Have you tested cart abondonment rates for one page checkout against three page checkout on your store? Which is better?
Have you surveyed your customers to see which is better…less confusing?
As many of you know, I switched to CS-Cart from another shopping cart about three weeks ago. I loved the one-page checkout from the start and never even thought about disabling it. However, someone got stuck in my checkout the other day and I did a proactive chat with her. She said that it was “so confusing.” She had ordered just a couple of weeks before, using my old cart, and said, “It was SO SIMPLE.”
Ouch!
Another person got stuck in my checkout because he was entering the captcha code but the cart kept telling him that it was “incorrect or missing.” I proactive chatted him and told him to call his order in over the phone.
I’m interested to hear your views and experiences…
Hi,
I plan on using one page checkout. Not using cs-cart right now.
I have seen a lot of debate on this. Some people feel that a well constructed multi-page check out with clear navigation to tell people where they are in the process is better than a one page check out. Some people swear by th one page checkout and most carts are supplying this method.
I am still debating myself. What drew me to CS-CART is the ability for a customer to edit options from within the cart. I have products with up to 10 text fields for personalization.
It the product is added to the cart with incorrect spelling, the customer is out of luck and has to delete the product and start all over again. My biggest problem with the current cart.
With the one page checkout, the cart remains on the screen and the contents could be edited at any time to correct mistakes. I can’t tell if this is good or distracting.
On the multi-page checkout, I believe, the cart is not visible on each page and therefore any spelling or missing text can’t be corrected before submitting the order.
I am trying to figure out which method, one page or muti-page is best. Which is less confusing, but gives the customer an opportunity to correct mistakes at some point after adding the product to the cart.
Would like to hear from other cart owners.
I will probably use Captchas on email a friend and forms, but may not when ordering.
Bob
We have modified our checkout to a 2 page checkout. The first page, for customer information and the second for the payment method. We have also removed any distractions in the header, footer ect. We don’t have data on exactly how well it works, but it seems to work well.
A screen for the order confirmation/payment page
Looks pretty slick.
I’m assuming you did a lot of “modding” to this cart…
We need more votes
[quote name=‘keith’]We need more votes[/QUOTE]
Yep, we only have 16 votes…
I just switched today to the 3 page checkout.
This is after having multiple friends and famaily test the checkout process for me and tell me it is confusing.
I think the 1 page checkout needs a redesign.
Reviving an old thread because it’s an important topic. What can be more important than checking out? 
I started out with one-page checkout. However, I had customers who were unable to check out. It wasn’t just that it was confusing…sometimes all that ajax doesn’t quite work right in every browser on every system and they’d get stuck on a step and not be able to continue.
I am now using the multi-page checkout. I don’t like it, but at least people can check out. I would love to have that 2 page checkout.
EDIT: My least favorite part of the 3 page checkout is that the customer never sees their cart contents… only a subtotal. I can see a lot of people dropping out at the end because they want to double-check the order.
I agree with you, Ogia, that my customers will want to see their contents in their cart during checkout as well as probably receive an order completed page at the end. I will be launching with the multi-page checkout but I’m worried that people will not like it that they can’t see their order - just a total.
Stephanie
Installing 2.0.8
Currently using King-Cart for www.Products4Pets.com
I wasn’t happy with the default checkout so I made some changes to it.
If anyone is interested in how this works let me know and I’ll post the code.
Here is how my checkout works:
Like I said if anyone is interested just let me know,
Brandon
I am just trialling CS cart - so have no actual data, but I think the problem with the one page checkout is that it puts the onus on the customer to save at each section in order to move on. If these sections opened up automatically without the need to save at each stage then it would be more intuitively obvious.
You could argue I suppose that it is not a one page checkout at all, just a several page checkout without a full screen refresh.
I think the normal checkout is fine and I will be using that when my site launches
One thing that could be done would just change the word “save” to “continue”, that might make a little more since.
Personally I hate things that automatically continue. 9/10 times I have to go back and fix something which just ticks me off.
Brandon
I was happy with the one page checkout but my customer thought it was a little over whelming so now I use the 3 page checkout. I haven’t got any complaints since.
I really like the idea of the one-page checkout but it just doesn’t work for everyone.
CS-Cart’s multi-page checkout really is inferior to other carts I’ve tried. 1) There is no cart summary/order review. 2) I don’t like how there is one complete step where all the customer does is choose what type of payment they will use. This should be on the same page with the credit card info.
I am placing a high priority on fixing it and I’m wondering if twin892 is still following this thread… I’d love to get something like the IndigoAquatic.com checkout. I also love how it automatically brings up billing/shipping info for new customers rather than forcing them to click a ‘register’ link to get started. Smart thinking! I’m going to see if I can find someone to mod this for me.
[quote name=‘ogia’]I really like the idea of the one-page checkout but it just doesn’t work for everyone.
CS-Cart’s multi-page checkout really is inferior to other carts I’ve tried. 1) There is no cart summary/order review. 2) I don’t like how there is one complete step where all the customer does is choose what type of payment they will use. This should be on the same page with the credit card info.
I am placing a high priority on fixing it and I’m wondering if twin892 is still following this thread… I’d love to get something like the IndigoAquatic.com checkout. I also love how it automatically brings up billing/shipping info for new customers rather than forcing them to click a ‘register’ link to get started. Smart thinking! I’m going to see if I can find someone to mod this for me.[/QUOTE]
I agree that a 2 page checkout would be ideal, or re-design the one page.
2 page would be ideally be:
When the customer picks “Credit Card” the credit card entry area should appear.
We could keep a 3rd page, however I don’t think that the customer should have to enter any information on it, just review the order (with shopping cart contents) and hit the submit or checkout button.