It’s happened to all of us. You go to the grocery store and about half down the first aisle you realize you got a lemon – the cart with the screeching bad wheel that won’t steer and reminds you why you hate to come to the store in the first place. The online shopping experience is basically that same scenario but this time if you provide a lemon – a poor shopping cart that customers can’t navigate, bogs down, or is annoying – they’re not embarrassed to just walk away and never make the purchase.
Shopping cart software is one of the essential tools in setting up an online site. After all what is the point of online shopping if you can’t just make your purchases this instant. If you hit upon an archaic site that requires you to mail in your payment, then you might as well get in your car and drive to the store where someone will let you accept your credit card.
So, yes, it’s important but it doesn’t mean you need every bell and whistle to keep your customers happy. You pay for the features you need. Depending on the scope of your catalog and customer base, you’ll want to go with a product that offers the best fit for your business. Shopping cart features can include payment options like credit cards, third-party payment (i.e. PayPal), or electronic check along with all the security measures needed to protect this info.
Customers also like features that keep them informed throughout the shopping process like seeing a side bar of the cart, screens that let them add or remove items, change quantities, or show similar products or add ons. In the same vein, they can provide ample opportunities for shoppers to confirm their buys to prevent “accidental” purchases.
The best shopping carts also can handle shipping questions and processes like computing costs, providing tracking number, and printing return labels.