Solved: Low Conversion Rate Despite High Checkout Reach

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out! I'm happy to give you some initial thoughts and guidance on your store's conversion issues. I've had a good look at the info you've sent over, and yeah, it sounds like you've got a product and ad combo that's grabbing attention, but folks are dropping off right before the finish line. That's a tricky spot to be in, but definitely fixable.

We'll need to look at your current sales process...

First things first, don't panic! Seven days is hardly any time at all in the grand scheme of things. The fact that you've got people reaching the checkout with that ad spend suggests you're onto something promising. You've basically validated the product and ad, and now you need to work out what's causing the drop-off. A lot of people give up at this stage which is a shame because they've already done the most difficult bit!

I remember one eCommerce client who was in the subscription box niche. They had a load of people clicking their ads and browsing the site, even adding stuff to their cart, but hardly anyone was actually buying anything. They were close to giving up because they weren't seeing the revenue they wanted, but they knew that they were on to something because they were getting so much traffic.

The first thing we did was we looked at the analytics. We saw there was a massive drop-off on the checkout page. When we dug a little deeper, we saw that a lot of people had abandoned their cart instead of completing the checkout. The reasons were the long checkout process, they asked for too much details upfront, and the shipping costs weren't clear until the last step.

I'd say you need to streamline the checkout process, it's got to be as slick as possible, you know? How many pages is it? Are you asking for too much blurb upfront? People these days have the attention span of a goldfish, the more steps they have to take, the more likely they are to get bored and wander off. I remember another client I worked with had a five-page checkout and they were having similar problems. They changed it to one page, and conversions went through the roof. So, you need to make it dead simple.

I'd also focus on the checkout page. It needs to be clear, concise, and trustworthy. Use trust badges, display security certificates, and make sure your return policy is prominently displayed.

You probably should clarify your shipping costs...

Right, so, let's talk about shipping costs. Are they clear *before* people get to the checkout? Hidden fees are a right killer for conversions. No one likes surprises when they're about to spend their hard-earned cash. They will abandon cart and look elsewhere, even if your prices are slightly better!

One thing you could try is to add all the shipping and taxes to the product page. Be upfront about the costs. This will make your customers much more comfortable with spending money at your shop. A lot of folks actually prefer to see all the costs upfront, even if it means the initial price looks a bit higher. Transparency builds trust, and trust leads to sales, doesn't it?

Another idea is to offer free shipping over a certain amount. This can incentivise people to add more items to their cart to meet the threshold. I've seen this work wonders for other eCommerce businesses. For example, with the subscription box client I talked about, we implemented free shipping for orders over £50 and we noticed a sharp increase in average order value and also the amount of conversions that completed checkout.

Think about where you're shipping to as well. Are you charging a fortune to ship to certain areas? It might be worth looking at your shipping rates and seeing if you can get a better deal, or even offer free shipping to certain countries.

You'll need to address any trust issues...

With a new store, people don't know if you're legit. So, you have to work extra hard to build trust with them. First impressions count for a lot, so I'd make sure your website looks professional and trustworthy. Good product photos, clear product descriptions, and an easy-to-navigate website are all crucial. If your website doesn't look trustworthy, people won't feel comfortable giving you their money. It's as simple as that.

I've seen a lot of new stores using stock photos, but they just don't cut it. People want to see real photos of your products, ideally in use. If you're selling clothes, show them being worn by real people. If you're selling electronics, show them in action. The more authentic your photos are, the more trustworthy you'll seem.

And make sure you have plenty of customer reviews. Positive reviews are a powerful way to build trust. Ask your customers to leave reviews after they've made a purchase. You can even offer them a discount on their next order as an incentive. If you don't have any reviews yet, you can try reaching out to influencers or bloggers in your niche and asking them to review your products. This can be a great way to get some initial buzz and build trust.

We've seen many clients generate good results by putting trust badges on their website. E.g. if you're using a payment processor like PayPal or Stripe, display their logos prominently on your website. This will reassure people that their payment information is secure. You can also add trust badges from independent review sites like Trustpilot or Feefo. These badges show that you're committed to providing a good customer experience.

What about contact information? Do you have a clear and easy-to-find contact page? Are you displaying your phone number and email address? The easier it is for people to contact you, the more trustworthy you'll seem. A lot of people are wary of buying from websites where they can't find any contact information. It's probably worth adding a live chat feature to your website. This will allow people to ask questions in real-time and get instant answers. Live chat can be a great way to build trust and increase conversions.

I've detailed my main recommendations for you below:

These are just some initial thoughts, of course, without seeing the site, I can't give definitive advice. It's a bit like trying to diagnose a car problem over the phone. I know you're probably a bit overwhelmed right now, but trust me, you can definitely turn this around.

Running a successful eCommerce store is hard work, and it takes time to get everything right. Don't be afraid to experiment, try new things, and learn from your mistakes. And don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it. There are plenty of people out there who have been through this before and can offer valuable advice and guidance.

Sometimes, it's just easier to have an expert eye take a look at everything. Getting someone with experience in eCommerce and paid advertising to audit your website and ads can make a huge difference, especially when you're feeling stuck. A fresh perspective can often spot things you've missed.

We offer a free initial consultation where we review your strategy and account together, which is usually super helpful and gives potential clients a taste of the expertise they'll see going into their project if they decide to work with us. It might be worth considering, even if you just want a second opinion.

Regards, Team @ Lukas Holschuh