A brand is only as good as its Checkout, at least during peak holiday sales.
Monitoring and mitigating losses, both potential and actual, during the checkout process is crucial for ecommerce brands.
Hence, today, we’ve brought this read to you that focuses on Your Brand & Your Checkout.
What is a checkout page?
Behind the D2C ecommerce checkout is a checkout page, is a crucial part of any ecommerce website where customers go to complete their purchase. It's the final step in the online shopping process where customers review their selected items, provide shipping and payment information, and confirm their order. The design and functionality of a checkout page greatly influence the user experience and can impact conversion rates.
What Are the Benefits of a Branded Checkout?
Branded Checkout is an extension of your brand's overall shopping experience, helping customers feel a consistent sense of familiarity.
Tier-3 city customers feel more comfortable: Familiar checkout reduces anxiety for cautious shoppers
Regional differences get addressed properly: Branded payments page addresses Indian customers' premium experience aspirations
Customer loyalty develops faster: Trust builds quicker through a consistent brand experience
Tier-3 city customers feel more comfortable
Three in five new customers since 2020 come from Tier-3 cities, and they often shop online with more caution than metro audiences.
When your checkout page matches your brand elements, it keeps them in a familiar environment, which is especially important during stages such as payment.
Regional differences get addressed properly
Shopping behaviour varies across India. North people often see brands as status symbols, while South shoppers focus on quality markers.
A branded checkout helps you adjust your payments page to accommodate these differences through personalised messaging, language, and visual elements based on customer geography.
Customer loyalty develops faster
Edelman's special report found 71% of customers need to trust a brand to buy from them.
This is important for mature market customers living in urban locations like Delhi, Mumbai or Bangalore as they show a stronger preference for new brands.
To make the most out of this behaviour, elements like branded checkout help a lot by making consumers feel confident during checkout.
Types of Checkout Page
Solving ecommerce checkout problems involves making the purchasing process as seamless and user-friendly as possible, ultimately leading to higher conversion rates and customer satisfaction. Ecommerce brands often experiment with different checkout page designs and functionalities to find the best ecommerce checkout system for their target audience.
Here are some common types of checkout pages used by ecommerce brands
Single-Page Checkout: In this type, all the necessary fields for completing the purchase are displayed on a single page. Users can quickly fill out their shipping and payment information without navigating through multiple pages.
Multi-Step Checkout: This type breaks down the checkout process into multiple steps or pages. Each step focuses on specific information such as shipping address, payment method, and order review. This approach can simplify complex checkout processes and improve user experience by reducing clutter on each page.
Guest Checkout: Some ecommerce websites offer a guest checkout option, allowing customers to make purchases without creating an account. Guest checkout streamlines the process for first-time buyers who may not want to register for an account.
Account Creation Checkout: Alternatively, some websites require users to create an account before completing their purchase. This allows for easier tracking of orders, personalized recommendations, and faster checkout for returning customers. However, it can also add friction for new users.
Express Checkout: Express checkout options enable returning customers to complete their purchases with minimal steps. This often involves storing customer information securely and providing one-click checkout or saved payment methods.
Mobile Checkout: With the increasing use of mobile devices for online shopping, it's essential to have a checkout page optimized for mobile users. Mobile checkout pages typically have simplified forms and easy-to-tap buttons to accommodate smaller screens and touch interactions.
Progress Indicators: Many checkout pages include progress indicators to inform users about their current position in the checkout process. This can help reduce abandonment rates by providing transparency and reassurance about the remaining steps.
Key Features of an Ideal Branded Checkout
To ensure your branded Checkout experience gets customers to feel they are shopping from a true brand, be sure you add the following features.
Security features form the backbone of any reliable branded checkout system.
1. SSL certificates are non-negotiable because browsers always warn customers when websites lack proper encryption.
2. Your branded checkout must offer payment flexibility for multiple payment methods, including traditional credit cards, digital wallets, UPI, and Buy Now, Pay Later options.
3. Mobile optimisation cannot be treated as an afterthought, considering that customers primarily access brands through mobile devices. In your branded checkou,t add finger-friendly buttons, appropriately sized form fields, and fast loading times on smaller screens.
4. The checkout experience must load quickly, even on slower internet connections common in smaller cities.
5. Form simplification with fewer fields leads to higher completion rates, and be sure to allow address autocomplete to reduce typing requirements.
6. Your checkout must support multiple Indian languages and display prices in INR with appropriate tax calculations.
7. Trust signal integration including money-back guarantees, customer reviews and ratings, third-party certifications and clear return and refund policies.
