It is estimated that Woocommerce facilitated over $20 billion in sales in 2020 – a remarkable feat for any platform.
Despite this success, many of its users are still not making the most out of their Woocommerce shopping carts.
To help enhance change this, we will explore 11 strategies to maximize the potential of your Woocommerce store and ensure it continues to grow its customer base.
It doesn’t matter how good your store looks; if the cart is crappy, it will be a tall order to convert traffic into sales.
1. Implement Cart Abandonment Reminders
Based on the data, the average cart abandonment rate of 69.99%.
That means roughly seven out of every 10 shoppers won’t complete their transaction—a number many e-commerce store owners find troubling.
Luckily, there are ways to combat it.
One of the most effective strategies is using automated cart abandonment reminders.
These reminders can be sent through email or text message, giving customers a helpful nudge to complete their purchase.
The timing of these reminders is key; some customers may have simply been distracted when they left the site and need an incentive to return.
Automated cart abandonment reminders can be scheduled for an hour after the customer leaves or even several days later, giving them plenty of time to consider their purchase without feeling rushed.
You can include incentives like discounts or free shipping in your reminders, making it easier for customers to justify completing their purchase.
Here’s a sample:
Subject line: Don’t forget your items! Here’s a 10% discount
Hi [Customer Name],
We noticed that you left some items in your cart, and we wanted to remind you about them before they’re gone for good. We know how busy life can get, so we wanted to make sure you don’t miss out on the items you wanted.
As a thank you for considering our products, we’d like to offer you a 10% discount on your entire purchase when you return to your cart and complete your order. Use code: 10%FORME.
This discount is valid for the next 48 hours, so don’t wait too long!
Here are the items you left in your cart:
[Insert item names and images]
Remember, these items are in high demand and may sell out quickly. So, if you’re still interested, we suggest completing your purchase as soon as possible.
If you have any questions or need help with your order, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our customer support team.
Thanks for considering our products, and we hope to see you soon!
Best,
[Your Company]
2. Highlight Promotions and Discounts
Customers love feeling like they are getting a better deal, so offering discounts can be a powerful incentive for them to buy.
As such, you should introduce short-term discounts and long-term loyalty programs to make the most of promotional strategies.
Offering limited-time deals can really spark interest in customers who may not have been planning on buying anything but seeing the discount will change their mind.
Loyalty rewards on the other hand can motivate customers to keep coming back as they accumulate points or other benefits over time with each new purchase.
For ease, use email marketing campaigns to highlight special promotions or discounts that you may be offering, as well as send out coupons or voucher codes that customers can redeem at checkout for even more savings.
And the email doesn’t have to be complicated. Check this sample:
Subject line: Don’t Miss Out: Limited Time Offer
Hi [Customer Name],
We wanted to remind you of our limited time offer on [Product/Service]. For the next 24 hours, you can get [Discount Percentage/Amount] off your purchase.
Our [Product/Service] is perfect for [briefly describe the benefits or features of the product/service]. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to [briefly describe what the discount allows the customer to do or achieve].
To take advantage of this offer, simply use the promo code [Promo Code] at checkout. But hurry – this offer expires in just 24 hours.
If you have any questions or need help with your purchase, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our customer support team.
Thanks for being a valued customer and we hope to see you soon!
Best,
[Your Company]
3. Feature Product Recommendations
Product recommendations can be an extremely powerful tool to increase customer satisfaction and sales.
Here, customers are presented with additional items that may interest them based on their current shopping cart.
This helps to save time and energy as customers do not need to search through the store’s entire inventory to find something they might like.
Personalized recommendations also encourage customers to purchase more than they originally intended, increasing profits for the business.
And makes it easier for you to upsell products or services related to what is already in the customer’s cart.
For example, if a customer is purchasing a laptop, they could also be presented with a carrying case or other accessories that would go along with it.
You can use it to cross-sell different products or services.
For example, if a customer is purchasing a laptop, they can also be presented with a subscription to an online backup service.
How can you implement this on WooCommerce?
One way is to use the “Related Products” feature in WooCommerce.
This allows you to display products that are related to the product a customer is viewing.
Another option is to use the “Product Recommendations” plugin, which allows you to create personalized recommendations for customers based on their past purchases.
You can also use “Product Bundles” to upsell customers on related items they may be interested in.
4. Enable One-Click Checkout
One-click checkout is a great way to make purchasing easier and more convenient for customers.
This simple fix reduces the steps required for shoppers to complete their purchase and eliminates the need to input billing information each time they shop.
And helps reduce cart abandonment, as customers don’t have to reenter their payment details as often.
Not to mention, your store save money through decreased customer support costs since fewer customers will be calling in with issues about checkout.
To enable one-click checkout on your Woocommerce store, you’ll need an external payment gateway such as PayPal or Stripe which supports this feature.
Once enabled, customers can simply click a button at check out to quickly complete their purchase without having to enter any additional data.
5. Implement a Referral Program
Referred customers have a 37% higher retention rate compared to other customers gained through other marketing channels. (Ross)
A referral program can help build brand recognition, generate more sales, and improve customer satisfaction.
As such, having one can help encourage customers who have had a positive experience with your store to share it with their friends.
