The main goal for an ecommerce store is always the same: turning people who visit the website into customers.
But the question that pops up every year is also the same: what’s a good website conversion rate?
The Google Trends report below shows that the popularity of the keyword “website conversion rate” has increased in the past year. This proves that people are still interested and invested in it.
If you’re one of these people, no need to stress…we’re here to help! In this article, we’ll talk about average conversion rates, share the foundations of website conversion, and give you seven tips to improve yours.
Let’s get right into it!
Shortcuts ✂️
- What is a website conversion?
- How to calculate conversion rates?
- What is the average website conversion rate?
- What is the average conversion rate based on industry?
- What is the average conversion rate based on device type?
- What is the average conversion rate based on country?
- How to increase your ecommerce conversion rate?
What is a website conversion?
Website conversion is all about tracking the percentage of visitors who do what the website wants them to do.
For online stores, this mainly involves keeping track of how many visitors make a purchase, indicating how effective the website is at turning visitors into customers.
However, it’s not just about sales—actions like signing up for a newsletter or downloading an ebook are also considered conversions, though on a smaller scale. These are deemed micro-conversions, and by tracking them you can assess how well your website is achieving its goals beyond just sales transactions.
Website conversion rate is one of the key performance indicators when it comes to reaching your objectives.
How to calculate conversion rates?
You can calculate your conversion rate by dividing the total number of conversions by the total number of visitors and then multiplying the outcome by 100.
Here’s the formula to calculate the conversion rate:
What is the average website conversion rate?
The average website conversion rate is a key indicator for businesses aiming to understand how effectively their websites are converting site visitors into customers.
On a global scale, the typical conversion rate benchmark stands at approximately 3.4%.
But keep in mind that average conversion rates can change depending on factors like the industry and the devices people use.
What is the average conversion rate based on industry?
Different businesses and online stores have varying levels of competition and serve different types of customers.
That’s why when you want to understand how well your business is doing, you have to look at ecommerce conversion rate benchmarks that fit your specific type of business.
For example, in the beauty industry, about 3.3% of people who visit a website end up taking the desired action. Meanwhile, in the electronics industry, this number is lower, averaging around 1.9%.
Here are the average ecommerce conversion rate benchmarks for different industries:
- Clothes and fashion: 2.7%
- Health and beauty products: 3.3%
- Entertainment items: 2.5%
- Household goods: 2.1%
- Electronics: 1.9%
- Food and drinks: 4.6%
What can we learn from these numbers? That in the world of ecommerce, average conversion rates vary widely depending on industry—so be sure you’re comparing yours to the right benchmark!
Conducting a conversion analysis and grasping these differences helps businesses set practical goals and create better plans to increase their conversion rates.
What is the average conversion rate based on device type?
As more and more people use their phones and mobile devices to shop, it’s crucial to know how your website is performing on different devices.
In 2024, conversion rates on desktop remain higher than those on mobile: the overall average ecommerce conversion rate on desktops is 4.8%, which is about 1.7 times higher than the 2.9% rate on mobile devices.
Conversion rates are higher on desktop because people often find it easier to buy things on a desktop. Maybe they sit down to make their final purchase on the larger screen of a desktop, while mobile users might just be looking around and comparing options—or browsing to pass the time while waiting in a line somewhere!
Understanding these differences helps businesses to reach their conversion goal on both desktops and mobile devices.
Increase your mobile conversion rates with these 16 proven tips and tricks.
What is the average conversion rate based on country?
Conversion rates are different in each country, so it’s important to look at various stats and understand how shopping habits change according to where people are shopping from.
According to Adobe Experience Cloud, these are the average ecommerce conversion rates by country:
- In the United States, the average rate is approximately 2.3%.
- For Germany, it hovers around 2.22%.
- In Denmark, the rate stands at about 1.80%.
- The Netherlands sees an average of roughly 1.78%.
- In Italy, the rate is lower, around 0.99%.
- In contrast to the countries above, the United Kingdom boasts a higher average at 4.1%.
