Reducing the number of checkout stages

[berty]

ssl?

If you run an SSL Cert on your server/hosting you can cut things down a bit, I think you may be able to get Actinic to take payment details whilst still on the local site and just get a confirmation from the PSP. Don't know how though. I'll have a play!

Hmm. Failing that, you could download the orders cutting the PSP out, running them through a card machine, but thats a bit of a pain. To say the least.

Hi everyone by the way. I'm new here.

[Bruce]

Mark,

At the moment, no possibility unless you want to explore using both 'Simple tax' and 'simple shipping'. Like I said earlier, this is on the wishlist and is being looked at for future versions.

Kind regards,

[Sally Dickson]

Step 1 of 4

In the interim, is there any way we can help the customer by numbering the checkout pages:

Page 1 of 4 Confirm Order
Page 2 of 4 Please tell us your country
Page 3 of 4 Please enter your delivery address
Page 4 of 4 Please specify payment method
Page 4 of 5 transfering to secure payment

Thanks

Sally

[RuralWeb]

You could just edit the order templates with the page number sequence?

[george]

One of them bar things along the top would be nice showing the stages of ordering. With the thingy that fills up as you progress through the pages.

[RuralWeb]

Time for photoshop - create a master image with the 5 stages as markers then create a separte one for each checkout template with the correct number coloured in, then place each one in the checkout template and jobs done!

[Mark H]

I would be a little concerned that if the customer knew up front that there were 5 pages to complete they might go elsewhere - most people would assume that there was more than one tick box on one page, a where did you find us on another, and nothing to complete at all on the transfer page.............

If they don't know what's ahead, at least by the time the have got to page 3 or 4 they are probably annoyed but "hooked"

[Sally Dickson]

customers happy

I dont think customers actually remember how many clicks it takes to log-out, but a count-down is so commonplace. My site feels naked? without one.

I am booting up the photoshop as I type to create the right graphics...

So I will need to edit:

Act_order00.html
Act_order01.html
Act_order02.html
Act_order03.html
Act_Primarycheckout.html
Act_Primarycart.html
Act_ShoppingCart.html


Hang-on that can't be right - that's seven pages ???

This it gets tricky and technical. Any thoughts?

[pinbrook]

We've added the text "Checkout Page 1 of 4" etc, to the checkout pages in Surfwax

we only added this to act_order 01,02,03 04

its sort of a cover up as we don't number every page in the checkout, but we did it as we had read somewhere that people do like to know where they are in the checkout routine

[Sally Dickson]

yeah but

I have tried that...

In fact I have spoken to support about this, and that the answer they gave, but as I remember it order3.html governs the 'despatch different to invoice page', which most customers don't see.

So actually I don't think that works, but I will look again.

I am sure the first page of Checkout is Act_PrimaryCheckout, because I edited that top change the page properties (background ). ( see: Fairly OddParents Shop.)

Any thoughts?

[cdicken]

but as I remember it order3.html governs the 'despatch different to invoice page', which most customers don't see.

Act_Order03.html is the template for the main content of the Java Encryption page (called 'order03.html' on the website). You only see this page if you are using Actinic's in-built encryption.

I am sure the first page of Checkout is Act_PrimaryCheckout, because I edited that top change the page properties (background ). ( see: Fairly OddParents Shop.)

Act_PrimaryCheckout.html is the 'overall layout template' for the checkout. In other words, it contains the design elements that go around the main contents of the page. The main contents of the checkout pages come from Act_Order00.html, Act_Order01.html and Act_Order02.html

[John_tkicl]

I'm using Actinic 8 with Protx. The checkout process still seems very long with 5 screens before it gets to the PSP screens.

1. View Cart
2. Checkout page with location option
3. Address details and T&Cs
4. Payment method select
5. Transfer page to PSP with the next button

I've got a fairly simple setup just shipping to UK and only Protx as the payment option so screens 2 and 4 are redundant. Screen 5 is just a button which ought to be on a previous screen.

Is there any reason why screens 2, 3, 4,and 5 are not merged as you only need 1 line from pages 2 and 4 (location and payment method) with a button to the PSP if applicable?

Given the age of this thread, does version 8 now provide us with the ability to merge these screens or skip over them ourselves at least?

Thanks

[cdicken]

Hi John

I'm afriad v8 has not made any changes to the way the online store operates - so the checkout still has the 5 pages. We are currently invesitgating ways we can improve this.

[gabrielcrowe]

and into a more elegant solution

ajax?


is this kind of stuff possible with some ajax cascade loading items?

[John_tkicl]

Thanks for the update Chris. I read on BBC News site yesterday that a US survey has indicated customers will only wait and average of 4 seconds for a screen load before moving elsewhere. It also listed onerous checkout stages as another reason.

Obviously people are successfully maintaining customers with your software (which in many ways seems superb) but this number of steps concerns me.

If I could add anything to the wishlist it would be these four areas:

1. Reduced steps to checkout (from 5 to one or two)
2. VAT inclusive values in the checkout and view cart
3. Free delivery based on VAT inclusive prices
4. Quick way to update mini cart without going to view cart. I'm using the workaround mentioned on this forum to bounce back but the load times make this feel quite slow.

Thanks for listening.