People are abandoning shopping carts more than ever in the past. This is apt a present tragedy of epic proportions. A upset needs to be done as soon as possible before things get out of hand and the United Nations intervenes.

Well, the problem is not that serious. I exaggerate a small for effect. There is a small problem here which needs attention by some website owners. But those webmasters who ignore this problem entirely may possibly suffer needless losses. Place up your sleeve the handkerchiefs and crying towels and focus on this new issue.

The ‘shopping carts’ in this post title refer to shopping carts on websites which sell various items. Shopping carts are convenient add-ons which most retail shopping webmasters use. When a customer sees a upset which appeals to them as a potential buy they often click on the item to house it in the shopping cart. The last thing the potential customer does before leaving the website is return to the shopping cart and pay for the items wanted.

According to this article in a recent issue of Website magazine, just people on the net are treating shopping carts differently than they have in the past. The actions trackers on whose data this article is based claim that more and more shoppers go through the process of choosing products, placing the products in shopping carts, but abandoning the products and the carts before the final buying steps. There were always some people who abandoned filled shopping carts. But according to the article the percentage of abandoners is increasing alarmingly. This boosted rate of abandonment threatens to ruin the holiday season for many internet retailers.

The cause of this increased abandonment is assumed to be comparison price shopping. People place items in shopping carts first, then go back and try to find better deals somewhere else. If they find the better deal, kiss that filled shopping cart goodby.

One of the major factors in price comparison is shipping costs. If the total cost, including shipping at website A is decrease than the total cost at websites B, C and D, A will get the business. That seems to be the lesson. There always were and are some buyers who are not price sensitive, so will buy what they want when they want it, even if they may possibly save some money by buying somewhere else. But the percentage of shoppers who fit this category is doubtless dropping because of the economic problems our nation is mired in. Thus more shopping cart abandonment.

The lesson for internet marketers is grim. Customers are apt increasingly price sensitive. They flit from here to there looking for the extra dollar off. The internet retailer who cannot compete on price with the rivals is in for a hard holiday season. I can attest from personal experience that this lesson has merit. Earlier on the evening in which I wrote this post we shopped for a household item on the net. We went to fantastic lengths to find the rock bottom price. In our case, we did not fill a shopping cart and abandon it. But that kind of situation is possible. We did not do it this time, but might next time.

If you are an internet retailer and can compete on price against your competition, you have a chance. I would suggest that you say or hint broadly that your price beats the competition’s price. Do not be shy. It appears that whether you acknowledge it or not, your customers know what the competition charges and is willing to do whatever it takes to find out.

If you cannot compete on price I would suggest you either try harder to compete on price or come up with very, very, very excellent reasons to give your potential buyers why they should pay you more. And I do mean very, very, very excellent reasons. With the ease of a few clicks your customers will find out alternatives to your offers. Give them a excellent reasons not to abandon you or your shopping cart. If you do not the tragedy will be at your expense.

Powered By WP Footer

Tags: retail shopping webmasters, ruin the holiday season, shopping cart, shopping cart abandonment