If you own an online store, the main (note – main, not the only) reason for your site to exist is to sell your products. In most, but not all, cases, the sales process goes through the so-called “Cart” page.
This is the page where users see everything they have chosen to purchase so far, can see (and remember) what they have taken, how much it cost, and what is the total amount (in amount and in quantity) of what they want.
The “Cart” page, of course, like all other pages, should have its own elements that determine its function. A page with a table that cannot be interacted with in any way is not a “Cart” page. The cart is a functional and necessary page for (almost) every online business.
The following are the elements that the “Cart” should have.
Meta information about products in the cart
Meta information is usually called secondary information. Such a group of data that provides additional information about already available information. For example, meta descriptions provide information to search engines and users searching in them about the page, describing in a shortened form the content of the page. Meta descriptions are important for search engines.
On the other hand, however, meta information on a given page, such as the “cart”, for example, provides information about other, more important information – the contents of the cart, that is, the products selected by the user.
Such meta information is – the name of the product, size, type (if available for selection), quantity, price, as well as images of the selected products.
Change or remove a product
It often happens, especially in larger online stores, that people add multiple products one after the other, but when they get to the cart, they realize that they have added too many products or products that they have already determined that they do not want, or that they have added the wrong size, color or other characteristic.
To make it easier for your customers, that is, so that they do not have to remove the product from the cart, search for it again on the site and add the correct quantity, color or other – make it easier for them by giving them the opportunity to change these factors in the cart. This will lead to fewer abandonments, since users will have control over what they want to remove at the place where you want it to happen – in the penultimate step of the sales process.
Shipping
It is important to also describe shipping as part of the final price, which is displayed on this page, and not just on the checkout page. Here you can also provide options for different types of shipping based on location, weight, time, and the selected courier service, depending on whether you have more than one option.
If there is an option for free shipping, for example, for orders over a certain amount, show this to your customers, so that if they are missing a relatively small amount of 10-15 leva to reach the free shipping, if nothing else, you make them think about buying something else from you.
Promo codes or coupons
If you offer this type of discount, this is the page where users must enter/add the code to their order to receive the discount. The field for entering promotional codes should be easily visible and close to the button for payment.
It is very important that when entering the code, its acceptance or rejection is clearly displayed, both in the same place where it is entered (above the input field), and that the discount is reflected in the price.
Payment methods
Show your customers how they could pay for the ordered goods. They should know, for example, whether they can pay upon delivery or in advance by bank transfer or through another similar payment service.
It is recommended that you use payment methods and payment types that people know and are used to, to avoid worries about whether they will receive their product and whether you are trying to deceive them. The partners you work with, especially when it comes to your users’ money, are of great importance.
Contact
If your site has a chat option, don’t remove it from this page. It’s also a good idea to include a link or other form of possible contact so that users can contact you if needed.
If someone contacts you on this page, it’s extremely important to respond promptly so you don’t lose the customer.
Button to finalize page
It is expected that if someone visits the “Cart” page, they intend to finalize the order. Accordingly, a button to the finalize page is necessary. It should be visible, and, of course, follow the colors of your site and brand.
Suggested products (optional)
It is not mandatory to offer other products on the “Cart” page, but, especially if you have a large set of offers, it is much better to do so.
There are a few main ways in which this happens.
- Randomly – you simply offer other products
- Category/similar products – you offer other products from the categories from which the user has already placed a product in the cart
- People who buy X also buy Y – the purpose of this type of offer is to show customers that a product they already have in their cart can be used better or more correctly together with another one that you also offer. For example, a phone charging cable or a laptop backpack with… you guessed it! a laptop.
