Debate: One Page Checkout vs. Multiple Page Checkout Talking about the conversion rate optimization in eCommerce, there is a lot to do every now and then just to improve your visibility so that visitors find you appealing and credible in comparison to the others. You might consistently run the A/B tests on your checkout page with the minutest of changes and find ways to improve every time the test concludes. The online stores are consistently changing their checkout page designs in order to attain a better conversion rate. If you take a closer look, you’d find that some of them preach about one page checkout while others are all still backing up the multi-page checkout processes. In the end, both the goal of all the checkout processes is to generate leads and increase the conversions as well as decrease the abandoned cart rate. After all dealing with poor conversions is what no e-merchant wants. However, the question still remains the same - which one is fit for you? In order to bring a clearer picture to you, this blog lays down the ifs and buts of both one page and multi page checkouts to let you decide which one suits your online business.
Multi Page Checkout When you talk about multi-step checkout, you’d have to break your checkout into multiple pages and let your visitors know that how long is the process and how many pages are yet to go to complete the checkout process. This gives a heads up to the customer and more focused on the page that they are on at that point, which leaves fewer chances of making mistakes. Being a tool meant for targeted e-merchants, multi page checkout as its own pros and cons which are mentioned below.
Image source: Demac Media
Pros Email addresses accumulation By bifurcating the entire checkout process on different levels, you can keep the email address box in the initial pages so that even if the visitor bounces from the site, you’re still left with the email address to reach out to them later. For example, if you ask for the email address on the first page and the visitor leaves on the last page abandoning the cart, you still can get back to them asking to complete the checkout and also offer appealing discounts.
Locate dropouts Another benefit that can help you track down the visitors and the location from where they went missing is splitting the pages. If you have the access of Google Analytics, you'd be able to locate the exact page from where they left and you can make the changes in your conversion rate optimization techniques to see what went faulty. In case of simple checkout, you would be able to locate that the visitor left but from where, that’s not revealed.
Comfortable layout
Well, when you are in no mood to stuff all the elements in one page, you have the freedom to place it properly without it looking stuffed. You can compare both the checkout pages and you’ll find that the multi page looks cleaner than the other and more sorted out.
Cons Time taking The only drawback that multi page has is the lengthy process and the time that goes into filling all the details. Think about it that you come to buy a pair of pant for yourself and you get a form that looks like it won’t ever end. You might just leave the decision of buying anything from the store in the very beginning itself.
One Page Checkout One Page Checkout is everything that the multi page checkout isn’t. It is a process where your customers would just have to find one page with all the details that don’t come across as a pain and less time taking.
Image souce: Demac Media
Pros Faster done When you compare and look at the details being filled with both the types of checkout, you’d find that the details being put in are almost the same. The only difference is that the loading time of the several pages is cut down to only one. Hence, single page checkout is done faster than the other one.
Visitor will be able to see how much is left When there’s on only one page that needs to be filled and finally you’ll be done, customers will be able to see where they are and how much is still left. The different fields to be filled in can be completed in one go without stopping and waiting for the page to reload for the next step.
No navigation needed Like in the multi page checkouts, the customers have to go step by step clicking on the different pages whereas; here, everything is on the same laid out in order. Hence, no navigation is needed.
Cons The page layout Like we mentioned in the pros of the multi page that the page layout is very comfortable because they have multiple pages, in case of one page, things get too stuffy. When you have to squeeze in everything on the single page, it can get irritate the customer and he might just leave. So it looks like there are advantages and disadvantages to each type of checkout. The important question is, how do you pick the one that’s right for you?
We would say that you test both the types and pick the one that brings in more conversions for you. It is not that if one of them worked for a store like yours, it would be beneficial for you too. You have to test it to see which one is meant for you. If your business suits the simplified way, you can check out One Page Checkout for Opencart that gives your customers a seamless experience with a layout that you choose for them to see.