05-03-2007, 09:09 AM
Quote:# Fine-Tune the Cart
The drop out rate in carts is phenomenal; more than anywhere else on the site, the wheels come off a conversion at the cart page. Point-of-sales assurances are critical. Here are some elements of a good cart: Speed, four or less steps to checkout; requiring the least amount of information possible; privacy assurances; indications showing shoppers where they are in the process and accurate inventory and shipping availability that lets customers know when they will receive an item.
One important note of advice: There should be no hidden charges. Nothing galls a customer more than expecting to pay a $9.99 shipping charge and then getting hit with an additional $5.95 "processing and handling" fee at the last minute. While customers might pay if they want the item badly enough, the chances that they will return are next to nil. There should be no surprises of any kind at the cart.
Effective shopping carts should allow for items to be bought as both personal and corporate gifts, and accessible at any time in the process. Don't forget to capture e-mail addresses and make it easy for the visitor to come back.
Finally, don't forget finesse; tact goes a long way. "Contact Me" labeling a button sounds much better to most people than "Submit." Handle mistakes in a polite and pleasant manner: "Perhaps we didn't get you zip code correctly" verses "You entered an invalid zip code."
full article: http://www.ecommerce-guide.com/solutions...hp/3675351