When it comes to optimizing an online store, many brands focus on attracting more traffic or improving the product page. However, one of the most decisive moments for turning visitors into customers often goes unnoticed: the shopping cart.
The cart is not just a summary of selected products; it’s the final step before checkout — the moment when the customer decides if their purchase is worthwhile if they trust the store, and if they are receiving enough value for their money.
An optimized cart experience can not only increase conversion rates but also boost the average order value and strengthen customer loyalty.
What Is the Shopping Cart and Why Is It So Important?
The shopping cart is where customers review what they’ve selected, adjust quantities, apply discounts, and decide whether to proceed to checkout... or abandon the purchase.
It’s easy to think that this step requires little attention because the customer has already added products to the cart. But the reality is quite different: according to a study by Baymard Institute, over 70% of shopping carts in eCommerce are abandoned. This isn't just due to pricing or shipping costs — often it’s also a matter of perceived value or a poor cart experience.
Optimizing this stage not only reduces abandonment but also increases customer satisfaction, improves final conversion, and raises the order value without needing to attract more traffic.
If you want to learn more about why carts are abandoned, you can check out our article here.
Strategies to Increase Perceived Value from the Cart
Here are several practical strategies you can apply to turn your cart into a true sales opportunity rather than just a transition step:
1. Build Trust
At the final stage, many customers need a last reassurance that they’re making the right decision. You can achieve this by showing:
- Trust seals or secure payment certifications.
- Clear return or exchange policy information.
- Short customer reviews or ratings on added products.
- Satisfaction guarantees or post-sale support information.
Example: "Not sure yet? You can return your order within 30 days — no questions asked."
2. Offer Recommended Products
The cart is the perfect moment to suggest related products, accessories, or premium versions of what the customer has already chosen. Cross-selling and upselling are far more effective here than at any earlier stage in the funnel.
Examples:
- In a cosmetics store: "Want to add a professional brush at 20% off?"
- In a pet store: "Add healthy snacks and save €5 on the bundle."
Tip: The more relevant the suggestion, the more natural the conversion will feel.
3. Incentivize with Reachable Benefits
A proven technique is offering rewards for reaching certain purchase thresholds, communicated clearly. Customers don’t always realize how close they are to unlocking a little extra.
Effective messages:
- "You're only €6 away from free shipping!"
- "Spend over €50 and receive an exclusive free gift."
- "Add €10 more and unlock a coupon for your next order."
This incentive becomes even more powerful if accompanied by a visual progress bar, reinforcing the sense of advancement.
4. Create Genuine Urgency
It’s not about pressuring customers, but about providing timely and relevant information. If a promotion ends soon, stock is low, or a benefit is limited, the cart should communicate it.
Examples:
- "Last units available in size M."
- "Offer valid only until midnight today."
- "Only 2 units left in stock."
Important: The urgency must be real and credible. Overusing it can damage customer trust.
5. Apply Visible Discounts or Rewards
If you're offering a coupon, promotional discount, or special benefit, make sure the customer sees it reflected in the cart. The visibility of the reward triggers an immediate feeling of gratification, crucial for the final conversion.
- Bad example: The discount is only applied at final checkout without prior visibility.
- Good example: The cart shows: "Coupon ‘WELCOME10’ applied: -10% off your order."
6. Enable Customization
Not every eCommerce store sells customizable products, but many can benefit from collecting extra information via cart notes. This humanizes the experience and shows attention to detail.
Useful cases:
- Gifts with personalized messages.
- Delivery preferences ("morning delivery", "please do not ring the doorbell").
- Notes about sizing, flavors, or finishes.
Result: Customers feel the brand genuinely cares about their satisfaction.
How Planet’s Smart Cart Takes These Strategies to the Next Level
With Planet, you can elevate your smart cart experience by applying all these strategies seamlessly and automatically:
- Cart banners to highlight promotions, benefits, or urgency messages.
- Progress bar to motivate customers to increase their orders and unlock free shipping, gifts, or discounts.
- Natural upsell suggestions based on cart contents.
- Visible and frictionless coupon application.
- Additional notes field to personalize orders or collect useful information.
All this is done without disrupting the shopping experience — instead, it enriches it smoothly and intuitively.
Optimizing the shopping cart is not a luxury — it’s a necessity if you want to maximize every sales opportunity. Enhancing the perception of value at this critical stage can make the difference between an abandoned cart and a loyal customer.
Tools like Planet’s smart cart show how you can fully leverage this phase to drive your results. Don’t let your cart be just another formality!