Ecommerce CRO: 15+ Proven Conversion Rate Optimization Tips

Did you know that a mere 1% increase in conversion rate can lead to 50% more revenue? 

Let’s say your store has a 2% conversion rate, with 10,000 visitors per month. This translates to 200 conversions. Given that your average order value is $50, this means you’re generating $10,000. 

Now, if you could increase your conversion rate to 3%, those same 10,000 visitors would yield 300 conversions. At $50 per conversion, your new revenue would be $15,000.

This small improvement can lead to massive business results. 

In the following lines, you will learn everything you need to know about conversion rate optimization (CRO), how to avoid common mistakes, and last but not least – you will leave with 15+ CRO best practices to boost your conversion rate by more than 1%.

Read on!
 

What is Ecommerce Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)?

Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) is the process of increasing the percentage of website visitors who complete a desired action, such as making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or filling out a contact form.

For eCommerce businesses, these desired actions may also include higher add-to-cart rates and lower cart abandonment rates. 

The process of optimizing your conversion rates involves: 

1. Understanding how users navigate your store
2. Identifying obstacles that prevent conversions
3. Implementing strategies to improve the entire buyer journey

How is Conversion Rate Calculated?

To calculate your conversion rate, divide the number of conversions (desired actions taken) by the total number of visitors, then multiply that by 100 to get a percentage.

 

What is a Good Ecommerce Conversion Rate?

While it’s hard to define “good,” according to Shopify, the average ecommerce conversion rate is between 2.5% and 3%. 

Furthermore, they found that the average conversion rate for Shopify stores is 1.4%. If your conversion rate is above 3.3%, you’re in the top 20 best-performing Shopify sites. 

Despite that, you shouldn’t consider 3% as your ultimate goal. As cliché as it may sound, the sky is the limit in business.
 

Common CRO Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

As a business owner, manager, or team lead, you want your store to generate more conversions immediately.

We get it. Revenue is the lifeblood of your business.

However, not spending enough time to build a solid CRO strategy will set up your project for failure. 

That said, here are some of the most common CRO mistakes that most eCommerce store owners make so you can successfully avoid them. 

1. Not setting clear goals and KPIs

Vague statements like “I want more conversions”  and “Let’s make sure fewer people abandon our cart” are no help to anyone. 

When you start building your CRO project, the most critical step is to ensure you and your team are all aligned on the KPIs/objectives/milestones you are pursuing. 

Furthermore, make the goals measurable. Turn those vague statements into precise objectives:

“Our goal is to increase our conversion rates by 2% compared to the same period last year.”  
 

2. Testing without roadmap

If revenue is the lifeblood of your business, A/B testing is the heartbeat of your CRO program. 

However, simply running a test for the sake of it won’t get you far.

You need a strategy to anticipate potential roadblocks. For instance, tests run during the holiday seasons are likely to yield unreliable results, as your target audience is vacationing.

That’s why it’s essential, when conducting preliminary research, to establish stages for your experiments, such as creating tests, performing QA, launching the tests, and waiting for results. 

And a CRO roadmap can help you track the timelines and progress of your experiments at each stage, ensuring reliable results.
 

3. Not tracking micro conversions

Purchases, book a demo, free trial signups – most companies focus solely on their macro conversion goals. 

But the truth is that a sale is a set of numerous other micro conversions – form fills, element visibility, scroll depth, clicks on CTAs, etc. The conversion rate optimization process requires you to adopt a holistic approach, streamlining the whole buyer journey. 

So, don’t forget to regularly look at the bigger picture. 
 

4. Pausing test before getting significant results

When we talk about conversion rates, the reality is that all included parties (CEO, directors, managers, etc.) expect and demand immediate results. 

Unfortunately, this may lead to stopping CRO tests before reaching statistical significance. 

It’s needless to say, optimizing pages based on sub-par data will not yield the results you are looking for. 

That’s why setting the right expectations from the beginning is essential. Based on the sample size, a good practice is to run the test for at least two weeks. 
 

5. Giving up on failed tests

If the variation you created did not outperform the original version, it is often considered a failed test. 

Wrong. 

A “failed” test provides numerous insights and learnings and is integral to CRO practice. So, persevere. There are no failed tests – only successes or learning opportunities.

