Enhanced checkout experiences are vital to the success or failure of an omnichannel strategy. For example, a Baymard Institute study reveals that nearly one out of five shoppers will abandon their online cart if the checkout process is too long or complicated.
Though consumers’ shopping behaviours vary depending on the touchpoint they engage, be it a kiosk in a shopping mall, a retail store, a connected device or a website, “the transaction moment exists everywhere,” Iakimets says.
To truly capitalize on these moments, retailers need to customize the checkout process so different convenience demands are addressed — while the overarching transaction experience that takes place across multiple channels, remains unified, he says.
Iakimets cites two key aspects of customized checkouts:
Consistency: No matter what platform they are interacting with, customers expect consistent shipping and delivery options, consistent payment methods, the same promotions online and in store, the option to sign up for a subscription in person or via a mobile shopping experience, and more.
Transition: When shoppers engage with more than one channel to complete or fulfill a transaction, it needs to feel seamless. Examples include, transitioning from an online platform to a brick-and-mortar scenario, with BOPIS or curbside pickup. Or the fairly new “scan and ship” option, where customers choose a product in store, then have it shipped to them later (ideal for large purchases or if a retailer doesn’t keep a lot of inventory on site).
With a modern, API-powered checkout solution, features can be personalized as needed for specific devices and channels while critical customer convenience elements can be implemented across the omnichannel ecosystem.
Iakimets says with this type of solution a retailer can ensure they fantuan database provide shoppers with customized checkout choices such as:
Same-day pickup, like BOPIS or curbside pickup.
Delivery, including options such as guaranteed delivery dates or shorter delivery timelines for paid shipping versus longer delivery timelines for free shipping.
Payment methods, including the option to pay cash in store for part of a purchase, while using a credit card to sign up for an ongoing subscription.
Seamless pricing adjustments for sales or promotions both online and in store.
Simple returns at a physical store of items purchased online.
Many of these options are only possible because a headless approach “allows a brand to have the same access to inventory, the same payment methods, the same shipping options, the same promotion engines, while creating completely different front end experiences,” explains Iakimets.
With such options in place, brands can refine the checkout experience in each channel to drive conversions. For example, adding a loyalty widget for desktop and tablet checkouts, but not on mobile devices where there is less screen space, he says. Or A/B testing to determine whether one-page checkout works better for a medium than a multi-page transaction.