The Perfect Mobile Checkout Flow: Expert Advice on Mobile Checkout Optimization

The Perfect Mobile Checkout Flow: Expert Advice on Mobile Checkout Optimization

Times of India has said that according to the study of App Annie Firm the user screen time in 2019 was 3.7 hours which has changed to 4.7 hours in 2021. In Fact the average user time in the year 2020 was about 4.5 hours a day.

So, one thing we got to know is that mobile traffic is increasing day by day. The businesses who are neglecting mobile traffic are at loss. Because as per Deloitte study people India has 750 million smartphone users which will increase to 1 Billion by 2026.

This article involves the best practices to follow and expert advice for you to follow, which will help you to boost mobile checkout conversion rates and app revenue.

Table of Content

Conversion Funnel Analysis
Adding to Cart
Shopping to Cart
Customer Checkout : Customer & Shipping Info
Customer Checkout : Payment Info
Customer Checkout : Order Review
Customer Checkout : Order Confirmation
How to Improve Mobile Checkout?

Conversion Funnel Analysis

Funnel analysis is very important for analyzing how you convert your customers, are you able to solve loopholes in the checkout process, is your conversion rate moving or not.

Being in the mobile market is not as easy as it seems to be. You should be aware of the problems your customers are facing or be able to solve as soon as possible.

You will have the answer to the following questions after funnel analysis:
- When people add products to cart , how many of them are able to checkout?
- What's the checkout process time ?
- How far do they go before dropping the product?
- How can you cure this leakage of sales?
- What's the path different customers use to get converted?
- What is the most effective way for conversion?
- How much can you spend for customer acquisition while attaining optimal ROI?
- Which channel customer has a higher average order value?

- Which marketing channel is the most effective for driving revenue?

After getting answers to above questions, you’ll be able to drive insights about your app conversion process, ratio and loopholes, Checkout UI, Marketing strategy Average order value and the most important revenue.

Adding to Cart

What mistake most marketers make is not moving around customer eyes after browsing for a product. Then and there if they chase the customer they get converted but if they sit quiet they lose the customer. Remember that if you sit quietly someone else will take your customer. Every single product has its alternative,and customers switch easily.

1. Instant Recall
Providing instant recall that they have something left in their cart and encourage them to make the purchase. The easiest way is to display no. of items count in the market and showing go to cart option.

2. Continuity Across Channels
You have to make sure users are able to add an item to their cart on the phone , it will automatically reflect in their web version too and if they have added an item to their account through web version so it should reflect in the mobile version too. If users have to sign in between the process for any device, give them a valid explanation.

3. Easy to Access & Exit
The app UI must have a cart icon on the screen. You can also create a mini cart option to show items in the cart, which will take them directly to the checkout process without changing screens or going to my cart

Shopping to Cart

It's your responsibility to make sure that once the customer is on the checkout process, you eliminate the things like notification or offer details anything like this which interrupt them while doing checkout. And along with that, take care of the things which a customer will require to make the checkout process complete.

Things to include in your shopping cart UI :

Product brief or detail description as per the product nature
Product image, name and other details
Easy and Visible navigation to remove, add quantity, save for later
Price breakage including total price offers, delivery charges, discounted price
Estimated delivery date
Engaging call to action, order checking, shipping stage, customer help, cancel, return , should be clearly present

1. Easy to Update
A regular update pissed off the customer. You have to design the cart in a manner which reflects updates instantly without updating or refreshing the cart. Users should be able to add or remove items in the cart, and it should reflect in their cart instantly. Don’t make users refresh or update the cart to check if it's added or removed.

2. Allow users to edit item details
Users should be able to change the size and color of the product in the cart itself. Don’t make them go back and choose a product again with the size and color they want and then they’re able to make a purchase. You can also mention a size chart for the users, so that they choose the right one for themselves.

3. Display savings for each item
Flipkart is the best in terms it shows every time you save on the order, which actually makes users realize that purchases they made are worth it. It also leaves a positive impact on conversation rates.

4. Save Later Option
The mobile-era has completely changed the shopping experience and has broken all the records. Some customers know what they want, they come, browse, select and make a purchase in minutes. Some customers love to explore, see the option and save it for later, so that they can book when they want. Save for later has an advantage: it gives you a point to start the communication with customers through emails, push notifications or other marketing channels.

Customer Checkout : Customer & Shipping Info

This is one of the crucial stages where it can make your deal or make customers leave. Here comes the work of a good UI. At this stage the customer has to ”Type” mind you ”Type” not click or scroll usually which frustrates people to fill out details. So make sure you’re asking only relevant details and also that they are enough for your customer database.

Now, the question arises where and how you can make it faster and easier for customers ?

1. Minimize Scrolling
Short page gives the user a sense of progressing through the checkout process. Use breadcrumbs to show your users how many they have to go further and also make it easy to go to the previous page.