Here are a few questions you should ask if the variation does not result in an uplift:

• Was the hypothesis incorrect? What was the expected result, and why was it unattainable?
• Why did the original version perform better?
• What did the test results reveal about your visitors?
• Is there any segment where an uplift was observed?
   

3 CRO Tools That Will Set You Up for Success

Here are a couple of tools that can help you avoid the most common CRO pitfalls and streamline your optimization process:

Heap

Used by more than 10,000 companies, Heap is an analytics platform that can help you understand customers’ end-to-end journeys, improve conversion and activation, increase retention, and deliver a great user experience.
 

Hotjar

Hotjar provides heatmaps, session recordings, and user feedback tools to help you understand how users interact with your site. This powerful software allows you to visualize user behavior, identify usability issues, and gather direct user feedback to enhance user experience and boost conversions.
 

Optimizely

Optimizely is an experimentation platform for A/B testing, multivariate testing, and personalization. It’s the perfect solution for running experiments, validating hypotheses, and personalizing user experiences based on real-world data.
 

16 Ecommerce Conversion Rate Optimizations to Apply in 2024

You know the most common CRO mistakes and have the toolset to identify and avoid them. 

Now, let’s get down to optimization and how to turn your visitors into paying customers. 
 

1. Make sure your website is user-friendly

Your business is your website. Hence, your most significant initial investment should be in building the most user-friendly web experience in the world. 

We know that the term “user-friendly” is used a lot when it comes to web design, so let’s be more specific:

• Eliminate unnecessary elements: Avoid clutter and focus on essential elements, making it easier for users to find what they need. Your visitors' user experience should be frictionless.
• Ensure clear visual hierarchy: Use size, color, and placement to indicate the importance of elements and effectively guide users' attention.
• Provide consistent navigation menus: Menus are easy to find and use, providing a straightforward path to important sections of the site.
• Inclusive Design: Ensures that the website is usable by people with disabilities, including features like alt text for images, proper contrast ratios, and keyboard navigability.
• Predictable Behavior: Elements behave in a consistent manner, reducing the learning curve for users.

Checking off all these things from your design list will give you a head start. 

Example of a minimalistic web design with clear visual hierarchy and predictable behavior
 

2. Optimize your store for mobile devices

61.95% of all web traffic comes from mobile devices. Needless to say, if you’re still ignoring your site’s mobile version, you need to handle it today. 

The good news is that most popular Content Management Systems (CMS), such as WordPress, Magento, and Shopify, offer mobile-friendly themes. So there isn’t much you need to do. 

Nevertheless, there are some must-haves when it comes to mobile design:

1. Simplify your content – Use larger fonts, concise text, and streamlined visuals.
2. Optimize page load speed – Compress your images, leverage browser caching, and minimize heavy scripts.
3. Offer easy-to-use navigation – Use a clean, simple layout for navigation on mobile devices. Implement easy-to-use menus and ensure all elements are touch-friendly.

Desktop vs mobile design
 

3. Ensure fast page load times

61% of customers will stop buying from a company if a competitor provides a better experience.

What we’re trying to say is that users can compromise outdated web design or sub-par mobile experience. But one thing they hate the most is waiting.

That’s why your pages must load in less than 3 seconds. Otherwise, your visitors will start bouncing one after another.

Why 3 seconds?

Well, we monitored 245,433 unique site visits, concluding that:

• Users who experienced a load time of 3 seconds or less visited 60% more pages.
• 50% more visitors drop off when a page loads in 3 seconds compared to 2 seconds.
• Visitors lose patience and disproportionally start to abandon a web page at 2.75s of the page load.

Use this checklist to optimize your site’s web performance:

• Leverage advanced caching
• Use content delivery network (CDN)
• Compress your images
• Serve your images in a next-gen format like WebP
• Eliminate render-blocking resources like CSS and JavaScript
• Subset your fonts
• Remove any redundant third-party plugins
• Lazy load of below-the-fold images, CSS, and JS
• Apply code compression and minification
• Generate critical CSS and remove unused CSS

Apply all of these optimizations with a single click. Install NitroPack today and speed up your store effortlessly →

4. Use high-quality images and videos

When shopping online, customers can't physically see, touch, or examine the product. The best thing you can do is to provide detailed images or videos to ensure they know exactly what they are purchasing.

