“Ask the Expert” is an occasional feature where we pose questions to seasoned e-commerce professionals. For this installment, we turned to Arjus Dashi, a long-time e-commerce developer and founder of Frontlevels, an Italian agency serving online merchants worldwide.
It deals with slow e-commerce checkout solutions.
Practical e-commerce: How can merchants diagnose and fix slow eCommerce checkouts?
Arjus Dashi: In e-commerce, faster page loading equals higher sales. Yet no page is more important than checkout, the final step that can make or break a sale. Here are the common causes of slow checkouts and my solutions to fix them.
Arjus Dashi
Common faults:
- Unoptimized code and integration. Checkout pages include complex interactions such as real-time inventory checks, fraud detection tools, shipping calculators, and payment gateways. Each one adds an external API call. Inefficient or buggy code can seriously slow down these connections and frustrate users.
- Server overload. Merchants using separate hosting companies should stress test the servers to the maximum level of traffic. For example, an e-commerce site that expects 100 concurrent users on Black Friday should ensure that its checkout can handle this load and a 20% buffer.
- Complex processes. Lengthy forms, unnecessary fields, mandatory account creation and excessive confirmation steps can frustrate users. A disorganized experience leads to confusion and abandonment.
- Lack of transparency. Unexpected shipping costs or other charges may cause hesitation. Users value honesty. Hidden fees erode trust and lead to lost sales.
How to fix:
- Refactor code and dependencies. Use Chrome or Mozilla inspection tools to analyze checkout performance. Go to the checkout page and open the checkout tool (Mac: Command-Option-I. Windows/Linux: Control + Shift + C). Then start recording in the “Recorder” tab. Reload the page and stop uploading when finished loading. Timeline provides insight into JavaScript, API calls, CSS, and layout shifts to identify bottlenecks and optimize dependencies for faster loading.
- Monitor performance regularly. Lighthouse, available in browser monitoring tools, analyzes your site’s performance. It highlights the slowdown and provides actionable solutions. One key metric is TTFB (“Time to First Byte”), which measures how quickly a server responds to an initial request. A high TTFB often signals hosting inefficiency.
- Use reliable SaaS platforms. Many reputable SaaS eCommerce platforms have robust and optimized checkouts for high-traffic scenarios. Examples include Shopify, BigCommerce, Wix, and many more.
- Simplify the process. Simplify checkout by eliminating unnecessary steps. Consider (i) offering guest checkout to avoid mandatory account creation, (ii) removing optional fields, and (iii) displaying a progress bar to help users track their progress.
- Disclose all costs. Communicate shipping costs and fees in advance. It builds trust and reduces hesitation when paying.