Single or Multi Stage Checkouts?

[apexweb]

I have been looking into the pros and cons of having a single checkout page on our ecommerce site vs having the current "enter your details / login/register" page and then "checkout / overview" page setup I currently have.

Does anyone on here have any experience with single stage vs multi stage checkouts on their ecommerce sites and difference in conversion rates on either type?

 

[apexweb]

yeah you can check them out on internet through a little research.

I have looked into a lot of different sites and some say a single page is better and others say multistage is beter, just wondered what the experiences of people on here had with the different setups.

 

[AndyP]

Although I don't have any real experience of multi-stage checkouts I can say that I truly believe that single page checkouts are the way to go..... for me I base everything possible on NOT putting up anything that could be construed as a barrier to a sale. Keep it simple, keep it clean, don't confuse....

 

[Astaroth]

On the basis you see people using both then there is evidently not one that is simply better otherwise everyone would use that style.

It is well known that the more clicks and fields you get someone to complete the more likely they will drop out of the process.

On the flip side, if you have everything on one page all you can capture about someone that does drop out is what was in their basket where as if you had a multi stage process where stage 1 collected their contact details and they drop out in stage 2 or 3 etc then you do have the ability to make contact with them and try and close the deal or potentially add them to mailing lists etc subject to your T&Cs/ process

 

[CaterTrade]

I'd be interested to see what other people think on this too.

I was thinking, a one stage checkout might scare people. All those fields to fill in in one go. A multi page checkout is more like an installation wizard for some software. You don't get too many programs out there having all the different program options on one window. Just my thinking.

 

[AndyP]

I'd be interested to see what other people think on this too.

I was thinking, a one stage checkout might scare people. All those fields to fill in in one go. A multi page checkout is more like an installation wizard for some software. You don't get too many programs out there having all the different program options on one window. Just my thinking.

Interesting....never looked at it that way before!

 

[Viewfax]

Hi there,
Have you read the E-Business Benchmark Report (won't let me post the link, you'll have to google it!) from sagepay? There is a section of the report that shows the conversion rate of sites with 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 and (unbelievably) 8 pages of checkout! Basically, it shows the big players with high conversion rates (~70% or higher) are using 1 or 2 page checkouts. Anything above this appears to be a real turn-off for punters.

That report has tons of interesting info, its a secret little gem, you can thank me later!

Tim.

 

[sysops]

Although I don't have any real experience of multi-stage checkouts I can say that I truly believe that single page checkouts are the way to go..... for me I base everything possible on NOT putting up anything that could be construed as a barrier to a sale. Keep it simple, keep it clean, don't confuse....

We use a multi stage setup on all our sites now. Although I haven't split-tested this on a single site, I have tested both approaches on different sites.

The advantages of a single page are obvious, so I won't list them. However, just because you and I prefer them doesn't mean that our 50 something year old bought something online once before user will.

The advantages of a multi stage are:

1. You can present the fields in an easy to understand, not-so-scary way.

2. You can present important pieces of information about the order, such as delivery information, in a clear and easy to understand format.

Look at it this way - Amazon and Play have both chosen to stick with a multi stage approach. Do you think this is out of laziness or to save on development costs?

 

[AndyP]

We use a multi stage setup on all our sites now. Although I haven't split-tested this on a single site, I have tested both approaches on different sites.

The advantages of a single page are obvious, so I won't list them. However, just because you and I prefer them doesn't mean that our 50 something year old bought something online once before user will.

The advantages of a multi stage are:

1. You can present the fields in an easy to understand, not-so-scary way.

2. You can present important pieces of information about the order, such as delivery information, in a clear and easy to understand format.

Look at it this way - Amazon and Play have both chosen to stick with a multi stage approach. Do you think this is out of laziness or to save on development costs?

Indeed....I am starting to re-think this, I think. I still have this underlying "keep it simple and don't confuse" view but you made some good points that perhaps I haven't previously considered in any depth.

 

[fisicx]

3 stage checkout is all you need:

1 - Confirm products
2 - Delivery address
3 - Payment

Too many checkouts ask for unnecessary details such as my billing address or telephone number. Some ask me for feedback halfway thorugh the process and I've seen one where delivery charges were added at the payment stage.

Reduce the process down to the barest minimum. The only fields you need should be the mandatory ones. If you only deliver to the UK then don't have dropdowns for the whole world and different currencies.

Don't bother with a 'confirm you have read our T&C' - Everything is covered by the DSR and any thing extra you wish for can be legally challenged.

Make sure you have nice big colouful buttons to lead to the next page.

If I have to go off site to paypal/sagepay etc then warn me.

End the process with the newsletter signup and discount voucher to encourage repeat custom.

So much more...

General rule is to keep it simple. The fewer choke points the greater the chance of completion.

 

[sysops]

3 stage checkout is all you need:

1 - Confirm products
2 - Delivery address
3 - Payment

Too many checkouts ask for unnecessary details such as my billing address or telephone number.

???

Seriously?

Billing address - to validate the payment card.

