation as limitation." - Bruce Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harald Ponce de Leon Posted February 11, 2003 Share Posted February 11, 2003 Arent these redundant ? In the current snapshot there are the edit-links, so if the systems suggestions do not please the customer then he can change them. How much did that cost you to license 1-Click technology from your favourite online book store? :D , osCommerce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixel Posted February 11, 2003 Share Posted February 11, 2003 Hello Harald, The stages of my store checkout are: 1. Create Account - click continue 2. Success on creating account - click continue 3. Delivery Address - click continue 4. Payment information - click continue 5. Order confirmation - click continue 6. Secure form with my merchant provider - click continue 7. Add additional information to your order - click continue Is it possible to cut this down ? Is there an easy way to do this perhaps removing the payment option as I only have 1 method of paying and removing the success page would get this down to 5 stages. This store is up and running so they would have to be straight forward changes. I think that the best example of a registration type order process can be seen at www.dvd.co.uk They dont appear to be using an external processing service (which is always another step in the process for the majority of us) They have the billing address and delivery address details on one page. Perhaps an option box that says "Delivery address same as Billing address" if this option is not ticked it would take them to a delivery address page ? I hope this is constructive. Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HLT Posted February 12, 2003 Author Share Posted February 12, 2003 Combining steps 1 and 2 will be information overload for the customer It might depend on how you do the shipping module, but for us, the consolidated shipping and billing page is very simple to understand. Here's what we did: After you click checkout you get this first screen with... Both shipping and billing on it... http://www.hairlosstalk.com/Page1.gif Then a 2nd screen which summarizes the order... http://www.hairlosstalk.com/Page2.gif Then a courtesy 3rd page confirming the order http://www.hairlosstalk.com/Page3.gif I wouldn't be so adimant about this if I didn't literally see a 30% increase in sales when we reduced it from 6-7 pages to this 2 page setup. I guess it depends on your needs. By the way your store is phenomenal, don't get me wrong :) . www.hairlosstalk.com Consumer Hair Loss Information & Support Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emiliano Posted February 13, 2003 Share Posted February 13, 2003 hi.... great thing the checkout in hairloss... it?s compatible with the new checkout system? how yo do it? I believe that less step are a good way to increase sales as the customer has less time to think to buy or not to buy.. it?s a proved fact that people buy thing when the steps to do it are simple... sorry for my english... emiliano patagonia, argentina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agtlewis Posted February 13, 2003 Share Posted February 13, 2003 I agree there are too many steps. The less steps in the order process the lower the chances of a customer changing his/her mind. Hairloss do you have the source for the changes you have made? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 13, 2003 Share Posted February 13, 2003 Combining steps 1 and 2 will be information overload for the customer It might depend on how you do the shipping module, but for us, the consolidated shipping and billing page is very simple to understand. Here's what we did: After you click checkout you get this first screen with... Both shipping and billing on it... http://www.hairlosstalk.com/Page1.gif Then a 2nd screen which summarizes the order... http://www.hairlosstalk.com/Page2.gif Then a courtesy 3rd page confirming the order http://www.hairlosstalk.com/Page3.gif I wouldn't be so adimant about this if I didn't literally see a 30% increase in sales when we reduced it from 6-7 pages to this 2 page setup. I guess it depends on your needs. By the way your store is phenomenal, don't get me wrong :) Sounds interesting! ... could you pls share the code with all of us. Sunny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 13, 2003 Share Posted February 13, 2003 yeah code =) i think it looks nicer please share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaesan Posted February 13, 2003 Share Posted February 13, 2003 i think it's older version of os isn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rthrash Posted February 16, 2003 Share Posted February 16, 2003 This would make a great contribution if it works with the current checkout procedure. If this were to be combined with something that allows surfers to check out without being forced into creating an account, even better. Please share! Ryan Thrash Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emiliano Posted February 16, 2003 Share Posted February 16, 2003 there is a contribution call purchase without account.. just look for it!!! cheers emiliano patagonia, argentina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 16, 2003 Share Posted February 16, 2003 Arent these redundant ? In the current snapshot there are the edit-links, so if the systems suggestions do not please the customer then he can change them. How much did that cost you to license 1-Click technology from your favourite online book store? :D I know you mean this tongue in cheek, but I don't think everyone realizes how inapplicable the amazon patent is to most situations. For those who don't know... The Amazon patent is very from removed from what osC offers now. Reducing redundancy doesn't violate this patent in any way (unless you reduced it to the point the patent does, of course ;)) http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?...RS=PN/5,960,411 The patent describes it as a literal way to go around the whole "cart" model entirely. You do so by storing the customer's information, put a 1 click buy button on the product info page, if a customer hits that button, they've bought it, shazam. Sent an invoice, and ship it. I think you could do everything *almost* the same, except incorporate the cart (i.e., have a 2 click order proces s), and you still don't violate the patent due to it's wording. Until osc's process gets extremely streamlined, it's sort of pointless even considering the patent. It seems to be the fear of the patent which is causing a (sometimes silent) chilling effect in the development of efficient checkout processes, but it needn't be that way. It just doesn't apply. I believe it was, er, someone who once said that fear is an acronym for 'false evidence apparearing real', and that's exactly what's happening with this patent nonsense. Too much fear. Just read the patent given in the link above. There's nothing to fear, except long checkout processes themselves. Of course, it'd be cool to streamline things to the point where it COULD almost apply, and you had to authentically start worrying about it for real. That's be a fine day, indeed, with very little checkout process abandonment occuring. :) But for now, "fuhgget about it". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
