Checkout! One-Page or Multi-Page

[elightbox]

We have been using the Multi-Page checkout because of the existing customer sign-in bug that was just fixed (thank you 3dcart for listening).
Now that existing customers can order without logging in, we are re-visiting the questions: One Page, or Multi-Page.

Please chime in. Is one page too daunting? Do you loose too many sales in the long Multi-Page checkout process. Which captures more customer e-mails in abandoned carts? Are there certain tweaks you found that simplify the one page?
Thank you.

[cbsteven]

I would love to be able to run an A/B test on this, but unfortunately it is just not possible with the system. I too embraced the multi page checkout when I signed up due to fewer bugs. I'm curious about one page checkout, but it would require many hours of work to bring the template up to parity.

[elightbox]

cbsteven, which other bugs are you referring to?

I have heard of a shipping issue if an item is marked "Free Shipping", however we do not have any of these.

I wouldn't mind putting in the work, however I have to make the decision on whether to switch from Multi-page. More delineation of sections is definitely required so the page does not look so overwhelming to nu-intiated shoppers (we have lots of those)

[cbsteven]

I was mostly referring to the log in bug, and just a general sense that the 1 page checkout was less reliable... HOWEVER that is just what my sense was a couple of years ago when I was doing my initial design over a year ago.

[Ruppy]

Frankly I would love to use one page checkout. Unfortunately the lack of shipping insurance makes that impossible. Ive tried several times to recode the single page to include the insurance but just cant get it going.

[Brtp4]

As long as the 1 page works as intended, and the anonymous capability is there, I am switching to it.

It may have issues, but a (much) shorter checkout process is a better choice for me.

BP

[MissHTML]

We tried it a couple of years back for a period of 6 months. We found our sales were not as good, and switched back to multi-page and have stayed with that since. I prefer the one page checkout but I guess our customers do not.

[rburton34]

Frankly I would love to use one page checkout. Unfortunately the lack of shipping insurance makes that impossible. Ive tried several times to recode the single page to include the insurance but just cant get it going.

I do like the shipping insurance option in the multiple cart. I just dont understand why it hasnt been added to the single page checkout. Makes no sense. All these features and updates but they can't add this much asked for option??

[elightbox]

MissHTML, maybe that was partly due to the bug that was just fixed.

One thing I noticed in testing if, if you use PayPal, you get sent back to the top of the Single Checkout page. I would believe most customers would think "What the heck!" instead of realizing they have to go to the bottom and click finalize order.
Did anyone do a on-load javascript to send the page to the bottom if a customer is coming back from PayPal??

In Fairness to the Single page, the Multi page sends you a whole page backwards which is not much better!

[Brtp4]

MissHTML, maybe that was partly due to the bug that was just fixed.

+1

BP

[wcsjohn]

I'd love to be able to do a split A/B as well. This is one area where 3dcart is really lacking. Testing.

[elightbox]

( I'd love to be able to do a split A/B as well. )

+1

[ritchey]

+1 - A/B Testing this would be great!

[9chiens]

We actually just tested this over the last two months. Live. By using first the one-page checkout, then switching the next week for the multi-page one. We compared sales (week to week and also year to year) as well as cart abandonment (looking at Orders Not Completed as well as orders partially checked out). We also picked up the phone and called some of the customers who partially checked out to see if they would reveal any problems.

The results, for us, were that the multi-page was far less confusing for our type of customer (an average shopper for a hobby-toy item- we're at Magic Shop for Magicians | MagicTricks.com ). By breaking up the pages, the information required on each page looked short and easy to fill out.

But apparently the most confusing part of the one page checkout is that when the customer fills in their address, the page refreshes itself. Even if they are already typing the info into the next section. For those customers who don't have top-notch Internet service, this results in a few seconds of a whitish page, with a spinning timer. Customers hated that. And it scared a few, and confused a few. It's not a common thing customers see when they check out at Amazon or any other big online shop.

Our customers preferred a simple step-by-step experience that didn't do an odd action in the middle. For others of you, your experience may be different because you sell a different type of product. But for us, multi-page checkout is better.

And if you still have doubt, remember that Amazon.com tests and tests and tests every single aspect of their site. Constantly. And they use multi-page checkout for their average customer.

[elightbox]

Thank you for mentioning this refreshing behavior, as I have not seen it mentioned, and I can see where it can cause confusion.
We are also having good luck with the Multi-page, and for the time being we will stay put.