You must have noticed by now that mobile digital payments are on the rise. This presents unique opportunity for eCommerce merchants to capitalize on the trend. It is important to note though that as this new sector continues to gain popularity, payment processing systems become even more complex. This is in a bid to fit into specific niches and also to put up with the ever changing consumer demands. Note too that between retailers, banks, consumers and credit card companies, the payments processing landscape casts a fine balance between the parties involved. Out of all these intricacies, one need stands out. It unites the objectives and goals of all stakeholders involved. It is the need to streamline online payments and checkouts.
It is really simple when you look at it on the surface. A more systematic and streamlined process translates to happy consumers, which in turn translates to happy and satisfied retailers. This creates yet another ripple effect reaching banks and credit card companies. In a nutshell, streamlining the payments process is simply smart business for all the parties involved. Here’s how to go about it.
Make Registration Easy
Do not force registrations. Remember that an easy checkout process is crucial to securing valuable conversions. Avoiding mandatory registration can go an extra mile to ensure that your streamlining needs are simplified. This does not have to mean that your membership rates have to go south. You can actually go for both sales and accounts registration. All the information users usually need to register for an account is in most cases readily collected during a transaction. With that in mind, make it a deliberate option during checkout to add password and create a user account.
Simplify Everything
Be as user friendly as possible. You can do this by ensuring your eCommerce site is navigable. The easiest way to go about this is to keep users on the site as opposed to redirecting them to a different gateway. This can be confusing, sometimes annoying and even alarming to cautious customers. Avoid pop ups too.
Keep It Concise And Clear
The last thing you want as an eCommerce merchant is a customer who needs to checkout but cannot figure out. To avoid this, give clear and easy to follow directions as well as calls to action at each stage of the checkout process. This will make it easy for the customer to follow the checkout process. Short and concise directions preferably in clean and bold font should do the trick. The objective here is not just to simplify things for the customer but also make him or her feel in control.
Email Receipts
The checkout process does not end as soon as the customer pays. It ends as soon as he or she received a receipt which should be shortly after the payment has been processed. Your system should automatically email a receipt. Then while at it, use the chance to either cross sell or upsell or even offer a coupon so as to encourage a fresh purchase the next time customer visits your ecommerce site.