Loading Form...
Thank you! The form was submitted successfully.
Jul 18, 2024 | 11 minute read
written by Seamus Roddy
When you sell online, you zero in on optimizing elements of your commerce site that are tied directly to customer satisfaction, conversions, and revenue.
You know the list – the perfect product images, the blazing fast site speed, the 1:1 personalization, the live chat, the customer reviews.
Worth adding: a thoughtful, effective eCommerce shopping cart experience. Your eCommerce cart design is a major contributor to your commerce performance, and a substantial part of your shoppers’ buying experience.
Learn why your eCommerce shopping cart is important and the signs of a strong eCommerce cart. Then, see 15 top eCommerce shopping cart page designs, with an explanation of how each boosts conversions, drives revenue, and accommodates for unique business needs.
An eCommerce shopping cart is the interface shoppers experience after they select, but just before they purchase, an online product.
When your customers use your eCommerce cart, they submit payment and complete their checkout process. What makes the eCommerce shopping cart unique is that it exists as both a catalog and checkout tool. On one hand, you need your eCommerce cart to quickly process payments. But you also need your cart to serve as an extension of your catalog – providing whatever product details, images, and other information that helps a shopper feel secure in their purchase.
The costs of neglecting your eCommerce shopping cart page design and functionality is significant. 68% of carts are abandoned by online shoppers – which means that most businesses are squandering double the amount of their realized online revenue just during checkout.
As you build, evaluate, and manage an eCommerce cart, there are indications that your cart is strong (and likely to boost conversions and revenue) or weak (and likely to leave money behind). Here are elements to consider:
As you optimize your eCommerce shopping cart, check out 15 cart designs that exhibit the signs of a strong eCommerce cart.
Serena & Lily, a luxury, design-driven home interiors brand, has an eCommerce cart that lives up to the brand’s promise of considered coastal design.
Note that Serena & Lily’s shopping cart includes a clear price that reflects a discount, a big, compelling “Checkout” button, and suggested add-ons to the original product.
Overall, the cart functions as an extension of the catalog and an accelerator of the checkout experience – making it a visually appealing, high-converting element of Serena & Lily’s commerce site.
Teilor, a luxury jeweler in Europe, has a commerce cart that clearly points to the action it next wants customers to take: providing a confirmation email.
This simple but smooth eCommerce cart includes clear information on the delivery method, a brief but informative order summary, and a clear ask for a confirmation email.
Express Brewing, a beer delivery service, demonstrates strong offers of multiple payment methods on its commerce cart.
Note that the cart includes the ability to use digital payments methods, such as ShopPay and Google Pay, in addition to the traditional checkout purchase. Also, the simple design is augmented by the ability for shoppers to leave special delivery instructions – reflecting Express Brewing’s unique business and delivery model.
Charlotte Tilbury’s information-rich, visually-appealing eCommerce cart reflects the brand’s beauty products and commitment to its customers.
A Charlotte Tilbury cart includes a host of eCommerce cart best practices, including:
Charlotte Tilbury also clearly considers their cart an extension of the catalog experience. Notice the consistent use of “you” and “darling” throughout the cart copy. This touch indicates that the cart is optimized for user experience – and isn’t viewed as a backwater of the overall commerce site.
Sometimes, a clear and simple shopping cart is the best option for brands. Blink!, a U.K.-based cat food company, has an easy-to-use cart page design with a clear, compelling CTA button.
You may hear the word “frictionless” brought up in connection with eCommerce cart design and checkout in general. Blink! provides an example of a frictionless checkout. Enter your payment information and click one button and your subscription is activated. No flashy design elements or confusion necessary.
Catchbox, which sells cube microphone systems, prioritizes a simple, clear eCommerce cart experience.
Notice that the Catchbox cart has a clear cost, a note about free shipping, and a single, bright CTA for checkout.
How does a business with highly-individualized products design an eCommerce cart? It’s a quandary faced by Funky Pigeon, which sells a wide array of customizable and pre-designed greeting cards, mugs, calendars, and more for special occasions.