How to increase your ecommerce conversion rate?
Now that we’ve talked about average conversion rates, it’s time to get into how you can actually go about boosting conversions and attracting more qualified leads and potential customers.
1. Have a responsive website
Given that Google penalizes slow websites, it’s essential to concentrate on optimizing your site’s experience across different devices.
Make sure your website loads quickly and functions well on various devices to provide a smooth and efficient user experience.
Take care of your images and fonts (to improve your site’s speed) and make sure the buttons are large enough for mobile users to tap easily.
2. Provide a buying guide
To get people to buy more, first you need to give more: specifically, information about your products.
Create a simple guide that tells potential buyers about your products and how they can help. When customers know more, they’re more likely to buy.
A guide can be a useful tool in helping them decide. For example, Sephora has multiple buying guides that are visual and engaging.
3. Test your call-to-action copy
The effectiveness of your call-to-action (CTA) can make or break a conversion for an online store.
Experiment with different copy, colors, and placements to identify how users interact with your CTAs and what resonates best with your target audience. A/B testing your CTAs allows you to refine your approach continually and optimize for the highest conversion rates.
Amazon experiments with 2 CTAs on their landing page: “Add to Cart” and “Buy Now”:
4. Reduce the steps during checkout
Another step in conversion rate optimization is to streamline the checkout process to minimize friction.
Lengthy and complicated checkout procedures can lead to cart abandonment.
Aim for simplicity by reducing the number of steps and only asking for essential information. The smoother the process, the higher a site’s conversion rate will be.
5. Use cart abandonment popups
Implementing cart abandonment popups can be a game-changer for ecommerce websites.
When users are about to leave without completing a purchase, a well-timed popup offering a discount or reminding them of the items in their cart can rekindle interest and encourage them to finalize the transaction.
6. Offer great return policies
Create trust by providing clear and customer-friendly return policies. When customers know they can easily return a product if it doesn’t meet their expectations, it gives them confidence and increases the likelihood that they’ll make a purchase.
Take a look at Best Buy. They offer two ways to make a return: customers can ship back the product to them or return it to the store.
7. Offer free shipping
Shipping costs are a significant factor in the online purchasing decision, and they can easily enhance a store’s conversion rate. Consider offering free shipping, even if it means adjusting product prices slightly.
Many consumers are more likely to complete a purchase when they know there are no additional costs at checkout. Plus, it could also boost your average order value.
FAQ
How can I track and analyze website conversion rates?
Google Analytics or other analytics tools can help you monitor and analyze website conversion rates. Set up goals and events to track specific actions (like click-throughs from search ads) and regularly review the data to identify areas for improvement. You can also use A/B testing to experiment with different elements and measure their impact on your conversion rates.
What are the common reasons for low conversion rates?
A low conversion rate could be caused by a variety of reasons such as a confusing website layout or customer journey, unclear calls-to-action, slow page load times, irrelevant content, or trust issues. Conducting a thorough analysis of user behavior and feedback can help you identify and address specific issues.
Is it important to optimize for mobile devices to improve conversion rates?
Yes, optimizing for mobile devices is crucial if you’re unhappy with your conversion rates. With a growing number of users accessing websites on mobile devices, a mobile-friendly design ensures a positive user experience, leading to higher conversion rates. Google also considers mobile-friendliness as a ranking factor.
Can social proof and testimonials impact conversion rates?
Yes, social proof and testimonials can significantly influence conversion rates. Positive reviews, testimonials, and social media endorsements build trust and credibility, making visitors more likely to convert. Incorporating these elements strategically on your website can enhance its persuasive power.
Wrapping up
Your store’s conversion rate is influenced by various factors.
In this article, we covered website conversion rates and the key factors that influence them. We hope you’ve gained a better understanding of the fundamentals and what constitutes a good conversion rate in your industry.
Implementing the tips we shared today can result in a higher conversion rate in 2024, so what’s stopping you? Go forth and reach your conversion rate goals!