Using high-quality images and videos on product pages helps users visualize the products better, thereby increasing their confidence in the purchase and improving conversion rates.

 

5. Let your customers know your store is secure

Building trust is crucial for converting visitors into customers on your ecommerce site. Here are a couple of strategies you can implement:

Provide information about your data protection policies, including SSL encryption and secure payment processing. Include a dedicated security page or FAQ section that details your commitment to safeguarding customer information.

Furthermore, place payment provider logos, SSL certificate, ISO certificates, and any other badges prominently on your homepage, product pages, and checkout pages.

Lastly, highlight positive reviews and testimonials to build credibility and trust. Use platforms like Trustpilot, Google Reviews, or on-site review sections to collect and display customer feedback.
 

6. Offer free shipping

62% of shoppers won’t buy from a retailer if it doesn’t offer free shipping.

But how can you make your customers happy while absorbing the costs of free shipping?

Here are 3 ways to do it:

1. Raise product prices marginally to cover shipping costs. Ensure that the price increase is small enough not to deter customers.
2. Implement a minimum purchase requirement for free shipping. This encourages customers to add more items to their cart to qualify for free shipping, increasing the average order value (AOV).
3. Limit free shipping to specific products or categories that have higher margins or are more likely to generate repeat business. 

Gymshark offer free shipping for purchases over $75
 

7. Give detailed product descriptions

Circling back to the fact that online users can see the product for themselves, giving them all the necessary information is key to their decision. And building upon the high-quality images, ensure that your product descriptions are as comprehensive as possible.

This means including information like tech specs, best features, and a money-back guarantee. Simply put, make sure your visitors have all the necessary details to purchase without hesitation. 

 

8. Personalize their experience

The main reason why eCommerce is a trillion-dollar industry is because it turns the time-consuming process of purchasing goods into a fast, convenient, one-click-away task. 

Believe it or not, you can elevate this experience for your users by offering personalization. 

In fact, 77% of consumers would choose, recommend, or pay more for a brand that provides a personalized service or experience. 

How can you achieve it?

There are myriad of ways and strategies, including:

• Purchase history: Use previous purchase data to suggest related products or remind customers of items they might need to reorder.
• Demographics: Personalize experiences based on demographics such as age, gender, and location.
• Emails: Use dynamic content in emails that changes based on user behavior and preferences. This can include personalized product recommendations, special offers, and abandoned cart reminders.

The good news is that with the surge of AI technology, many eCommerce tools can automate the whole process for you.

Source: About You
 

9. Let customers checkout as guests

If we had to set a single goal for all eCommerce conversion rate optimization strategies, it would be—eliminating friction. 

And one of the best ways to do it is to let customers check out as guests.

This approach minimizes friction in the purchasing process and caters to a broader range of customers, including those who may be hesitant to create an account.

The primary benefit of offering guest checkout is the reduction in cart abandonment rates. One of the main reasons customers abandon their carts is the requirement to create an account before completing a purchase. 

Stance offer guest checkout

Considering how critical checkouts are for an eCommerce business, don’t limit yourself to adding a simple “guest” option. Feel free to run tests and tweak your checkout process regularly.

A few improvements you should also consider are:

• Eliminate any redundant information
• Provide express or one-click checkout
• Implement a progress bar 

 

10. Run shopping cart abandonment campaigns

Users may abandon their shopping carts for millions of reasons:

• Unexpected shipping costs
• Complicated checkout processes
• The requirement to create an account
• Payment security concerns. 

Even if you’ve addressed all these objections, users may simply forget to complete their purchase. As an eCommerce owner, it is crucial to recognize that some users may require additional nudging to complete the checkout process, and in such cases, cart abandonment campaigns come into play.

Here’s what you need to consider when setting up a cart abandonment campaign:

1. Identify Abandoned Carts: Use your eCommerce platform’s analytics tools to track users who add items to their carts but do not complete the purchase.
    
2. Segment Your Audience: To send personalized messages, segment the users who have abandoned their carts based on factors such as cart value, items in the cart, and user behavior on the site. This allows for more personalized and effective messaging.
    
