You likely know you can already use AI to write product descriptions and create image and video content at scale. But after reading this blog, you can also add “boost checkout conversions” to the list. Wait, really?
It’s easy to assume that once a customer reaches the checkout, it’s entirely up to them whether they complete the purchase. But checkout conversion rates are crucial in ecommerce, and yes, there’s plenty you can do to improve them, even at the final step.
Artificial intelligence is the perfect partner for this. With its ability to analyze data and spot patterns that might go unnoticed by your human team, AI makes intelligent predictions to help nudge shoppers toward completing their purchases.
Keep reading to learn how to increase checkout conversion rates with practical, AI-powered checkout strategies that help you drive more sales.
What Is Checkout Conversion Rate?
Checkout conversion rate is an ecommerce metric that measures the percentage of users who complete a purchase after adding items to their cart. A high conversion rate indicates that shoppers find the AI checkout experience seamless and appealing, while a low rate may point to a checkout process with unnecessary friction.
Ecommerce conversion optimization is very important if you want to maximize revenue and reduce cart abandonment. Payment options, page load times, user experience, and many other factors play a big role in influencing this metric. With online shopping on the rise — set to account for over 97% of US-based internet users by 2029 — optimizing the checkout process becomes even more essential for ecommerce success.
How To Increase Initiated Checkout Conversion Rates: 16 Tactics To Try
If you have a conversion rate obsession, you’re in the right place. We’ve got 16 proven tactics to help more shoppers complete their online purchases — something for brands of every size.
Simplify the Checkout Process
No one wants to deal with a checkout process that’s long, confusing, or full of unnecessary steps. Common issues like too many form fields, unclear directions, or requiring customers to create an account can all complicate the experience.
By reducing steps and making everything clear, you create a faster, smoother checkout experience. This leaves customers with less time and fewer reasons to abandon their cart, helping you clench more sales.
Optimize the Mobile Experience
In 2024, most people are using their phones to shop. Over three-quarters of Americans say they’ve bought something using their smartphone. If your checkout process isn’t designed with mobile users in mind, you risk losing a significant portion of potential sales.
If you’re wondering how to increase mobile checkout conversion rates, keep in mind that your mobile checkout must be just as seamless as your desktop version. And don’t forget about tablets! While phones lead in usage, 28% of shoppers still turn to tablets for their purchases. Optimizing for all mobile devices ensures a smooth experience no matter how customers shop.
Offer Guest Checkout
The average consumer has accounts for everything, from social media to smart devices that manage their doorbells. So, it’s no surprise they might hesitate to create yet another account just to buy something from your online store.
While it’s important to build customer loyalty with those willing to “make it official” and create an account, don’t overlook the large number of shoppers who are looking for a quick, no-commitment transaction. Guest checkout streamlines the process, requiring only basic shipping and payment information. This makes the checkout process more appealing to impulse buyers, who spend nearly $800 annually on spontaneous purchases.
Plus, with the right AI-driven solution, you can still personalize the shopping experience for first-time visitors or anonymous shoppers to boost your conversion rates.
Enhance Payment Options
Imagine you’re shopping online for a new pair of shoes. You reach for your wallet, but then you remember — you can just use Apple Pay to complete your purchase.
This is a common scenario for many shoppers — especially Gen Z, who hold significant buying power and are more likely to use digital wallets and alternative payment methods. Needless to say, if your checkout process only accepts traditional card payments, it’s time to reconsider.
You should also consider incorporating buy now, pay later (BNPL) options like Affirm and Klarna. BNPL services allow customers to purchase items upfront and receive them immediately while paying off the total in monthly installments. This payment flexibility is appealing for both high-ticket items and purchases under $100, facilitating quicker checkouts and encouraging impulse buying.
Display Clear Shipping Information
Two-day delivery has completely changed how American shoppers expect shipping to work. These days, customers prefer fast shipping, free shipping, or both — though they’ll wait for products they truly want. That being said, unclear shipping policies are unacceptable, especially when they’re misleading on price. In fact, 54% of adults worldwide cite high delivery costs as one of their biggest frustrations in online shopping.
No matter the cost or delivery timeline, being transparent about shipping guidelines is essential for building customer trust and closing the sale. The last thing you want is to secure a purchase only to frustrate shoppers with unexpected delays or fees. So, keep your shipping policies clearly outlined, and you’ll see an improvement in checkout conversions.
Use Trust Signals
Ever wanted to buy something from a website but hesitated because you weren’t sure if the site was legitimate? Trust signals can provide reassurance that shoppers are dealing with a brand that prioritizes payment security.
Badges indicating that your brand is a BBB Accredited Business or a Google Trusted Store can go a long way in reassuring shoppers. If your business offers a money-back guarantee, clearly displaying this on your checkout page also serves as an effective trust signal, demonstrating your commitment to quality control.