8. Provide guest checkout option for customers who prefer not to create accounts during their first purchase.
How Branded Checkout Impacts Customer Behaviour
Payment is something that keeps most Indian customers always in a state of cautiousness.
A branded Checkout page becomes critical if you aspire to stop shoppers from having second doubts, which is what causes checkout abandonment.
City tier differences shape payment confidence: Tier-2 customers need brand recognition for spending confidence
Age groups respond differently to brand consistency: Gen Z values smooth, familiar checkout transitions
Trend-first shoppers seek constant novelty: Fashion shoppers need consistent branding during purchase decisions
Hyper-value customers prioritise simplicity: Price-conscious buyers prefer familiar, easy checkout processes
City tier differences shape payment confidence
Customers in Tier-2 and smaller cities show comparable spending power to Tier-1 cities, with average selling prices of products being similar or only marginally lower across categories like electronics and appliances.
This upward change in their sending power requires components of e-commerce such as branded checkout, as it reinforces their perception that they're shopping from an established brand.
Age groups respond differently to brand consistency
Gen Z shoppers make quicker purchase decisions, browsing fewer search listings than millennials.
To support these customers’ fast decision making, a branded payment page helps significantly by making the transitions from discovery to purchase comfortable.
Trend-first shoppers seek constant novelty
Trend-first fashion is expected to grow fourfold to $8-10 billion by 2028.
Customers adopting this pattern split their shopping across multiple brands and seek new experiences.
This means a branded payment experience must maintain their attention on your brand during the final purchase step by providing branding consistency.
Hyper-value customers prioritise simplicity
These types of price-conscious customers have grown from 5% of e-retail GMV in 2021 to over 12% in 2024.
And they prefer straightforward, recognisable checkout processes with zero unexpected complexity or unfamiliar interfaces.
Tips for crafting an effective branded checkout page
Because one has to understand before fixing/optimising something!
Let’s see the TOP 10 most influential data points that brands utilise on a daily basis.
1. Payment Gateway Success Rate:
Definition: The percentage of successful transactions compared to total attempted transactions.
Example:
Insight: Monitoring payment gateway success rates allows brands to identify potential revenue losses due to failed transactions and optimise payment methods accordingly.
2. Address Verification Success:
Definition: Percentage of addresses successfully verified during checkout to prevent delivery issues.
Example:
Insight: Monitoring address verification success helps reduce losses caused by incorrect or incomplete shipping information.
3. Return Rate vs. Sales:
Definition: Percentage of total sales that result in returns.
Example:
Insight: Brands can track return rates to understand potential losses due to returned items and make necessary adjustments.
4. Conversion Rate by Device:
Definition: The percentage of visitors who complete a purchase, segmented by the type of device (e.g., desktop, mobile, tablet).
Example:
Insight: Tracking conversion rates by device helps brands identify potential losses on specific platforms and optimise the user experience accordingly.
5. Average Order Value (AOV) by Location:
Definition: The average value of orders placed, segmented by the customer's location (e.g., city, state).
Example:
Insight: Monitoring AOV by location allows brands to identify potential revenue variations in different regions of India.
6. Coupon Code Usage:
Definition: Monitor the number of coupon codes applied during checkout and their impact on revenue.
Example:
Insight: Brands can assess the effectiveness of coupon code promotions and their impact on potential revenue losses.
7. Payment Failure Recovery:
Definition: Track the percentage of failed payments that are successfully recovered through follow-up communication.
Example:
Insight: Monitoring payment failure recovery rates helps mitigate potential revenue losses due to payment issues.
8. Cart Abandonment Rate:
Definition: The percentage of customers who add products to their cart but do not complete the purchase.
Example:
Insight: Indian brands can track cart abandonment rates to identify potential losses in revenue due to incomplete purchases. Implementing cart recovery strategies can help reduce abandonment rates.
9. Average Shipping Costs vs. Customer Expectations:
Definition: Comparison of the average shipping cost charged during checkout with customer expectations.
Example:
Insight: Indian brands can monitor customer satisfaction related to shipping costs to gauge potential losses due to customer dissatisfaction.
10. Checkout Page Exit Rate:
Definition: The percentage of users who leave the checkout page without completing their purchase.
Example:
Insight: Tracking the exit rate on the checkout page helps brands identify potential losses due to page abandonment and optimise the checkout process.
Your Checkout & Other Brands
Having access to data from 450+ D2C brands in India, especially those in similar industries, can provide valuable insights for monitoring and optimising branded checkout related metrics.
1. Checkout Abandonment Benchmarks:
Definition: Compare your checkout abandonment rates with industry benchmarks from similar brands in India.
