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5 Reasons Customers Abandon Their Carts (and How to Fix Them)

Shopping cart abandonment is one of the biggest challenges for e-commerce businesses. According to Baymard Institute, the average cart abandonment rate is 69.99%, meaning nearly 7 out of 10 online shoppers leave without completing their purchase. Understanding why customers abandon their carts is the first step to improving your checkout experience and boosting conversions. Here are five common reasons—and actionable solutions to fix them.

1. Unexpected Costs at Checkout

Nothing drives customers away faster than surprise costs like shipping fees, taxes, or hidden charges. Research shows that 48% of shoppers abandon carts due to extra costs they weren’t expecting.

How to Fix It:

  • Be transparent about costs early in the shopping process.
  • Offer free shipping thresholds, e.g., "Free shipping on orders over $50."
  • Use a shipping calculator on product pages to give estimates upfront.

2. Complex Checkout Process

A long or confusing checkout process frustrates shoppers, causing them to give up. Studies reveal that 24% of cart abandonments occur because the checkout process is too complicated.

How to Fix It:

  • Simplify your checkout flow to as few steps as possible.
  • Enable guest checkout so customers don’t have to create an account.
  • Pre-fill fields for returning customers with saved information.

3. Lack of Preferred Payment Options

Not offering the payment methods your customers trust or prefer can cost you the sale. For example, 27% of European customers abandon carts if their preferred payment method isn’t available.

How to Fix It:

  • Offer a variety of payment options, including credit/debit cards, digital wallets (like PayPal or Apple Pay), and Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) services like Klarna.
  • Use a payment provider like Briqpay to integrate multiple options seamlessly for your market​.
"A frustrated online shopper viewing unexpected shipping costs.

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4. Concerns About Security

Customers are hesitant to complete transactions if they don’t trust your website. A lack of trust signals, like SSL certificates or secure payment options—can increase cart abandonment rates.

How to Fix It:

  • Display trust badges and security certifications at checkout.
  • Use HTTPS to secure your website.
  • Offer well-known payment options like PayPal to reassure customers.

5. Distractions or Lack of Intent

Sometimes, customers simply aren’t ready to buy. They may be comparison shopping, browsing for fun, or abandoning their cart due to distractions.

How to Fix It:

  • Use retargeting emails or ads to bring them back.
  • Offer limited-time discounts to create urgency, like "Save 10% if you complete your purchase in the next 24 hours."
  • Implement an exit-intent popup with a discount offer to capture their attention before they leave.

The Bottom Line

Shopping cart abandonment is a solvable problem. By addressing unexpected costs, simplifying checkout, and offering preferred payment options, you can turn more browsers into buyers. With tools like Briqpay, you can streamline the checkout experience and cater to localized payment preferences effortlessly.

Want to talk payments?

Book a meeting and let's talk about the future of payments. We will help you discover how you can leverage payments to maximize your checkout

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