Checkout Speed: The Big Four Ecommerce Platforms Compared
The average conversion rate drops by 7% for every second of delay in checkout speed. That’s why it’s crucial for ecommerce businesses to prioritize and optimize their checkout page load speed. With the rise of online shopping, customers expect a fast and seamless checkout experience, and any delays or complications can lead to lost sales and dissatisfied customers. In this blog post, we’ll compare the checkout speed of the four major ecommerce platforms and offer an alternative solution that promises to be the Checkout Champ. So buckle up and get ready to find out which platform reigns supreme when it comes to checkout speed.
The Factors That Impact Checkout Speed
When it comes to checkout speed, there are several factors at play. Your choice of hosting plays a significant role, especially if you’re using self-hosted platforms like WordPress or Magento. The quality and configuration of your hosting can directly impact your site’s speed and thus the checkout process.
Another critical factor is the theme your platform uses. Not all themes are created equal; some WordPress and Magento themes are optimized for speed and provide faster checkout experiences than others. Therefore, choosing a lightweight and speed-optimized theme is crucial to improving checkout speed.
Shopify and BigCommerce are “platforms as a service.” Hosting is taken care of, so they tend to have better checkout speed than WooCommerce or Magento. Here are some stats about how long each platform takes to load the checkout page:
– Shopify reports that its page speed load time on the checkoutpage is about one second. For some store owners, the speed can be a little bit slower.
– Some developers on StackExchange report that the average load speed for Magento can be anywhere from two to four seconds.
– Depending upon the theme, BigCommerce can load within one to three seconds.
– On a faster server, such as hosted WordPress, WooCommerce’s checkout can load within one to three seconds.
How To Improve Checkout Load Speed
Boosting your checkout load speed can be a game-changer for your ecommerce platform. Consider implementing a content delivery network (CDN) to serve your website content from servers close to your users, reducing the time it takes to load your site.
Leverage browser caching, which stores webpage resource files on a user’s computer, decreasing load times on subsequent visits. If you’re using a self-hosted platform, opt for a dedicated hosting provider known for speed and reliability. For those on Shopify or BigCommerce, consider investing in a premium theme optimized for speed. A premium theme will often have a faster transition time between the cart page and the checkout page.
Regularly update your ecommerce platform and plugins to ensure optimal performance. Lastly, minimize the use of redirects, as they can cause additional delays in page loading. Remember, every second counts when it comes to checkout speed, so take steps to streamline and enhance the process wherever possible.
Why Checkout Speed Is Important
The importance of checkout speed in ecommerce cannot be overstated. Research shows that 47% of consumers expect a webpage to load in two seconds or less. Even a delay of one second in page response can lead to a 7% reduction in conversions. And in the world of ecommerce, conversions mean revenue. But the implications of slow checkout speed extend beyond immediate sales loss. A two-second delay in the checkout can cause abandonment rates to be as high as 85%. This is significantly higher than the average abandonment rate of 70%. Moreover, 79% of dissatisfied customers are less likely to purchase from the same site again.
Which Platform Has the Fastest Checkout Load Speed
While the big four ecommerce platforms offer varying checkout load speeds, from one to four seconds, there’s a promising alternative that consistently outperforms them all: Checkout Champ. This innovative solution doesn’t merely level the playing field but sets a new standard, loading in just one swift second!
The advantage of Checkout Champ extends beyond speed. Unlike the big four platforms, which often limit customization to maintain optimum load speeds, Checkout Champ allows you to fully customize your checkout process. This customization can lead to an increased Average Order Value as you can easily implement strategic upsells and cross-sells during the checkout process. So, if you’re looking for a solution that offers both lightning-fast speed and customizable features to maximize sales, Checkout Champ could be your secret weapon in the fiercely competitive world of ecommerce.