3. Create Compelling Email Content: Use attention-grabbing subject lines and highlight the items left in the cart with images and descriptions. Also, don’t forget to add compelling CTAs and you may also consider offering incentives such as discounts, free shipping, or special offers to encourage users to complete their purchase.
    
4. Timing and Frequency: Send the first email shortly after the cart is abandoned, typically within an hour. Follow up with additional emails if the user does not complete the purchase. A common strategy is a series of three emails: one an hour after abandonment, one 24 hours later, and a final reminder after 48 hours.
    
5. Personalization: Personalize the emails by addressing users by their name and referring to the specific items they left in their cart.
    
6. Retargeting Ads: Complement your email campaigns with retargeting ads. 
    
7. Monitor and Optimize: Track the performance of your cart abandonment campaigns using metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates. 
    

11. Provide chat support

There isn’t a better way to remove friction than addressing customers’ queries and concerns in real-time. That’s why integrating chat support is a must. 

When customers have immediate access to help, whether it's resolving issues during checkout or answering product-related questions, they are less likely to abandon their shopping carts due to unresolved doubts. This real-time support builds trust and confidence, making them feel valued and understood, ultimately increasing their likelihood of completing a purchase.

Moreover, chat support can significantly boost sales by enabling proactive engagement with customers. Support agents can suggest additional products or complementary items based on the customer's interests and cart contents, effectively upselling and cross-selling. 

This personalized interaction not only increases the average order value but also enhances customer satisfaction and retention. Additionally, chat support provides valuable insights into customer needs and pain points, which can be used to optimize website design, product offerings, and marketing strategies, further driving sales growth. 

 

12. Leverage customer reviews and testimonials

Even if you have the most CRO-optimized store in the world, prospects will never fully trust you if other people have never bought from you.

That’s why customer reviews and testimonials are so powerful. 

They provide social proof, showing potential buyers that others have purchased and been satisfied with your products. Highlighting positive reviews and testimonials on your product pages and throughout your website can enhance credibility and reassure customers about the quality and reliability of your offerings.

Leaving the conversion rate optimization part aside, customer reviews offer valuable insights into what your customers like and dislike about your products. This feedback can guide product improvements and inform your marketing strategies. That being said, ask your customers for feedback proactively, and don’t shy away from negative comments, as they can only level up your offering. 

Here’s how Loreta leverage customer reviews on their homepage

 

13. Have a great product return policy

Customers are more likely to make a purchase if they know they can return the product easily if it doesn’t meet their expectations. 

A clear, flexible, and customer-friendly return policy can reduce the perceived risk of buying online, leading to higher sales and improved customer satisfaction. Moreover, by offering hassle-free returns, you demonstrate confidence in your products and commitment to customer service, which can significantly enhance your brand's reputation.

Here’s how to build an effective return policy in four steps:

• Make it easy to understand
• Avoid complicated legal jargon
• Clearly outline the steps for returning a product
• Specify the return window, acceptable conditions for returns, and who bears the cost of return shipping.

Spiegen’s return policy
 

14. Capture customer emails

Collecting email addresses is the single best way to nurture relationships with potential and existing customers, driving repeat business and increasing sales. Email marketing allows you to deliver personalized content, promotions, and updates directly to your customers' inboxes, keeping your brand top-of-mind and encouraging ongoing interaction with your store.

To effectively capture emails, implement user-friendly and enticing sign-up forms on your website. Place these forms strategically on high-traffic pages, such as the homepage and product pages. To increase the subscription rate, offer incentives like discounts, exclusive content, or entry into a giveaway. 

Last but not least, ensure the sign-up process is straightforward and requires minimal information, reducing friction and increasing sign-up rates.

Once you have captured emails, segment your email list based on customer behavior, preferences, and demographics. This allows you to send targeted and relevant content that resonates with each segment, increasing the likelihood of engagement and conversions. 

böhme offers a special discount to everyone who provides their email address
 

15. Spell-check your copy

Nothing says “unprofessional” louder than having a typo on your pages. 

Spelling mistakes can undermine your credibility and create a negative impression, causing potential customers to question your business's reliability. Conversely, clear, error-free copy reflects attention to detail and a commitment to quality, which are essential for fostering customer confidence and encouraging purchases.