valeriestw Posted February 19, 2003 Share Posted February 19, 2003 Hey, I'd also like to point out that it's really even more steps than that to purchase something, because y'all are only counting the steps once you've got an item in your cart. In reality, there are even *more* steps because just to get something in your cart, beginning from the home page, you have to (unless the item you want happens to be shown on the front page): 1. Click on the main category 2. Click on the sub-category (multiply this by the number of category levels they may have to go thru) 3. Click on the item 4. THEN click on the "in cart" button. A couple of ways to improve this would be: 1 - javascript menus that allow the user to go straight to the sub-category they want 2 - put an "in cart" button on the item when it first appears, rather than having to click on the item to get to the "in cart" button And, yes, I tried activating the "Buy Now" column - but all that does is send you to the same page clicking on the item image does. It doesn't put the item in your cart. Kind of annoying, if you ask me. Don't get me wrong - I love this program. But this is one area that definitely needs some attention. Valerie www.knownworldweb.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harald Ponce de Leon Posted February 19, 2003 Share Posted February 19, 2003 I believe it was, er, someone who once said that fear is an acronym for 'false evidence apparearing real', and that's exactly what's happening with this patent nonsense. Too much fear. Just read the patent given in the link above. There's nothing to fear, except long checkout processes themselves. Of course, it'd be cool to streamline things to the point where it COULD almost apply, and you had to authentically start worrying about it for real. That's be a fine day, indeed, with very little checkout process abandonment occuring. :) But for now, "fuhgget about it". You're right, it would be nice to have a flexible checkout procedure. I don't know what release such a thing would be targeted for, so if someone in the community wants to start, go ahead :) , osCommerce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burt Posted February 19, 2003 Share Posted February 19, 2003 And, yes, I tried activating the "Buy Now" column - but all that does is send you to the same page clicking on the item image does. It doesn't put the item in your cart. Kind of annoying, if you ask me. This happens only if there are options/attributes on the product. If the product has none, then it will be added directly to the cart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
valeriestw Posted February 19, 2003 Share Posted February 19, 2003 This happens only if there are options/attributes on the product. If the product has none, then it will be added directly to the cart. Ah! Important detail I didn't know (hey, I'm new). That helps considerably. Thanks! Valerie www.knownworldweb.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waza04 Posted February 19, 2003 Share Posted February 19, 2003 So HairLossTalk are you going to share the code?? Warren Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MickiCheers Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 Hey, Sorry, but I'd like to resurrect this discussion for all types of reasons. I've been lookign for a contribution that would allow me to streamline the checkout process. In addition to the OSC screens, my customer leaves my site to go to 2checkout to enter their credit card information causing the process to be even longer. Has anyone considered a contribution for this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MickiCheers Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 Accidental duplicate. Please remove. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 Its not a great help, but for new buyers i shortened the buy process a little. Instead of going to the New user/login screen it just goes direct to the sign up screen with the link at the top for existing buyers. It cuts out one screen for new buyers anyway! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MickiCheers Posted September 19, 2003 Share Posted September 19, 2003 welp, i installed the checkout without account contribution, so i don't force customers to open an account per se'. still a very long checkout process tho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvo Posted September 19, 2003 Share Posted September 19, 2003 What I don't understand, how come many shopping online in UK very profitable. ie Testo, they don't even let you add to cart there products unless you are registered and we little start up shopping cart should worry about how many steps to register or let customer buy without register and so on? For them to have not only a long register prosedure etc etc and the rest and make money, MUST BE A REASON... Don't you agree? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MickiCheers Posted September 19, 2003 Share Posted September 19, 2003 let me say that i have no knowledge of the UK's shopping trends, but if i had to guess, i'd have to say that the UK probably has market that is more comfortable with buying products online. there are a segment of american's that are very comfortable with online shopping, but others (take my mother for example) wouldn't dream of it. my concern is those people that have taken the plunge to attempt to purchase online, and then they find that its a difficult and slightly confusing process. i have to be reminded all the time that just because i live, eat, and sleep with my laptop, some people don't and therefore don't surf as efficiently as i do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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