Why Do Potential Customers Abandon the Order Form

They chicken out. It's as simple as that... They think it's a good product and a good deal, but when it comes to putting their cash on the line, they decide against it.

Not saying it's good or bad... we've all changed our minds before a purchase, but that's essentially what happens.

Sometimes it depends on the currency you are advertising your product. Say you have it in US dollars and when the person clicks it is almost double in their currency they think that it is now too expensive.

Sometimes people click the buy now button just to see the conversion to their own currency. It is easier to do this than try and calculate it for themselves.

Could be to quickly get info such as price, how much will they pay in their own currency, what payment network is used, does their affiliate ID carry, or it could also be incorrect payment info, or a declined cc card.

Analyze it, why do you abandon? I t is likely the same reason, buyers remorse, bills to pay, your better judgment overides your impulse to buy, etc...

Some can't find your price quick enough and just
click to see the price

Some think your cart may not be safe

Some might have payment issues (lots of peeps can't use Paypal)

Some just plain chicken out

Just change their minds. Too pricey for them or they do not want to part with their money.

How users handle your sales page has been studied quite in depth. First they read the headline and if they are caught by that the scan down the page for bullet points. They then scan down quickly for the price.

If they find the price and think the price is worth reading the sales page in detail, they will go back to the top and start again.

If you are not making the price obvious, then instead of putting in effort and reading your material, they click the buy now button. And then they click the back button.

I click that Buy Now button when I can't see the price scrolling down the page.

Another reason are too many prices on the sales page. Having 5 bonuses with big red 'value prices' and the 'free' text too small plus the 'been 299$, then 199$, then 99$, now just 37$', this will also make the reader click the buy now button even if he is not really interested in buying. He just wants to see the final price.

The conversion rate can be the reason too, as somebody said already, many people think again when they see the price in their currency. For example an 127$ product is 400ron in my currency, and with the minimum wage here being 650ron around here that will make people stop buying.


As you say, lately I see a lot of sales pages with the price nowhere to be found or in a really small font but I don't have a lot of experience so I don't know which one sells better. I guess it depends on your sales letter. If you make the reader feel like not buying will be the 'biggest mistake he made this year' then I don't think not showing the price would be a problem.

I do it mostly when I can't find the price of the product on the sales page. And also to find out if it's a one time payment or a recurring payment product.

I want to see the price in my own currency. But also if there's an extra 'upsell' page before the payment is processed.

Sometimes I'm not sure if there's a subscription attached to it. So I click the Buy button to see if there's a string attached.

Sometimes buyers are just impulsive and they catch themselves just before the actual sale. If someone really wants your product, they will go through with the sale. The fact that they were even considering buying it shows that you have a good product and you will get sales. It is better for them to abandon the purchase than to buy and then immediately get buyers remorse and want to refund.

I think the reasons listed here are good. Blind pricing is always going to promote curiosity to find out what the price is. Try getting them to fill in a their email address before they move on to step two, the order form. That way you can continue to sell to them after they have abandoned the cart. Try segmenting this list from your other lists for greater effect.

If your site does not display shipping costs or if the shipping costs vary based on weight or destination then customers will click to buy just to see what the final price is really going to be.

What's your niche? I tend to click Buy Now
just to see how other online entrepreneurs
structure their check-out processes.

One good way to reduce buy now click
attrition is to include a couple testimonials
in the other page.

The key thing is: never stop the social proof
process.

Clicking the "Buy Now" button is one thing but placing the order is another and many things can go through your mind between the two.

Honestly, an Order Form many times asks too many questions. And takes "in their eyes tooo long to fill out!

Most people are impulse buyers, and when you add an Order Form in between the Add to Cart and Paypal or whatever check out you use, it brings them to their senses.

An Order Form is just one more excuse for them to not buy from you, its like saying after they have all ready agreed to purchase from you "Are you sure you want to purchase?".

It simply gives them one more out and takes away from the impulse to purchase.

If I needed more info from someone, I would send them an email AFTER purchase asking for more info.

I do lots of custom graphic design work and always send a order form or something to collect more info "if needed" AFTER the payment has been recieved.

Paypal, does requires the buyer to fill out a form to use their credit card if they do not have an account, but that makes 100% sense and is necessary, which I understand.

Most times, they NEVER intended to buy, they just wanted to see the order form for a short version of the offer and the actual price. The more blind the letter, the higher the "abandonment" rate will be.

They're not convinced enough of the value of the product. Meaning, they're not completely sold on the idea that it's something they need right now.