Phone number - to contact you when the courier has tried to deliver your parcel 3 times, you were out, and your email bounces.

 

[AndyP]

3 stage checkout is all you need:

1 - Confirm products
2 - Delivery address
3 - Payment

Too many checkouts ask for unnecessary details such as my billing address or telephone number. Some ask me for feedback halfway thorugh the process and I've seen one where delivery charges were added at the payment stage.

Reduce the process down to the barest minimum. The only fields you need should be the mandatory ones. If you only deliver to the UK then don't have dropdowns for the whole world and different currencies.

Don't bother with a 'confirm you have read our T&C' - Everything is covered by the DSR and any thing extra you wish for can be legally challenged.

Make sure you have nice big colouful buttons to lead to the next page.

If I have to go off site to paypal/sagepay etc then warn me.

End the process with the newsletter signup and discount voucher to encourage repeat custom.

So much more...

General rule is to keep it simple. The fewer choke points the greater the chance of completion.

Hmmm....well as for the keep it simple, that's pretty much what I have been spouting about all along anyway. You consider a telephone number unnecessary? Really? No disrespect but that sounds like its coming from somebody who doesn't actually run an ecom site. Of course its necessary. Sometimes you do actually need to speak to a customer and often the courier requires the information as a mandatory field anyway. Believe me, it's necessary.

And, some (not all) PSP's require a physical acceptance of T's and C's..so for some people, again, this is a necessary step.

Overall, however, I agree with you....except of course it's again swaying me back to the one page checkout! LOL

 

[AndyP]

LOL...I see sysops pretty much beat me to it!

 

[fisicx]

OK let me elaborate. Billing address is no longer necessary if the card processing uses other security features. Paypal doesn't need a billing address either.

If you need a telephone number then make it a mandatory field, my point was that these fields are often optional. As to the courier not being able to deliver, this is why I suggest the customer providing a delivery address rather than their contact details. I don't care where they live just where to deliver the parcel.

Not so sure you can get everything down to a single page. A form will often need some sort of validation before payment is accepted so two pages at least is a bit more usable.

 

[sysops]

OK let me elaborate. Billing address is no longer necessary if the card processing uses other security features. Paypal doesn't need a billing address either.

No, really, it is.

As for PayPal, of course you need to enter your card address.

If you need a telephone number then make it a mandatory field, my point was that these fields are often optional.

That's not what you said; you said:

Too many checkouts ask for unnecessary details such as my billing address or telephone number.

As to the courier not being able to deliver, this is why I suggest the customer providing a delivery address rather than their contact details. I don't care where they live just where to deliver the parcel.

What?

That's why we ask for both.

Not so sure you can get everything down to a single page. A form will often need some sort of validation before payment is accepted so two pages at least is a bit more usable.

You can if you want to. You can AJAX all the validation. The question is whether this is a good idea from a usability perspective.

But let's be clear - you do need the billing address, and you do need a phone number.

 

[fisicx]

But let's be clear - you do need the billing address, and you do need a phone number.

Okey dokey. I stand corrected but I still don't can't see why a telephone number is necessary, desirable yes but not necessary.

I did buy something the other day with paypal. Because I've already got a paypal account I didn't need to enter my billing address. This is probably where I'm getting confused.

Delivery & Home address - why are you asking the customer to fill in two addresses (and possibly a third for the billiong address)?

 

[sysops]

Delivery & Home address - why are you asking the customer to fill in two addresses (and possibly a third for the billiong address)?

We actually use a structure almost identical to Amazon:

1. We ask for your billing address. This becomes your primary account address.

2. At the delivery stage, we ask whether you want it delivered to the billing address (radio button), or to a different address (pick from your address book, or enter a new one). All of this is on one page.

 

[fisicx]

I'd have had it the other way round (for usability):

Choose your goods > where do you want it delivered > how are you going to pay (just as Amazon do).

 

[sysops]

I'd have had it the other way round (for usability):

Choose your goods > where do you want it delivered > how are you going to pay (just as Amazon do).

You may think it's a good idea, but people are used to being asked for the billing address first. If you reverse the order, you will simply confuse some people, and have them enter the wrong address.

Convention is one of the most important aspects of usability

 

[fisicx]

You may think it's a good idea, but people are used to being asked for the billing address first. If you reverse the order, you will simply confuse some people, and have them enter the wrong address.

Convention is one of the most important aspects of usability

Then how come amazon do it the other way round? As long as you have big clear captions and form headers there shouldn't be any confusion.

Another thought. Why use the words 'billing address'. would it not be better to have 'card holders address' (see play.co.uk and numerable others)

 

[sysops]

Then how come amazon do it the other way round? As long as you have big clear captions and form headers there shouldn't be any confusion.

I don't know, but I don't intend to change it. Play.com do it the other way round.

Another thought. Why use the words 'billing address'. would it not be better to have 'card holders address' (see play.co.uk and numerable others)

We don't say 'billing address' - I've just stuck with that label because it was already being used in the thread. It's far too American.