Customer reviews on product pages also play a crucial role in building confidence. When shoppers see that others have purchased and loved your products, they feel more secure in completing their own purchases.
Implement Cart Abandonment Solutions
It’s a bummer when shoppers fill up their carts and then exit the page, seemingly never to return. Luckily, there are several effective, AI-driven strategies to help recover abandoned carts.
Retargeting ads can remind customers of the items they left behind, showing up on their social media feeds or other websites they visit. Sending “don’t forget” emails can gently nudge customers to revisit their abandoned carts. Finally, conversion rate pop-ups that trigger when a user attempts to exit the cart — like “Your item is selling fast! Are you sure you want to leave?” — can prompt them to reconsider.
Optimize Checkout Page Design
It may seem simple, but making small changes to your checkout page can really boost your conversion rates. A clean and easy-to-navigate layout helps customers focus and move smoothly through the purchasing process. Consider using AI tools to track how shoppers interact with your page and identify which design elements resonate with them, such as button placement and color choices.
Don’t forget to double-check that your checkout looks good and functions well on all devices, especially mobile. With a user- and mobile-friendly design, you can significantly reduce cart abandonment and improve overall conversion rates.
Provide Clear Calls to Action (CTAs)
Clear calls to action (CTAs) are crucial for guiding customers through the checkout process. Without effective CTAs, customers may feel lost and unsure about which step comes next, which can block their shopping progress.
CTAs should be concise, eye-catching, and placed in the right spots to guide customers toward buying. AI can help you pinpoint which words and designs work best by analyzing how people click on them. By A/B testing different CTA variations, you can find the ones that your customers are most likely to click on.
Enable Address Autofill
It may seem like a quick task, but manually entering and reentering a shipping address during checkout can quickly become a chore, especially when customers are in that “I’ve gotta have it” impulse shopping mindset.
Address autofill can significantly enhance the customer experience by simplifying data entry. This feature saves time and effort while also reducing frustration during the purchase process. With AI-powered technology, your system can accurately predict and auto-fill address fields based on users’ previous inputs, leading to fewer mistakes and faster transactions.
Offer Incentives
Everybody loves a discount. It’s hard to resist 10% off that item you’ve been eyeing or the appeal of free shipping, which influences 47% of shoppers in their online buying decisions. Sometimes, people might forget about their cart or decide they no longer want the item, but a well-timed incentive can reignite that excitement.
Offering discounts, free shipping, or extra loyalty points can effectively compel shoppers to take action and complete their purchases. Remember, incentives don’t have to be extravagant to make an impact. A small percentage off or a free gift with purchase can be just enough to encourage customers to finally buy your product.
Reduce Form Fields
Nobody wants to fill out a mile-long form. By reducing form fields and ensuring customers only provide essential information, you can streamline the checkout process and get them to the email confirmation page faster.
If you want to try this tactic, focus on gathering just the basics: your shopper’s contact details, shipping address, and payment information. Keep the form simple, and you’ll find that the entire checkout process is now much quicker and more user-friendly.
Optimize Load Times
Your website must be fast to appeal to customers, and your checkout page is no different. Slow loading times can discourage customers and lead to cart abandonment. According to independent research from Portent, websites that load in one second yield three times the conversions of a site that loads in five seconds.
To keep your checkout process efficient, regularly test and optimize your page speed. Consider compressing images, minimizing code, and using a content delivery network (CDN) to improve load times. In the race for faster loading, every half-second counts, and small improvements can yield big results for your checkout conversion rates.
Provide Live Chat Support
Live chat isn’t just for browsing your website — it can shine on your checkout page, too. Chat support can guide customers through their purchasing journey, answering questions about product options, addressing concerns about payment methods, or clarifying shipping details — all in real time.
Imagine a shopper who’s ready to check out but is unsure about a payment method or is having trouble filling out their shipping address. A quick chat can provide the assistance they need to resolve any issues on the spot.
You can also supplement your live chat support with artificial intelligence, as advancements in conversational AI have made it possible to automatically provide human-like interactions. With AI-powered chatbots, you can offer help at all times. When customers feel supported during the checkout process, they’re more likely to complete their purchases without second-guessing their decisions.
Ensure Accessibility
Making your checkout process accessible is essential for reaching a diverse range of customers and creating an inclusive shopping experience. A well-designed checkout page should follow accessibility guidelines, helping individuals with disabilities easily navigate and complete their purchases.
Features like keyboard navigation, screen reader compatibility, and adjustable font sizes ensure that no customer is left behind while also keeping your brand compliant with accessibility regulations. This focus on inclusivity can lead to increased conversions, a broader reach, and greater trust among customers.
