In this article, we will discuss the different steps in the purchase path, which elements to highlight along this path, and which tools to use.
The key steps in the purchase path
arrival on your online ordering site’s homepage,- redirection to your restaurant’s menu,
- browsing through the various sections of the online menu,
- selecting the items,
- confirming the shopping basket,
- identification,
- selecting the pick-up/delivery method,
- choice of payment method and/or paying for the order,
- order confirmation.
What should I highlight on the purchase path?
Throughout this path, the user must be guided through the sequence of steps involved; it should not take more than 5 minutes to place an order. In fact, the time it takes to place an order is essential: if it’s too long, or if customers have to spend too much time looking for items, then they risk abandoning their shopping basket.
Consequently, the structure of your e-commerce site must be fluid and intuitive. Consumers also increasingly want to know the composition of the dishes that they order, and to be able to select items that correspond to their dietary preferences (organic, vegan, gluten-free, etc.). To win over and attract new customers, you should therefore highlight these arguments on your online menu. Promotional offers and discount vouchers are also highly sought after by Internet users when they buy on the Internet.
This is an influential factor in their buying decision on online ordering sites. Once customers have selected their products on your site, their sole objective is to be able to consume their order as quickly as possible. Your site’s identification and online payment steps should thus be as efficient as possible. One way of streamlining the identification step is to allow visitors to identify themselves via the Facebook Login; in just two or three clicks, they will be identified and recognized on your online ordering site.
Similarly, for the payment step, offering a one-click payment facility will allow customers to gain time. The last step is no less important: the order confirmation. It is good practice to send a confirmation e-mail to your customers; that way they can be sure that their order has been properly processed, and will know how long before it is delivered or available. As a result, they will be more inclined to be patient.
Which tools should I use to optimize the purchase path?
LivePepper offers a host of features that you can implement to customize and highlight your online menu, such as:
- automatic creation of a section dedicated to promotions;
- upselling to promote your best-selling products/products of the moment;
- indication of savings made thanks to your promotional offers;
- addition of product filters to only display vegetarian, organic or gluten-free products, for example;
- insertion of icons or tags to allow customers to instantly identify the composition of your dishes;
- integration of the Facebook Login;
- the one-click payment option;
- customized order confirmation e-mails.
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