What is the best # of Pages in the checkout process. It is obvious that the fewest number of pages is best. On the surface, when the developers created our site it appeared we had just 3 pages. However after some study we realized that most of our sales are gifts thus adding a page. Then with the "https" security information pop-up in between each page. This mean beside DATA input we have at least 10 clicks to checkout! This is not good. I have searched for examples or "studies" on this, but have not found anything. Suggestions?
Hi, I'm not sure how to shorten the clicks, but I wanted to mention that having an extra page for upselling is a great idea. I often buy when things are offered to me right before checking out completely.
I would say that less is better. Check out how some other sites do it. I know that Amazon is 3-5 clicks from store to confirmation. As 'Joy' said, having an extra page in there that attempts to sell the customer a related product or bargain deal is never a bad thing, just keep it simple.
Being thorough and having something that looks professional will always be best if you can keep it simple. I am developing a order script for a graphics company that makes banners and all sorts of other stuff. It is a pretty complicated order process but we're trying to simplify it as much as possible so that the user doesn't get tired of answering all the questions and just giving up. It is kind of like those quizzes online. I have yet to fill out a 100 question one, but I might do some fun 5-15 question ones.
thanks gang There has to be a study by someone by now? doesn't there? Any books people can recommend?
There certainly have been lots of studies on this sort of thing though I cannot point to a public output. The general consense is that less is better - the more you ask of the customer the more likely you are to get people to abandon their cart. For a previous employer (insurance company) they found that for each additional action required by the customer an additional 2% abandoned the process and so big gains were made by them by having preselected default answers for many of the questions however care also had to be taken that you didnt simply default everything to the most expensive option as this was found to cause "bad feeling" and web customers tend also to be much more price sensitive than others
Astaroth Thanks that statment alone, has made me open my checkbook. I know it can be done all on one page. Now I just have to do it. thanks.