Shopping Cart Test – Button Placement and Shipping Charge Explanations
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How site visitors voted:
VERSION A (67%)
VERSION B (33%)
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Actual Test Results:
18.87% more shoppers converted from viewing their cart to entering the checkout process with Version A than with Version B. That’s a nice fat bump, especially considering the fact that both test carts used clean, best-practice-based design. Maxymiser Onsite Marketing LTD used its own testing technology to perform these tests, among a series, for the Laura Ashley ecommerce site, which offers fashion and home furnishings to UK shoppers. The cart versions had only two major differences. Although both featured a generic line of text about shipping charges, the losing version spelled out costs a bit more specifically. The second change was, to our minds, the most exciting for other ecommerce sites to emulate because it involved buttons … and anything involving buttons usually gets a significant result. In this case, the losing panel had three buttons common to many carts around the world – “update shopping bag,” “continue shopping,” and “go to checkout.” For the winning panel, the “update shopping bag” functionality was moved away from the main button area of the screen, and changed into hotlinked text. So, although the functionality remained, the button was gone. For Laura Ashley fewer buttons = better conversion rate. A simple idea that’s definitely worth testing on other ecommerce sites. WhichTestWon.com is sponsored by: WiderFunnel Conversion Optimization, the A/B and multivariate testing firm that guarantees Conversion Rate Lift. Click here for info on improving your site’s results – risk free – today! |
I chose A because I didn’t like how the buttons were spread across the page on B and not packed together to the right. I felt the spread, not the amount of buttons is the effect that mattered to me. The spread works against the natural flow of the page. It forced me to scan left after I flowed naturally down and right. Once I scanned left, it made me think and hesitate.
In studying the two screens, I believed the three buttons came across as more overwhelming even though both had the same three “items.”
“Update shopping bag” isn’t one many of us use. I have used it, but not often. So that was the perfect item to take out of the button to make space less cluttered.
I like to know shipping costs early in the process, but the way it was laid out in the form was cluttery.
Got me on this one, my money was on people prefering to know the shipping costs. Gives me a new appreciation for the significance of buttons relative to other elements.
So why? I understand the results are better, but any notion why? Is there any way to understand the behavior verse infer from the data. Of course, the data is valuable, and in some sense the results are what matters. But again, would be helpful to understand the “Why” in something more than educated guesses after the fact.
Interesting, but how do we know what change prompted the increase. I see four differences – 1) removal of highlighting of help/contact info above cart details, 2) more descriptive shipping cost label, 3) change of “update cart” button to text link and 4) tighter grouping of remaining buttons. Simply from knowing which version won and what the changes were, my interpretation would have been that showing specifically how much more this purchase will cost considering shipping was dissuasive to potential buyers.
I debated the 3 vs 2 button effect and finally decided that the button separation effect (continue on the left; checkout on the right) would have more impact. I was wrong obviously – but I would be interested in a 3rd test that compares two versions of a 2 button layout. One separating the buttons left and right (isolating the Checkout) vs the design they with the buttons side by side.
It’s about time retailers start putting the customer rather than their pockets.
At the end of the day, retailers will make more sales by opening up their checkouts.
I work for the Book Depository and we have did the same when we re-launched our site back in February. Our sales have doubled since the change and with the added bonus of no registration and free delivery worldwide the whole checkout experience is brilliant for customers.
Econsultancy regularly use us as a bench mark site for good practice.
What do you think?
Just out of curiosity,
are the drop-out rates the same once they have reached checkout?
Im interested in finding out if spelling out the shipping charges pre-checkout makes a difference in confidence.
I think the buttons are only a small factor.
From the research I’ve undertaken in the past price breakdown is a key driver in conversion. I believe that price breakdown is the key differentiator here not the buttons.
My knee-jerk thought was that fewer buttons were less of a headache. Given the choice of go back or go on, I didn’t see any red flags.
But the third button added a step that confused me a bit. So…I have to refresh? Why don’t standard shipping charges come up (and adjust) when I add an item? Am I looking at an incomplete total unless I click that button?
I don’t know how many people think this way, but I’ve bought lots of things online without the slightest hassle, so as soon as something makes me feel uncertain — say, on a catalog site where I know competitors will have the same item — I close the window and head to another store. But I could be in a small minority.
I didn’t notice the buttons part. I chose B because I always prefer to have shipping charges disclosed in advance. When they are not given upfront, I fear that I will go through the entire ordering process and then find unacceptable shipping at the end.
I wonder how many people who saw version A then dropped out at the checkout stage when they saw the shipping costs. In other words it would be nice to see the same test run except using overall conversion to sale instead of conversion to basket.
Hi,
A message to Joe Leech – if course you are right about price – this is a big factor. However, button style, design, colour, wording, placement, size have a HUGE effect on conversion, particularly where the change works on ‘unconscious’ actions to proceed/add/checkout etc. I think if you did the testing, you’d discover these effects that I mention.