You might read the title above and think, “Well, how much more modern could my business get than to have an eCommerce shopping cart in the first place?” You have a point, but you also have to keep in mind how fast the world of online shopping and eCommerce has changed. Only a few years ago, it would have sounded a bit silly to suggest that an eCommerce shopping cart would have to also be something that worked on a separate mobile platform, but that is just where we are today.
So, if you want to be certain that your eCommerce shopping cart is one of the most modern, it means you have to be sure it functions on standard Internet browsers but also on all of the other devices used for online shopping – tablets, phones, and so on.
Before you panic, take note that this is something that is very easy to achieve. On the other hand, while you can rely on mobile adaptive design to save time and money (O’Hara, 2013), the matter is not so simple as a few different “versions” to which a visitor is directed based on their operating software.
After all, even the most basic website builders allow you to checkout your “mobile” version while designing the standard Internet version, but they don’t address the issue of streamlined and integrated shopping carts.
Your eCommerce shopping cart has to be integrated? Again, don’t panic, because your cart can connect to a diversity of storefronts through a single backend system. Known as multichannel online retailing, it is an option that must not be overlooked.
The New World of Shopping
Just what does that mean? Let’s say that you have a standard online storefront. Let’s also say that you are wisely doing marketing through a landing or sales page as well as through some social media options. You craft a well-written blog or social media post about some product or line of products available, and this is displayed on your various walls and streams.
What happens when someone clicks the link? It is probably steering them away from the original site, and not a lot of shoppers are happy about this. In fact, many close the new window or leave the new destination – effectively killing the sale. If, however, you take the time to integrate your eCommerce shopping cart with social media, your customers never leave the original site and you still make the sale.
Beyond the New Basics
So, the newest basic features or functions of an eCommerce shopping cart include its ability to be clearly viewed and used on any sort of device and that it can be integrated across different channels such as social media or a regular storefront.
What else? Well, there is also the option of making their activity shareable. Consider that we live in the mobile and social media oriented world. That tells us that anything and everything we do, we might also want to share. To do that requires integration in every direction, and this leads to one word: multichannels.
If you look at multichannel retail leaders you see that they have already done most of the things suggested for success. They ensure that their sites are available on every possible device, that any version looks and works great, and that the shopping cart is not just a catch all but another element of the experience.
Experience the Shopping Cart
From the incorporation of “others who bought what you bought” element to the ability to share a purchase directly from the cart (with links to social media sites), the shopping cart can become a part of the overall experience.
Is your eCommerce site and cart an experience? Are they at least streamlined and easy to use? Follow these simple suggestions to be on your way to eCommerce success today.
Summary
An eCommerce shopping cart is not just an end of visit function. It should be integrated with multiple channels to enable optimal results, and even work in social media pages to prevent abandonment.
Source: O’Hara, Jim. Will Your Shopping Cart Roll to Where Your Customers Are? ECommerceTimes. 2013. http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/77844.html#sthash.mDoCcJlI.dpuf