How to Turn Abandoned Shopping Carts into Successful Checkouts (and Commissions!)

Abandoned shopping carts are a common challenge in online sales. 

Someone visits a site, gets excited about a product, adds it to their cart, but then leaves without completing the purchase. Frustrating, right? 

For affiliates, this means missed opportunities and lower commissions.

The good news? You can do something about it. This post will break down why customers abandon their carts and share practical strategies to help you turn those missed sales into conversions. 

By addressing these issues, you’ll be able to help merchants make sales and also boost your own earnings.

Let’s explore how you can tackle abandoned carts and grow your affiliate income!

What is Cart Abandonment?

Cart abandonment happens when a customer adds items to their online shopping cart but leaves the site before completing the purchase. 

Abandoned shopping carts is like window shopping, only online, where potential buyers walk away at the last moment.

This is a widespread issue in eCommerce, with an average cart abandonment rate of 70.19% across industries. In some niches, like travel and fashion, the rates can climb even higher. That’s nearly seven out of ten shoppers leaving before buying!

For affiliates, this means fewer conversions and lost commission opportunities. Understanding why this happens is the first step toward solving the problem and ensuring more sales go through.

It’s important to figure out what’s causing the problem so you can fix it immediately. But with many possible causes, this is easier said than done. The best way to get to the bottom of it is to look at your website analytics using a tool like Google Analytics and see if you can identify any drop-off points:

If you identify any pages that a lot of customers seem to be exiting on, you might want to take a closer look at them to identify why this might be happening.

5 Common Reasons for Cart Abandonment

To tackle cart abandonment effectively, it’s essential to first understand why it happens. 

Abandoned shopping carts happen for a variety of reasons, ranging from unexpected costs to concerns about payment security. 

By identifying these common barriers, affiliates can focus on addressing them and guiding customers toward completing their purchases.

Let’s take a closer look at the five most frequent causes of cart abandonment.

1. Unexpected Costs

Hidden fees, high shipping charges, or surprise taxes at checkout are among the biggest reasons customers abandon their carts. 

When shoppers see a final price much higher than expected, they’re likely to rethink their purchase and walk away. Being transparent about costs upfront is crucial to keeping customers on board to avoid abandoned shopping carts.

2. Complicated Checkout Process

A lengthy, multi-step checkout process can frustrate customers, especially if it’s time-consuming or confusing. 

Shoppers want convenience. If completing a purchase feels like a chore, they’re more likely to abandon the cart and move on.

Checkout processes that involve additional steps (like mandatory account creation) can have a negative impact on your conversion rate. In fact, 24% of customers admitted they’d recently left an tienda en línea before making a purchase because it asked them to make an account:

3. Account Creation Requirements

Forcing customers to create an account before checking out often feels like an unnecessary hurdle. 

Many shoppers, especially those making one-time purchases, prefer guest checkout options to save time and effort.

4. Payment Security Concerns

Customers need to trust that their payment information is safe. If your checkout page looks unprofessional or lacks visible security badges, it can create doubts, leading shoppers to abandon their carts and look for safer options elsewhere.

5. Inadequate Customer Support

Shoppers often have questions or need help during the purchase process. If they can’t get answers, whether it’s about shipping, product details, or returns, they’re more likely to leave. Accessible, real-time support can make a huge difference in closing the sale.

6. The Customer is Not Yet Ready to Buy

Customers who are still “window shopping” may add products to their shopping carts, only to abandon them later. This is usually because they’re still in the research stage and simply aren’t ready to buy yet. They might want to compare their options by browsing other websites first, or they have to wait until they get paid before they can complete the purchases.

You can never entirely eliminate cart abandonment for these reasons. However, you can reduce it by re-targeting customers who have already visited your website, and continuing to nurture them until they’re ready to buy.

Affiliate Strategies to Reduce Cart Abandonment (and Increase Commissions!)