But before it works, you must create one first.
When setting up, ensure the rewards are attractive enough to incentivize customers to refer others.
Offer discounts or free gifts that will give shoppers something they want in return for referring your store or products.
You should also consider offering bonuses for each successful referral – this encourages customers to keep promoting your business.
Referral System for WooCommerce
The Referral System is a plugin for WooCommerce stores that provides referral marketing features, enabling you to incentivize referrals by providing rewards for both the referrer and the referee.
With it, you can:
- Offer discount coupons when used as a standalone plugin
- Offer loyalty points as referral rewards when integrated with WooCommerce Points and Rewards extension
To get it, follow these steps:
- Log in to the Admin Dashboard of your store and click on the Add Plugin option under the Plugins menu on the left side of the dashboard.
- Once reloaded, the dashboard will give you a new page with the title Add Plugin. Click the link to proceed with the new page.
- Right next to the page title, you will find a button: Upload Plugin. Upon clicking that button, you will be presented with the option to upload the plugin.
- Simply click the Choose File button to locate and upload the plugin and then click the Install Now button to install the plugin on your store.
- After the upload and installation process is finished. You will be presented with the Activate button option, which you can click to activate the plugin.
6. Offer Free Shipping
Free shipping is a great way to increase conversions on your Woocommerce shopping cart.
According to studies, 73% of people are more likely to decide to buy an item if it includes free shipping?!
It can encourage customers to complete their purchase and highlight the value of what they are buying by removing the cost associated with their order.
Free shipping also helps to minimize any anxiety over additional costs that may arise during checkout and makes it easier for shoppers to budget accordingly when deciding how much they want to spend.
You get more control over how quickly orders arrive and allows you to customize delivery times according to consumer demands.
For better management, introduce a minimum order.
Here’s a code to introduce this function:
// Enable free shipping
add_filter( 'woocommerce_shipping_free_shipping_is_available', '__return_true' );
// Set minimum cart total for free shipping (optional)
add_filter( 'woocommerce_shipping_free_shipping_minimum_cart', 'my_free_shipping_minimum' );
function my_free_shipping_minimum( $free_shipping_minimum ) {
$free_shipping_minimum = 50; // set your minimum cart total here
return $free_shipping_minimum;
}
You can add this code to your child theme’s functions.php file or to a custom plugin.
The first filter enables free shipping by returning true.
The second filter sets a minimum cart total for free shipping, but this is optional.
You can set the minimum cart total to any value you’d like. If you don’t want a minimum, simply remove the second filter.
Once you add this code, free shipping will be enabled on your WooCommerce store.
7. Allow Customers to Save Cart Items
One way to enhance the Woocommerce shopping cart experience is to allow customers to save their cart items.
This feature provides shoppers with the convenience of adding items to their cart and coming back at a later time and continuing where they left off.
Implementing this help shoppers purchase faster and makes it easier for customers who may want to review products before purchasing.
And you can use it to keep track of customer preferences as they shop on your website.
Not only does this option provide convenience, but it also ensures that customers return regularly and become loyal shoppers on your site.
8. Make the Shopping Cart Visible
Customers need to be able to locate their shopping cart at all times, so they can easily review and adjust their order as needed.
This means placing it where customers will see it right away, such as at the top or bottom of every page or even within the header bar.
Interestingly, adding a countdown timer next to the cart can also encourage customers to complete their purchase quickly, increasing conversion rates and sales.
If you don’t like code, various plugins can help add visibility and functionality to your shopping cart page.
9. Use Cross-Selling Techniques
Cross-selling is an effective strategy for increasing sales and engaging customers.
It encourages customers to add additional items to their cart that are related to their original purchase, such as complementary products or upgrades.
This can help boost the total amount of money spent by the customer during a single transaction.
To make it easier for customers to find these additional items, Woocommerce offers several cross-selling techniques including upsells and related product displays.
Upsells offer customers a better version of what they’ve already selected with improved features or benefits at a higher price point.
For example, if your store sells digital cameras, you could offer an upsell on a high-end model that has more megapixels and other advanced features compared to the base model they initially chose.
10. Offer Gift Wrapping Options
Gift wrapping services can effectively increase customer satisfaction and add a unique touch to your online store.
With the added convenience of gift wrapping, customers are likely to purchase more gifts for their loved ones and return for future purchases.
This is especially true during the holiday season when shoppers are looking for extra convenience and thoughtful touches.
To offer this services, you can create a separate option on the product page that customers can choose when purchasing an item.
This gives them the opportunity to add-on this service in case they want it.
You will also need to define how much you charge per item or order total if applicable, as well as how many days prior to shipment you will need in order to provide gift wrapping services.
11. Use Social Media to Promote Your Store
Social media is a powerful tool for increasing awareness of your store, and it can be used to attract new customers.
With platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and more, you can engage with customers on multiple levels.
Start by creating an account with each platform to post content related to your store, products and services.
You should also actively engage with potential customers by responding to comments or messages in a timely manner.
This will help build relationships with people who may become loyal shoppers over time.
Create promotional campaigns across social media channels to increase your reach and draw attention to your brand.
Related: Insider’s View: Social Media Marketing for Small Businesses