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5 Things That Turn Online Shoppers Off (+ Solutions)

Website Design

Ever since the pandemic, people across the globe have been doing most of their shopping online.  Seeing how more and more consumers are still buying online even after physical stores have reopened, we believe that this trend isn’t going away anytime soon.  

In fact, according to the PwC Global Consumer Insights Pulse Survey, compared to the time when the stores were still closed, more shoppers are buying online post-pandemic.  

Another survey, conducted by EY Consumer Future Index, showed that 43% of U.S. consumers shop more often online for items they would have previously bought in brick-and-mortar stores. And, 60% aren’t visiting physical stores as much they did before the pandemic.

Without a doubt, online shopping is on an upward trajectory. However, if you find yourself having a hard time getting visitors to check out their carts or you’re not selling as much as you expect to, this is a sign that you should start re-assessing your Miami web design and digital offerings to provide the best experience possible for your users.

One of the main reasons why shoppers are turned off when shopping online, which causes them to abandon their carts and switch to a competitor, is because you’re not addressing their online shopping pain points.  

In this article, we will share with you the top five major turn-offs consumers have when it comes to online shopping and what you should do to fix them.  

Without any more delays, let’s get started!

What Are the 5 Things That Turn Users Off When Shopping Online and How Can You Fix Them?

1. Long Check-out Process

shopping-online-quick-checkout

One of the top reasons why shoppers abandon their cart online is because of transactional inconveniences or complex processes, such as having to register as a buyer, entering lots of personal data, or technical errors.  

A study conducted by Klarna, Paypal’s Swedish rival, revealed that complicated or long processes, such as registering for a site, are more likely to cause a shopper to abandon their cart - especially if they’re shopping later in the day when they’re tired, commuting, or drinking.  

How to Fix This?

If possible, avoid asking for more information than necessary and streamline your checkout process into two steps. If a two-step checkout process isn’t something you can do, then offer additional incentives such as free shipping or a discount to motivate them to complete the process.  

Also, build your website in a way that stores customer information so users don’t have to reenter their details each time they want to buy something. Make registering for your site a one-time thing and have one-click payments in place to boost user experience and engagement.  

2. A Poorly Designed Website

Did you know that people are turned off by ugly websites? According to a 2017 study, 94% of users lose trust in a business that has a poorly designed website.  

As a small business owner, establishing your credibility and reputation can be a challenge, especially if you’re just starting.  But, investing in a professional Miami web design can make a huge difference in terms of making your business seem bigger than it is and in building customer confidence and trust.  

Another thing to remember is that having a website alone is not enough to convince users to do business with you. You also need to have a social presence. You want to make users feel and think that they’re part of a community whenever they purchase from you.  

How to Fix This?

Design-wise, it’s best to ask for expert advice on how to build a bespoke website for your business and target audience. A web designer will be able to translate what you want and what modern consumers expect from you into a beautiful and highly functional website.  

But, if you are keen on building your own website, here are the nine web design best practices to keep in mind:

  • Design your website with a goal in mind. What is your website for? Is it meant to educate your target audience? Is it for generating leads? Is it for sales and aftercare?
  • Keep it simple. Simplicity and smart use of white space are the keys to creating a professional-looking website. Simplicity exudes elegance and finesse, and you want users to have that impression when they see your site.  
  • Keep your navigation simple too. When it comes to navigation, users prefer them to be simple, intuitive, and consistent on every page. Don’t try to hide them or place them in a non-standard location.  
  • Use an F-shaped pattern reading. This is the most common way people scan content on a website.  
  • Use visual hierarchy to your advantage. It’s easier to read and understand the content if it has titles, uses bullets, has the right font size, and uses the right contrasting colors.  
  • Publish great content. A great website has both aesthetically pleasing design and epic content.  
  • Structure your website using a grid-based layout. This will help make your content look more organized, clean, and easy on the eyes.  
  • Speed up your page loading time. Nobody will wait for your page to load. If it takes longer than three seconds, they’ll bounce before you know it.  
  • Make it mobile-friendly. Many people access the web via mobile, so it’s important to use a responsive web design to make sure your page renders well across different devices.  

When it comes to social presence, it’s always a good idea to feature social proof, such as reviews, ratings, and recommendations, in your website, particularly at checkout to validate their decision of buying from you.  

3. Lack of Real-Time Service Support

customer-support-live-chat

Nothing is more frustrating than not being able to find what you’re particularly looking for in a site more so not receiving assistance when you need it.  

For example, if you offer a large assortment of products, users are likely to feel overwhelmed as they go through huge selections. As a result, they get so stressed out that they end up not choosing anything at all.

Make the process hassle-free by offering real-time service support. This can be in the form of live chat or chatbots. Alternatively, you could have an inbound call center through which your customers can get in touch with you for any support. 

How to Fix This?

By answering queries a customer might have about your products or services, or by offering suggestions, you make it simpler for them to narrow down their selection or even make a final purchase decision.  

Live chat or chatbots can effectively handle multiple queries during peak hours and during after-hours. It will help eliminate waiting time and increase customer satisfaction.  

Another way to elevate customer experience on your site is to add a product recommendation algorithm.  

This tool allows you to help users discover products they’ll love by making relevant product recommendations, like supplementary and complementary items, or even better deals than what they’re currently checking out. Not only will this speed up their search, but it can also increase their spending on your site.  

4. Complicated Site Navigations

According to a new study from Corra, 41.2% of online shoppers are turned off by a poorly designed navigation menu.  

While users are drawn to complex-looking sites, they are completely allergic to complicated site navigations. Imagine going to a website and clicking on a navigation menu, only to be bombarded with overwhelming options. Instead of quickly finding what you’re looking for, you only become frustrated trying to figure out how you’re going to locate the item you want to check out.  

A study by Forrester Research shows that about 50% of potential sales are lost because visitors cannot find what they’re searching for in a site.  

Always remember that the goal of your website isn’t to teach users new ways on how to navigate a site, but to help them get what they want when they need it and fast.

How to Fix This?

Your navigation menu should feel intuitive and it should only contain essential information. Use heat map tools to understand how users go about your site and to know how many clicks it takes them before they find the items they’re looking for.  

Get rid of any clutter that might distract users from getting to where they want to go. Try to reduce the number of clicks it takes them to find what they need.  

Users love it when you make it incredibly simple and convenient for them to complete a task.

5. Boring User Experience

omnichannel-customer-experience

The last online shopping turn-off you need to know about is a boring user experience. No one wants to continue navigating through a lifeless site or even return to one. It will leave nothing but frustration on users.  

Modern users have a short attention span - shorter than that of a goldfish. So, to keep them scrolling through your site and eventually convert, you need to constantly wow them with different elements on your page.

How to Fix This?

Create meaningful and highly relevant experiences that resonate with your target audience. You can do this by using technology to make online shopping more engaging and interactive, such as:

  • Virtual reality allows users to virtually experience and use your products first hand.  
  • Augmented reality allows users to interact with your products for a richer user experience.
  • The Gamification technique allows you to drive engagement and sales through games.  
  • Social shopping allows users to conveniently shop on social sites.  
  • Omnichannel shopping allow users to encounter a seamless shopping experience across different channels.

Looking for the Best Miami Web Design For Your Business?

Now that you know what the top five major turn-offs are when shopping online, make sure you improve your website to address these pain points.

At Digital Resource, we can help you create the best Miami web design for your business! Our award-winning team of web designers will help you build a site that will not only engage and delight users, but also help you achieve business goals.  

Contact us today for a free consultation!

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