Affiliates play a vital role in addressing shopping cart abandonment by guiding shoppers through the purchase process. 

Here are actionable strategies to tackle the common reasons for cart abandonment discussed earlier:

1. Set Clear Expectations for Total Costs

One of the biggest turn-offs for shoppers is unexpected costs. Affiliates can:

• Explain Extra Costs Upfront: Include shipping fees, taxes, or any additional charges in your content to help buyers understand what to expect before reaching the checkout. Transparency builds trust.

• Use Content to Educate Shoppers: Create blog posts or videos explaining why certain fees exist and how they are calculated. This keeps shoppers informed and positions you as a reliable resource.

2. Highlight Stores with Streamlined Checkout Processes

A complicated checkout can drive buyers away, but affiliates can spotlight brands that prioritize convenience:

• Focus on Ease of Purchase: Promote stores with straightforward, user-friendly checkout processes. Highlight features like “one-click checkout” or “quick purchase.”

• Feature Guest Checkout Options: Shoppers value the ability to check out without registering. Make sure to mention if a brand offers guest checkout to attract convenience-focused buyers.

If you don’t already offer a guest checkout option, you can consider implementing one. This can help to simplify your checkout process and reduce your cart abandonment rate.

3. Emphasize Brands with Fast and Reliable Shipping

Shipping delays can deter buyers, but you can use this to your advantage:

• Promote Quick Shipping Options: Highlight brands offering expedited shipping. Phrases like “two-day delivery” or “fast shipping” can entice buyers to choose your recommendations.

• Create Content Around Shipping Speed: Write blog posts like “Top Stores with Lightning-Fast Delivery” to attract shoppers who prioritize quick turnarounds.

4. Reassure Buyers with Security and Trust Indicators

Concerns about payment security can derail purchases, but affiliates can help reassure shoppers:

• Showcase Security Features: Mention trusted payment methods (e.g., PayPal) and highlight stores with SSL certificates or secure checkout processes. Adding phrases like “safe and secure” can ease buyer concerns.

• Use Social Proof to Build Trust: Include customer reviews, ratings, or statistics like “trusted by thousands of shoppers.” Visuals such as trust badges can further enhance confidence.

5. Encourage Using Discount Codes, Limited-Time Offers, and Active Customer Support

Urgency and discounts are great motivators for hesitant buyers:

• Highlight Discounts for Immediate Purchases: Share exclusive discount codes or time-sensitive deals to create a sense of urgency.

• Promote the Benefit of “Locking in” the Price: Explain how shoppers can secure a lower price by acting now, which can help combat hesitation due to price comparisons.

• Have a strong customer support team: Ensure to always reply customer’s questions on time. Have a customer support team that is always available to attend to customers.

6. Set Up Emails for Abandoned Shopping Carts

A great way to solve the problem of customers not ready to buy is to set up abandoned shopping carts emails that automatically email customers and remind them to complete their purchases:

If you go down this route, you can also include tracking links in your abandoned cart emails using a link management tool such as Pretty Links. This can help you determine how well they’re performing.

By implementing these strategies, affiliates can reduce cart abandonment rates, boost conversions, and ultimately grow their commissions. 

Start applying these tips today to see the difference in your affiliate campaigns!

Conclusión

Abandoned shopping carts is a challenge, but it’s not an unsolvable one. 

By understanding why shoppers leave their carts behind and addressing those reasons with targeted strategies, affiliates can make a significant impact on conversions and their own earnings.

From setting clear expectations around costs to promoting secure checkout options and leveraging time-sensitive discounts, the solutions to abandoned shopping carts are straightforward and effective. 

By implementing these strategies, you can guide shoppers toward completing their purchases while establishing yourself as a trusted and valuable affiliate partner.

Start applying these tips today to see better conversion rates and higher commissions. Every small change can make a big difference!

Let us know if you have any questions and we will be happy to answer them in the comments section below. 

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