Implementing regular spell checks and always proofreading your content can help avoid these pitfalls. Most word-processing software and content management systems have built-in spell-check tools, but you should also consider using specialized tools like Grammarly or Hemingway for a more comprehensive review. 
 

16. Never stop testing

Conversion rate optimization is a never-ending process. The moment you hit your target, a new goal will appear on the horizon. 

The only way to keep your store on top of its game is through continuous testing. 

Testing ensures that your eCommerce site remains agile and responsive to changing user preferences and market trends. Furthermore, it allows you to adapt quickly, keep your site fresh, and continuously enhance the customer experience.

The two main methods for effective testing are A/B testing and multivariate testing, both of which provide invaluable insights into user behavior and preferences.
 

A/B Testing
A/B testing, or split testing, involves comparing two versions of a webpage or element to determine which one performs better. 

For instance, you might test two different headlines, call-to-action buttons, or layouts to see which one drives more conversions. By isolating and testing individual elements, you can make incremental improvements to your website based on real user data.
 

Multivariate Testing
Multivariate testing takes A/B testing a step further by testing multiple elements simultaneously to see how different combinations affect user behavior. This method is more complex but provides deeper insights into how various elements interact with each other. 

For example, you could test different combinations of headlines, images, and call-to-action buttons to identify the most effective overall design.
 

Automate CRO with Artificial Intelligence

Leveraging the power of artificial intelligence, you can easily cut the optimization list in half. 

Using the right AI-powered tools can help you automate tasks like page speed optimization, personalization, chat support, writing product descriptions, running emails, and proofreading.

Here are a couple of suggestions:
 

Navigation AI by NitroPack

Navigation AI is an AI-powered web optimization tool that enhances user experience by preloading pages users are likely to visit next. It uses Speculation Rules API in combination with predictive analytics to reduce page load times, leading to improved Core Web Vitals, higher engagement, and conversion rates.

Lyro AI Chatbot

Lyro AI Chatbot provides instant, 24/7 customer support through natural language processing (NLP). It continuously learns from interactions to enhance its responses, helping you improve customer service and manage queries efficiently.
 

Nosto

Nosto leverages AI to create personalized shopping experiences by analyzing real-time customer behavior and preferences. It offers targeted product recommendations, personalized content, and tailored marketing messages, enhancing user engagement.
 

Jasper

Jasper is an AI writing assistant that generates high-quality content, including product descriptions and marketing copy. It can help you maintain a consistent and persuasive online presence, improving your store’s SEO performance.
 

Klaviyo

Klaviyo uses AI to streamline marketing efforts through predictive analytics and customer segmentation. It optimizes email campaigns by determining the best send times, crafting personalized messages, enhancing customer engagement, and driving revenue.
 

Grammarly

Grammarly is an AI-powered writing assistant that helps ensure your content is clear, error-free, and engaging. It improves the quality of product descriptions, marketing materials, and customer communications, boosting your store’s credibility.

 

Ecommerce CRO FAQs

What are the most effective strategies for improving eCommerce conversion rates?

Improving eCommerce conversion rates involves strategies like A/B testing different website elements to see what performs best, using customer data for personalized shopping experiences, and simplifying the checkout process to reduce friction. Optimizing your site for mobile users, providing high-quality product images and videos, and displaying social proof through customer reviews and testimonials also play crucial roles in enhancing user engagement and boosting conversions.

How can I reduce shopping cart abandonment?

To reduce shopping cart abandonment, ensure transparent pricing with no hidden costs, simplify the checkout process by minimizing steps and required information, and build trust with security badges and clear return policies. Implement cart abandonment email campaigns to remind customers of their incomplete purchases and offer live chat support for real-time assistance to address any last-minute concerns.

What role does website speed play in conversion rate optimization?

Website speed significantly impacts user experience and conversion rates. Faster load times improve user satisfaction, reduce bounce rates, and enhance search engine rankings. Studies show that even a one-second delay can lead to a notable drop in conversions, emphasizing the need for optimizing site speed to keep visitors engaged and encourage purchases.

Is a 3% conversion rate good?

A 3% conversion rate is generally considered good in the eCommerce industry. The average eCommerce conversion rate typically ranges from 2% to 3%, meaning that a 3% conversion rate places you at or above the industry average.