Progress Bars
Let them know how close they are
Progress Bars can increase conversion rates and order values by showing shoppers how much more they need to spend to qualify for extra benefits, or how close they are to completing checkout.
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How it works
Progress Bars can be displayed in a number of ways.
Triggers
Progress Bars can be shown when a visitor is about to leave the checkout, when they’ve been inactive for some time, or in response to clicks on buttons or links.
On-site display
Progress Bars can be displayed through subtle notifications which influence the user, or more persistent overlays or takeovers.
Use in emails
Progress indicators can be used in basket abandonment emails to highlight how long customers have left to checkout, or how much more they need to spend to qualify for free delivery.
About Progress Bars
Progress Bars are an incredibly useful conversion rate optimisation tool to let your consumers know how far away they are from completing certain actions, such as completing a purchase, or qualifying for free delivery.
Using Progress Bars provides a visual cue for customers. If they’re close to abandoning, it can show them the form or purchase is almost completed, offering encouragement to continue.
In other situations, it can help to improve average order values by providing reasons to add more shopping baskets. A Progress Bar which tells them they can have free shipping if they spend £10 more encourages people to add more shopping baskets.
On-site, Progress Bars can be displayed as a way to encourage conversion. They can be subtle prompts, or used as overlays or takeovers to ensure customers see the message.
The key is to provide a clear indication of the goal so the message is easily understood by shoppers. Context is key, so they need to be triggered at the right time – in response to customers about to leave the site, or when certain pages are loaded.
How Can Progress Bars Improve Your Conversion Rate
There are a group of high online traffic and sales periods such as Black Friday Sales or specific times of the year and month when your sector experiences peak patterns. The busiest retail months online can be a great opportunity to implement on-site progress bars that push customers further down the sales funnel.
You can also use progress indicators in basket abandonment emails. Giving your abandoners a visual cue in an email that tells them how long they have left to complete their purchase or how close they are to free delivery can help you recover abandoned sales.
The SaleCycle Blog is filled with strategy guides, tips and advanced digital marketing reports to give you a great platform to put these tools into place. Written by CRO and marketing experts and updated regularly.