Since Funky Pigeon allows customers to personalize their selections with text and images, its online shopping carts include call outs to review and duplicate existing messages and images.
Also, note that Funky Pigeon has a clear CTA labeled “Proceed to Secure Checkout.” Sharing their commitment to security preemptively gets in front of objections or concerns customers might have about completing a transaction online.
Selling effectively online is often a matter of demonstrating value throughout the sales process. An example of this can be found in the International Sports Assocation’s (ISSA) eCommerce shopping cart. ISSA provides certifications for fitness trainers, personal trainers, nutritionists, and more.
Notice how ISSA calls out during checkout that the shopper is getting more than $4,000 worth of discounted value. The use of colors and emoji further calls out this provided value. ISSA also describes its checkout as secure.
Astrak Group, which sells earthmoving equipment parts, has a strong eCommerce cart experience as part of its U.S. storefront, EPD Parts.
The EPD Parts site includes a host of eCommerce cart best practices, including a clear product image, bundle options, multiple payments options, and accessible text and design.
The EPD Parts shopping cart is also embedded with another conversion-boosting element: customer reviews. Even during checkout, EPD Parts is providing compelling testimony from past customers.
There are two traditional avenues to overperformance in commerce. One is selling more of a specific product. The other is having a higher average order volume (AOV) on a customers’ order.
Hole19, which has a golf equipment and apparel marketplace, has a commerce cart that is designed to both increase conversion rates on a specific product and highlight add-on products that drive AOV higher.
Note that Hole19 has on its commerce cart a “frequently bought together” section with clear product images. Click on one of these products and shoppers see complimentary items – boosting AOV over time.
Aether Diamonds is a jewelry brand with a clear, frictionless commerce cart.
Note how the Aether Diamonds cart puts different payment options at the forefront of the cart. In fact, express payment is encouraged, reflecting the priority for a fast, streamlined checkout for shoppers.
This cart page design also prioritizes choice of a delivery method. This way, Aether customers are shown during checkout that their buying experience is up to their preferences.
BD Diesel sells automotive parts, particularly transmissions and converters. BD Diesel’s products are expensive and highly-considered purchases, which is why the price listed includes both the total price and a core deposit price.
In addition, BD Diesel offers online shoppers the option to pay monthly via a payment plan. This way, BD Diesel avoids some of the sticker shock associated with buying a high-price item.
The Kilted Christmas Tree Company offers an eCommerce cart with a strong product description and the ability to select a delivery date.
This product page represents the unique shopper needs for the company’s shoppers. They need to have deep, relevant information about the artificial Christmas tree, and also need to plan ahead regarding delivery date.
Granite Setts Direct, which sells granite sets, focuses on calling out quantity within the commerce cart. Specifically, the eCommerce cart comes with the functionality to add or subtract the number of items once a product is selected and queued for purchase.
The cart also clearly highlights the size and dimensions of the order, with a colored checkout button included.
Regatta Craft Mixers, which sells canned cocktails, has an eCommerce cart design that meets many best practices.
It’s visually appealing, has clear CTAs, is upfront about price, and shows a visual of the product.
Note that Regatta Craft Mixers’ commerce cart includes a congratulations about unlocking free shipping. There’s no need or real benefit to being ho-hum about free or discounted shipping opportunities – positioning it as a valuable, exciting giveaway boosts shoppers’ own excitement, and makes them more likely to complete a purchase.
Having seen the top eCommerce shopping cart examples, you may be wondering: How can I bring an exceptional eCommerce cart experience to life?
The answer: Elastic Path. Elastic Path has leading cart and checkout capabilities, allowing you to pursue eCommerce cart designs that boost conversions and revenue.
Want to see these capabilities for yourself? Try Elastic Path for free today – getting access to our full suite of products and solutions.
Access a free Elastic Path trial today to see our leading composable commerce solution in action.