Why Do Ecommerce Store Shoppers are Adding to Cart But Not Buying?

It’s every e-commerce store owner’s nightmare: customers are adding products to their carts, but when it comes time to checkout, they disappear. In fact, according to recent data, nearly 70-80% of shopping carts are abandoned before completing the purchase. This means that a large chunk of your sales potential is left untapped. 

In this article, we’ll delve into the common reasons behind cart abandonment and provide actionable solutions to help you convert those abandoned carts into completed purchases.

Psychology Behind Cart Abandonment

Cart abandonment is one of the biggest challenges facing e-commerce businesses today. Shoppers add items to their carts but often leave without completing the purchase. Thus, resulting in lost revenue and missed opportunities. 

So why does this happen? There are 3 reasons why: 

• Perceived Barriers: Shoppers may hesitate due to fear of overspending, buyer’s remorse, or decision fatigue at the final step.
• Emotional Disconnect: Lack of trust or urgency can cause interest to fade before checkout.
• FOMO and Urgency: Tactics like limited-time offers or “only a few left” alerts can reignite excitement and prompt action.

Understanding these triggers can help you create a more compelling and conversion-friendly checkout experience. Aligning your checkout design with shopper psychology increases the chances of turning interest into action.

Common Reasons Why Shoppers Abandon Their Carts

1) Unexpected Costs (Shipping, Taxes, etc.)

One of the top reasons for cart abandonment is unexpected costs during checkout. Shoppers often get frustrated when they add items to their cart, only to discover high shipping fees, taxes, or handling charges once they’ve entered the checkout process. These added costs can feel like a bait-and-switch, causing customers to bail.

2) Complicated Checkout Process

A complex checkout process can be a major deterrent. Long forms, forced account creations, and multiple steps can leave customers feeling overwhelmed. In fact,  22 to 44% of online shoppers abandon their carts due to a long or complicated checkout process.

3) Lack of Payment Options

Offering limited payment methods can also lead to cart abandonment. Some shoppers may prefer PayPal, Apple Pay, or other digital wallets over credit card payments. If your store doesn’t cater to their preferred method, they may abandon the cart without hesitation.

4) Site Performance Issues

Slow load times and website glitches are another significant barrier to completing a purchase. Shoppers expect websites to load quickly and function smoothly, especially during the checkout process. A delay of just a few seconds can cause frustration and lead to abandoned carts.

5) Security Concerns

Trust is a key factor when it comes to online shopping. If your website doesn’t look secure or doesn’t feature visible trust signals (like SSL certificates or trusted payment badges), customers may hesitate to enter their payment details. A lack of security reassurances can be enough to stop a sale in its tracks.

6) Price Comparison and Competitor Research

Shoppers often add items to their carts while comparing prices with competitors. If they find the same product at a lower price or better deal, they may abandon the cart in favor of a competitor’s store.

7) Distractions and Interruptions

Lastly, distractions from external factors like a phone call, an unexpected visitor, or even a sudden change in plans can cause shoppers to forget about their cart entirely. In fact, research shows that 46% of abandoned carts occur because customers get distracted before completing their purchase.

Proven Tips to Reduce Cart Abandonment

Now that we’ve identified why shoppers abandon carts, let’s take a look at some ways to address them and improve your conversion rates:

• Show all costs upfront to avoid surprises at checkout
• Simplify the checkout process with fewer steps and a guest checkout option
• Optimise for mobile to ensure a smooth experience on all devices
• Offer multiple payment options like credit cards, PayPal, and digital wallets
• Add trust signals such as security badges, reviews, and clear return policies
• Use cart abandonment emails to remind shoppers and offer incentives
• Create urgency with limited-time offers or low-stock alerts
• Use exit-intent popups to capture attention before users leave
• Enable save-for-later options to let shoppers return when ready
• Use retargeting ads to bring back visitors who left without buying

Regularly Track and Measure Your Store’s Performance

To effectively reduce cart abandonment, you need to consistently monitor how your store is performing. Start by tracking your cart abandonment rate. This will tell you the percentage of shoppers who add items to their cart but leave without purchasing. 

Tools like Google Analytics, Shopify Analytics, or Hotjar can show you exactly where users drop off in the funnel.

Next, set up conversion funnels in Google Analytics to visualise the customer journey and pinpoint friction points. Use event tracking to monitor clicks, form interactions, and errors during checkout. 

Regularly reviewing this data helps you make informed decisions, identify trends, and prioritise areas for improvement that can boost your overall conversion rate.

How Investing in Professional Web Design Reduces Cart Abandonment

Professional web design does more than make your store look good—it directly impacts your conversion rates by removing the friction points that cause shoppers to abandon their carts.

A professionally designed site ensures intuitive navigation, making it easy for users to find what they need without confusion. It delivers a streamlined checkout process that’s fast, mobile-friendly, and free of unnecessary distractions. 

In short, great web design improves the overall user experience, builds trust, and simplifies the path to turning more cart adders into buyers.

Conclusion

Cart abandonment is a significant issue for e-commerce businesses. But by understanding the underlying causes and implementing the right solutions, you can dramatically improve your conversion rates. 

Here at Chromatix, we understand that a well-designed website isn’t just about aesthetics but also a great user experience. Our web design agency in Melbourne specialises in creating custom, high-performance e-commerce websites designed to drive conversions and reduce cart abandonment.

If you’re looking to reduce cart abandonment and improve conversions, Chromatix is just a call away to help you create a website that delivers results.