Test and Analyze
Just like any part of your marketing and sales funnel, it’s important to track how well your checkout page is performing and analyze its specific results. Analytics tools provide valuable insights into customer behavior during the checkout process, helping you identify obstacles they may encounter and areas that need improvement.
Regularly testing and analyzing the checkout process helps optimize conversion rates over time. A/B testing different layouts, button designs, and promotional offers can identify what resonates most with your audience. Plus, looking at data in real time allows for quick adjustments based on user feedback and behavior. This ongoing process keeps the checkout experience fresh and engaging, leading to higher conversion rates.
How AI Is Transforming Ecommerce Checkout Conversion
Artificial intelligence isn’t just making life easier for marketers working on their checkout conversion rates. Machine learning is transforming the entire process and driving some major changes in how marketers use checkout features.
Personalization in the Checkout Process
AI brings a new level of personalization to the shopping experience by analyzing customer data and preferences. Online stores can use AI to suggest products, offer special deals, and make the checkout process easier for each customer. For example, if a shopper frequently buys from a specific brand, AI might show them similar products at checkout or give them a special discount to encourage them to complete their purchase.
This personal touch makes shopping more fun and increases the chances of conversion because customers feel like their specific needs are being met.
AI-Powered Checkout Flow Optimization
Do you find yourself evaluating your checkout process and wishing for a straightforward way to pinpoint bottlenecks? Look no further than AI. Machine learning algorithms can analyze user interaction data to identify the factors leading to cart abandonment and recommend areas for enhancement. This might involve streamlining form fields, cutting down the number of steps in the checkout AI process, or pre-filling information based on previous purchases.
As AI learns from user behavior, it can recommend changes that enhance usability, ensuring a smooth transition from cart to checkout. This encourages more checkouts and boosts customer satisfaction: two key ingredients for winning repeat business.
AI-Driven Fraud Detection
Ecommerce fraud poses a serious threat to businesses like yours. As fraudsters become increasingly sophisticated, spotting scams is more challenging than ever. Many people are falling victim to these tactics: in 2023, Americans lost $10 billion to online scams.
AI can make online shopping safer thanks to its advanced fraud detection capabilities. Machine learning models can analyze transaction patterns and spot potential fraud before it occurs. This proactive approach protects retailers and customers from losing money, so customers feel more comfortable buying things online.
Cart Abandonment Solutions Using AI
Ask any ecommerce business owner about their biggest challenges, and you’ll likely hear “cart abandonment.”
While it’s a common hurdle, AI can make it easier to tackle. For instance, you can set up automated recovery emails that trigger based on user behavior, gently reminding customers about their abandoned carts and offering incentives to encourage them to return. Personalizing these messages to reflect a shopper’s preferences can significantly boost recovery rates.
AI-driven retargeting strategies also play a key role by delivering customized ads across different platforms, reminding users of the products they left behind. These targeted efforts can help reengage potential buyers, increasing conversion chances and reducing overall abandonment rates.
AI-Enhanced Payment Options for Higher Conversions
The days of paying online with just one method are over. Move over, credit and debit cards — there’s a new class of payment options in town, and customers love using them. If you support these options and use AI to enhance their experience, you’re likely to see higher conversions.
So, how does AI fit into payment options? AI improves the process by integrating smart payment solutions that cater to customer preferences. From digital wallets to one-click payments, AI can analyze transaction data to recommend the best payment methods for different customer segments. Plus, AI can streamline transactions by predicting and pre-filling payment information, making the checkout process even smoother and encouraging repeat business.
The Impact of AI on Mobile Checkout Conversion
When was the last time you made a purchase on your phone? If you’re like one-third of Americans (and almost half of those in their 30s and 40s), you buy something weekly using your smartphone. These impressive statistics underscore the importance of optimizing the checkout experience for mobile users.
AI helps improve mobile checkout conversion rates by offering responsive design elements that fit smaller screens, making it easy for users to navigate. Features like voice recognition and mobile-friendly payment options simplify the checkout process, which appeals to shoppers on the go.
AI also looks at mobile user behavior to spot patterns and preferences, so businesses can create experiences that really resonate with their mobile customers. All of these capabilities come together to create a stellar AI checkout experience that is fast and easy, moving shoppers through the sales funnel in seconds.
Boost Your Conversion Rates With Bloomreach
Finding ways to improve your checkout conversion rates can be challenging, but it doesn’t have to be. AI can help you turn things around.
Bloomreach’s Loomi AI turns your customer data into a goldmine of insights. Whether you’re looking to streamline checkout, personalize recommendations, or simplify payment options, AI helps you understand customer behavior and identify roadblocks that prevent people from completing their purchases. With this intel, you can create an AI-powered checkout experience so smooth that customers will click “Buy Now” without a second thought.
Ready to start boosting your conversion rates with AI? Request a personalized demo today.
