49 replies to this topic

[strub]

Hi,

I was wondering about your shops checkout design. Did you try different things? And what was the best Design concerning conversion rate?

If we have found together a nice "Best Checkout Design" I will programm a contribution out of it.

Here is a nice article which I think is a good fundametal start.
http://uxdesign.smashingmagazine.com/2011/04/06/fundamental-guidelines-of-e-commerce-checkout-design/

Thanks for helping find a good checkout process.

[14steve14]

The main thing is, that it has to work.  There are already add ons for one page checkout, and shorter checkout but they are buggy.  If you can get a one page checkout to work correctly you could become famous overnight.

[strub]

The biggest question though is if the sales really increase if you have just one checkout page.

Nevertheless, I have started with designing the checkout page.

Two things I changed so far which I think might be a good thing:

1. made a third option: "firm" if selected the firm fields are shown

2. made a checkbox which is selected saying: "Billing address is the same as shipping address"
  only if you uncheck this the billing fields will be shown, otherwise there is no need to have this shown.

Edited by strub, 17 April 2012 - 10:27 AM.

[ggrant3]

#2 above would be a nice addition.

Other than that a short and sweet process with a "Guest" checkout option is what I would like (for 2.3.1 at least) that is the only thing holding me up from upgrading my stores to 2.3.1 because a lot of my customers don't want to create an account when they shop and I am the same way, I just want to get in, buy what I want, and get out.

[strub]

Quote

Other than that a short and sweet process with a "Guest" checkout option is what I would like (for 2.3.1 at least)

That is planned with a checkbox. If checked a required password field will be shown.

[kymation]

strub, on 17 April 2012 - 02:55 PM, said:

That is planned with a checkbox. If checked a required password field will be shown.

I think this could be improved. i have seen several stores using a slightly different process: The password is requested after the order is completed. It seems to me that the customer would be more likely to use this feature when there is no pressure. A few words explaining the benefits of being able to check on their order online would also help.

Regards
Jim

[strub]

Hey kymation that is a really good suggestion. Let's see if we could do it this way.

By the way, I am not a really PHP expert, so I hope I can get this done. I try my best.

Edited by strub, 17 April 2012 - 05:35 PM.

[strub]

Ok I have made little progress.

But here is what I have thought.

If a customers adds a product into the basket and clicks to checkout he will be redirected to a new page which looks:

1. Shipping address fields
- firm fields will be only shown if firm checkbox is selected

2. Checkbox: payment address is the same as shipping address.
- if unchecked payment fields will be shown

3. Shipping options

4. Payment options

4.1 Coupons code

5. Total shown and "Confirm order" button

Notes:
There will be no password fields. This will be as suggested asked in the checkout_success.php page.

This layout will be only for customers not logged in. If they are loggoed in a new layout will be shown where they could change the shipping/payment address.

[ggrant3]

I didn't see it listed above but you are making this for 2.3.1, right?

Also (and no pressure at all here) but do you have an expected date for a release yet, or is it too early in your progress?

[strub]

Hey, jes it is for 2.3.1.

There is no release date. Because I am working also on other projects (Game project). So only if I have enough time I am working on it. So I hope I have it done in about a month but can't promise that.

[kymation]

I'm a little bit puzzled about the coupon code in the Payment page. Shouldn't that be an Order Total module? Coupons should not be subject to tax, so adding them to the payment (where tax has already been added) would effectively tax the coupon amount. In any case, using a coupon as a OT module would allow the tax to be applied either before or after the coupon, so the store owner could comply with whatever the local law/practice is.

Regards
Jim

[strub]

Yep you're right, it is a Order Total Module. I just meant placing the input field.

By the way, so far I managed to process  orders correctly with all data needed. But everything needs to be cleaned up.

Edited by strub, 20 April 2012 - 06:22 PM.

[strub]

Alright, I made some progress on this.

Added in admin an new link "Smart Checkout" in Configuration with the options:

- Enable Smart Checkout  (if set to true, it enables Smart Checkout)
- Create Account (If enabled, customers can create an account after first order) = in progress
- Live Validation (If enabled, Live Validation is used for fom fields) = in progress
- Conditions of Use (If enabled, customers must check the Conditions of Use checkbox in order to proceed) = in progress
- Hide Shipping (If you have only one shipping method, there is no need to show the shipping part. If enabled and only one shipping method is active it hides the shipping part. Recommended as checkout gets even simpler and shorter.) = in progress


By the way, I installed a clean shop with the current process of the Smart Checkout. You can have a look at:

http://www.conspicuous.ch/osc_smartcheckout/

But take into account that it might not work sometime as I work on it.

Edited by strub, 28 April 2012 - 10:27 AM.

[strub]

Hi,

Is was thinking about the "virtual" products. Is that much used? If so, I would make that working too. Then there needs to be no shipping address only a payment adress. Or would you leave it as it is?

[14steve14]

Lots of people sell vurtual products.  I even have free ones that really screw up the checkout process.

[bruyndoncx]

if I buy a gift certificate in the apple store for my brother in law, I would need both, wouldn't i, and I would also need to enter his email address ...

fancy supporting that kind of setup ?

[strub]

Ok so take that into account. Thanks a lot.

Last question, as I have never setup a store with virtual products, how are products defined as virtual products? Can somebody give me here some insight? Thanks in advance.

[strub]

Quote

I even have free ones that really screw up the checkout process.

Could you please explain that a bit further so I could tackle that problem? What are free products? How do you define them as free?

Quote

if I buy a gift certificate in the apple store for my brother in law, I would need both, wouldn't i, and I would also need to enter his email address

But then it is not a virtual product. I think.



Ok I figoured it out with enabling the virtual products and how it works.

By the way, I am almost finished with the first alpha version of Smart Checkout.

Still needs to be done:
- virtual products (working on it)
- create account in checkout_success.php (working on it)

[14steve14]

strub, on 03 May 2012 - 06:34 AM, said:

Could you please explain that a bit further so I could tackle that problem? What are free products? How do you define them as free?

Without being sarcastic my free downloads have a zero price and zero weight. I could give a direct link to the download but i still require the customer to go through the checkout process so i have their information so i can send marketing infomation to them. Its suprising how many people download the free items and then come back later and purchase something.

Giving then items a zero price and weight should bypass the shipping and payment pages and go straight to the confirmation page, where the downlo0ad will be available straight away because super download store is installed.

[strub]

Ah thanks for that.

So a free object is set if the price is zero and zero weight  (not important though).

I looked into virtual products and find out that you need an account in order to download it. That would be quite easy for customers who have an account just doing a confirmation without payment and shipping.

But not so for customers checking out as a quest. I need to think a bit for a solution.

Edited by strub, 03 May 2012 - 10:26 AM.