2. Offer Guest Checkout
It's surprising that most of the ecommerce apps force users to sign in first and then they’re able to add items in their cart. As per the study 30% of mobile users leave their cart if they asked for all the details.

If an option given more than 50% of users choose for guest checkout. Sometimes users are already a registered user but forgot their credentials. They felt irritated to set the password again, so a guest session is also beneficial for the people who are your existing customers.

I do agree, complete login details have the benefit for your future purchases to offer personalized offers to customers, to send them push notifications and email, in this way you’d be able to cater the best user experience to your customer.

But, you’ll be missing out the most important goal, i.e., the revenue which is the bloodline of the business. As per the research company who offers guest checkout features have 13% higher revenue than those who don’t offer.

3. Required Field Labeling
Almost 75% mobile users experience required field issues, which actually frustrates the user. So, make sure to make a note or simply put an asterisk mark on the required field.

4. Be specific with error messages
It has been experienced many times that users fill all the fields but an error message comes up on the screen but it doesn’t clearly indicate where the error is, which is quite frustrating. A vague error can cause the user to cancel the order or to not move further. You should make the UI so clear that errors should clearly come on the field which is required to be fixed.

5. Automated Fields Completion
You can use earlier data used by customers to fill up name address, delivery date and fill up with the suggestions. If a customer needs to add other details , it must have the option to do so.
When you suggest in the field and the user chooses it saves user time and gives them hassle free experience and also minimizes the checkout time.

6. Automatically display the numerical keyboard
The app should have instant numerical keyboard integration for things like phone number and credit card details. Use regular text form fields instead of the dropdowns, to scroll through a long list. And if text is required in any specific format so it should be clearly displayed the guide to do it.

7. Default Select
Offer a one tap selection for “Same as billing address” or “Same as shipping address”, to save user time.

8. Easy to input text
You should make text input easy for users by including tab index HTML directive , which makes customers quickly move ahead of the form.

Customer Checkout : Payment Info

As per the research more than 40% cart abandon at this stage of checkout process. The reason is customers are afraid of entering payment information or they’re not able to find the payment method as per their suitability. You have to make it simple and safe for users by adding alternate options in the payment gateway. So, that user can use whatever he is comfortable with.

1. Offer multiple payment methods
It has been noted that when offered, users choose alternative payment methods like Paypal, Apple Pay, Paytm, Gpay, Amazon Pay are all simple and trusted ways for users to submit payments without entering credit/debit card details.

2. Automate payment details for logged in users
Manually entering each detail again and again can give customers a chance to rethink their purchase. It happens with around 50% of people who tend to make a purchase but then they cancel at the payment stage. So make it one-click ordering and save payment method give them suggestions of last used also the option to choose another. It will help customer from stopping or canceling the transactions.

3. Keep the coupon code form closed or minimized
It has been noted that one fourth of the customers leave from the checkout process to look for a coupon. To solve this problem, you can use a deep link in your push notifications to automatically apply a coupon code which is valid as per the cart value, or product or payment method off. For instance 10% off on all electronics or 10% of axis bank cards or any other bank cards.

4. Skip security badges
Some marketers think that adding security badges to payment methods will give customers a sense of security but in reality it's not. In fact it clutters the checkout flow of your app. So instead of adding badges add verified payment methods for a smooth and safe checkout process.

Customer Checkout : Order Review

Just about to reach the end, you have to provide a clear path to conversion for the user and things to taken care of :

1. Keep necessary details above the interface
Make sure that users don’t have to search the whole page again for the charges summary. Users must have access to charges or order summaries and shipping details at the bottom of the checkout page.

2. Use color sparingly
Always use a colored button for making purchases, adding to cart or buy now. Back and any other buttons should be smaller and of neutral color. Offer minimal and relevant options to complete the checkout process.

Customer Checkout : Order Confirmation

Why do I have to do that even after a purchase? Does this question hit you in your head?

Let me clear it for you, making just an order doesn’t make them your potential customer or only one order can not get revenue you’ve aimed for. To make your user come to you again and make purchases. You have to give them after-sale services as well, such as, delivery update of their order, appreciate them for their choice, suggest them some offer, give them an offer for future purchase.

Also, make sure you display order confirmation summary instantly. Give them updates over mail and push notifications as well. And don’t forget to display the note where we can track and check their order in their account. Flipkart and Amazon are the two players in the market who do it so well.

How to Improve Mobile Checkout?

Use funnel analysis to drive insights about your app conversion process, ratio and loopholes, Checkout UI, Marketing strategy Average order value and the most important revenue.
Keep nurturing your potential customers and study their browsing and buying behavior
Use discounting and promotion marketing methods to drive more revenue
Add deep links to your push notifications to automatically apply a coupon code which is valid as per the cart value, or product or payment method of
Highlight mobile app screens for the important details like delivery details
Display a confirmation page of order with order summary including price breakage