Customers getting to login-then leave

[helpme]

I have had several (5+) new customers put something in the shopping cart, go to checkout and when they get to the login page they leave. I have checked it several times, everything works. Anyone have any ideas? Is this normal? I have only had my site for a few months so I don't know what to expect completely.
Any help or suggestions is helpful! Thanks!!

[kobra]

Once a site begins receiving traffic your conversion rate or a n accepted rate is normally 5% and less - So for 100 unique visitors you will get 5 or less sales.

[helpme]

Actually I only get around 7 people a day and I have had 4 sales so I guess I am doing okay. However I just wondered if there was something turning people away because they leave when they have to set up an account. Just wondering if there is something I can't see that looks back or is wrong?
Thanks Kobra, that makes me feel good about my sales so far.

[econcepts]

I have had several (5+) new customers put something in the shopping cart, go to checkout and when they get to the login page they leave. I have checked it several times, everything works. Anyone have any ideas? Is this normal? I have only had my site for a few months so I don't know what to expect completely.
Any help or suggestions is helpful! Thanks!!

Watch what you are asking for on that page, watch how you word it, and watch how you lay it out. I have tested the current layout you have there and it is one of the lower converting layouts.

You present even more barriers to checkout by asking for items like "Phone Number" as well.

If you don't need it, don't ask for it.

There are so many things that go into that page alone for increasing the conversion of it. You have to look at your market segment as well and make sure you "fulfill their needs". I have written a number of posts at my site on this that you may find helpful.

Also, keep in mind that studies show "industry conversion rates" for e-commerce sites hover between .5% to 2% (which is kinda "average") -- and "5%" as in "five" would be considered very high. You can find this information on conversion rates by simply doing a search on the internet for "industry standard conversion rates studies" (or something similar).

Unless you have ALL the right elements in place on your site (that includes "industry best practices") AND you have the right market strategy, your "sustainable" conversion rates will be average to below average.

Also, when talking "conversion rates", make sure you are looking at the correct numbers when you do that. Oftentimes I find many users mis-interpreting what their analytics is telling them. It's one thing to be able to "read" analytics, it is another entirely different thing to be able to "interpret" what they are telling you.

Hope some of that helps. Again, you may find a number of the articles I have written on this helpful in your quest.

Good Luck!

[helpme]

Watch what you are asking for on that page, watch how you word it, and watch how you lay it out. I have tested the current layout you have there and it is one of the lower converting layouts.

You present even more barriers to checkout by asking for items like "Phone Number" as well.

If you don't need it, don't ask for it.

There are so many things that go into that page alone for increasing the conversion of it. You have to look at your market segment as well and make sure you "fulfill their needs". I have written a number of posts at my site on this that you may find helpful.

Also, keep in mind that studies show "industry conversion rates" for e-commerce sites hover between .5% to 2% (which is kinda "average") -- and "5%" as in "five" would be considered very high. You can find this information on conversion rates by simply doing a search on the internet for "industry standard conversion rates studies" (or something similar).

Unless you have ALL the right elements in place on your site (that includes "industry best practices") AND you have the right market strategy, your "sustainable" conversion rates will be average to below average.

Also, when talking "conversion rates", make sure you are looking at the correct numbers when you do that. Oftentimes I find many users mis-interpreting what their analytics is telling them. It's one thing to be able to "read" analytics, it is another entirely different thing to be able to "interpret" what they are telling you.

Hope some of that helps. Again, you may find a number of the articles I have written on this helpful in your quest.

Good Luck!

Thanks!! I was thinking I was going to hear something like that. I did fix the phone number so it wasn't required, but I see you have a module that will remove it, humm, I might do that I don't like requiring the phone number, but I have used it for rush orders already.
I signed up for your mini book, but am really curious and don't want to wait What can I do to change the layout of my account sign up page? I haven't done any research yet but thought I would pick your brain!! I didn't realize that could be changed!! Very new to this stuff. Thanks for your help and suggestions, I will definitely look into all of them!

[econcepts]

No problem. Glad I could help a bit. I have a number of "how to's" for several pages that you should alter in Zen to increase conversion listed in the min-book.

I am in the process of writing two books at the same time and I was hoping to have that one complete a week or so ago. It should be real soon now. I am in the final edit stages. If you are on my list (which it sounds like you are) then you will be notified when I release it.

I think you'll like what it contains.