Example:
Insight: Benchmarking your checkout abandonment rate against similar brands in India can help you identify potential losses compared to industry standards.
2. Preferred Payment Methods by Industry:
Definition: Analyse the most commonly used payment methods by customers within your industry and adjust your checkout options accordingly.
Example:
Insight: Understanding preferred payment methods in your industry can help you minimise potential losses by offering the most popular options.
3. Average Checkout Duration by Industry:
Definition: Compare the time customers spend in the checkout process with industry averages for similar brands.
Example:
Insight: Monitoring checkout duration relative to industry averages can help identify potential losses due to lengthy checkouts.
4. Customer Journey Analysis:
Definition: Examine the stages of the customer journey, from landing on the website to completing a purchase, and identify potential drop-off points.
Example:
Insight: Analysing the customer journey can pinpoint potential losses at various stages, allowing for optimization.
5. Cross-Brand Checkout Insights:
Definition: Collaborate with similar brands in your data-sharing network to gain insights into checkout trends and potential losses - greatly helps in cross-selling during checkout. This data can be further used for building a branded checkout specific to your brand.
Example: Share anonymised data on product performance in categories such as location/age group/holiday etc.
Insight: Leveraging this data helps increase overall AOV & conversion rate. Find compatible brands, and maximise potential.
Customising Your Checkout to Your Brand
When considering a fully branded checkout system, there are several aspects that can and should be customised to cater to the specific needs and preferences of Indian brands and consumers.
- Branding and Design:
Custom Checkout Page Design: Tailor the look and feel of the checkout page to match your brand's aesthetics, including colours, fonts, and logo placement.
Customised Brand Messaging: Personalise the messaging and tone of the checkout process to align with your brand's voice and values.
- Payment Options:
Customised Payment Methods: Offer a variety of payment options popular in India, and allow customers to choose their preferred method, including credit/debit cards, digital wallets, UPI, and net banking.
Customised Currency and Pricing: Display prices and accept payments in local currency (INR), and customise pricing for different regions or customer segments if needed.
- Shipping and Delivery:
Customised Shipping Options: Allow customers to select from various shipping methods, including standard, express, or COD (Cash on Delivery), and customise shipping costs based on location.
Customised Delivery Timeframes: Offer flexible delivery timeframes, allowing customers to choose the most convenient delivery slots, especially important in India's diverse and dynamic market.
- Address Validation and Verification:
Customised Address Validation Rules: Implement custom rules to validate addresses, ensuring accurate deliveries and minimising potential losses due to incorrect information.
Customised Address Suggestions: Provide real-time address suggestions based on user input to streamline the address entry process.
- Promotions and Discounts:
Customised Coupon Codes: Create and manage custom coupon codes for specific promotions, allowing for flexibility in discount strategies.
Customised Promotion Eligibility: Customise which products or customer segments are eligible for specific promotions or discounts.
- Multi-Language Support:
Customised Language Preferences: Enable customers to choose their preferred language for the checkout process, accommodating India's linguistic diversity.
Customised Language Translations: Provide customised translations for checkout-related content to ensure clarity and understanding.
- Guest Checkout vs. Registered Accounts:
Customised Account Options: Allow customers to choose between guest checkout and creating a registered account, catering to varying preferences for convenience and data retention.
- Data Collection and Privacy:
Customised Data Collection: Collect only the necessary customer data, complying with Indian data privacy regulations, such as the Personal Data Protection Bill.
Customised Consent Management: Customise the way you seek and manage customer consent for data usage and marketing communications.
- Checkout Flow and Steps:
Customised Checkout Steps: Customise the number and sequence of checkout steps to streamline the process and minimise friction.
Customised Progress Indicators: Provide visual cues to help customers navigate the checkout flow easily.
- Error Handling and Support:
Customised Error Messages: Customise error messages to provide clear guidance when customers encounter issues during checkout.
Customised Support Integration: Integrate live chat or support options directly into the checkout process for immediate assistance.
In conclusion…
Optimising your checkout process is paramount for Indian brands in the ever-evolving e-commerce landscape!
- Access to data from a network of services (pre-purchase to post-delivery), customization options, and a focus on key metrics can significantly contribute to reducing potential losses and enhancing overall revenue generation.
- Benchmarking, sharing insights, and customising various aspects of the checkout system, businesses can adapt to the diverse needs and preferences of their consumers.
- The result is a more seamless, user-friendly, and efficient checkout experience that not only minimises potential losses but also fosters customer loyalty and growth in the dynamic Indian market.
Let Pragma build your Branded Checkout process TODAY!
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