During a recent shopping trip, I encountered an ingenious hanging system in the store’s changing rooms. The system featured three hooks, each for categorising items as “Definitely,” “Maybe,” and “My Stuff.”
There was no hook for “no”. But I guess that wouldn’t fit with the goal of selling you more clothes.
Why’s it clever?
The system simplifies the decision-making process by allowing customers to quickly sort their items into categories. With piles of clothes piling up, the shopper can instantly identify what they want and what they need more time to think about. From my experience, if a store makes the buying process easier, I’m more likely to make a purchase.
Barriers to purchase
Shoppers face several obstacles that can deter them from completing a purchase. These include:
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Long queues: Unless I’m completely in love with an item, long checkout lines are enough to make me walk out empty-handed.
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Too many items to carry: If I’m browsing and pick up several items, I appreciate having a basket to put them in. But if I have too many items, I’ll start eliminating them so I don’t have to carry them all.
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Changing room queues: Long waits to try on clothes can also make me reconsider my purchase.
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Limited changing room capacity: Some stores restrict the number of items you can bring into the changing room. If I can’t try everything on at once, I may leave some items behind and never return for them.
Once in the changing room, I’ll try everything on and decide what I want to buy. But without a smooth process from start to finish, there are numerous opportunities for me to abandon my shopping.
What can we learn from this online?
The key takeaway for e-commerce is that frictionless experiences lead to higher conversion rates. For online stores, making the shopping process as easy as possible encourages impulse purchases and increases revenue.
Saving for later
E-commerce platforms like ASOS and Amazon give users the option to “save for later.” This feature allows customers to revisit their wish list and continue browsing or purchase at their convenience.
Follow-up on incomplete purchases
Another valuable strategy is follow-up emails or notifications. If a customer abandons a cart or leaves without completing a purchase, a timely reminder can nudge them back. Offering an incentive, like a discount, can further encourage them to finalise their transaction. For example: “You left something behind! Get 10% off your order before [date].”
By removing barriers to purchase, offering helpful features like “save for later,” and following up with thoughtful reminders, e-commerce stores can replicate the efficiency and appeal of that clever in-store hanging system, ultimately boosting conversions and customer satisfaction.