Thanks to Pietro Schaff and Christine Abelyan for providing this blog post.
Ecommerce merchants looking to increase order volume and boost customer acquisition can utilize direct checkout links to their advantage. By simplifying the buying process for customers with direct links to checkout (with the right product already populated), converting new shoppers becomes even easier. Plus, order volume can be increased thanks to the ease of checking out with direct links.
In this blog, we’ll explore why these direct checkout links are an important ecommerce strategy, and the impact they’ve had for Recharge merchants. After releasing direct checkout links in December 2022, we’ve seen firsthand the results they’ve had for ecommerce brands utilizing them.
Key takeaways
- Direct checkout links are a crucial part of any successful ecommerce customer acquisition strategy.
- Merchants who use direct checkout links saw a net positive lift in order volume.
Why are direct checkout links an important strategy?
Direct checkout links are a crucial ecommerce strategy because of their ability to streamline the purchasing process for customers. By sending a direct link to checkout with the item prepopulated —and therefore taking out all the legwork that goes into choosing products and adding them to the cart—brands have a greater chance at converting customers. In short, direct checkout links eliminate unnecessary steps in the buying journey.
Plus, direct checkout links allow merchants to get very specific with their marketing campaigns. For example, a store could run a remarketing ad to someone who has abandoned their cart with a certain coffee product. If the person clicks on the ad, that specific coffee product is already prepopulated in the cart for them—making it faster and easier to complete their checkout.
Another great advantage of direct checkout is that these links can be embedded into websites, social media platforms, and marketing campaigns, and sent through email. This makes them adaptable to your brand’s needs and your specific goals.
The impact of direct checkout links
For merchants using direct checkout links, we’ve seen two huge benefits: expansion of their customer base and an increase in order volume. Below, we’ll dive into each of these impacts.
Expanding your customer base
Brands that are using direct checkout links are able to expand their customer base by acquiring customers for the very first time. When comparing the shoppers that purchase with direct checkout links from Recharge merchants, a higher percentage of them are new customers.
This trend is consistent across merchants of all different industries and sizes, making it a strong indicator that direct checkout links can have a direct impact on customer acquisition. Brands are able to use checkout links to aid with their customer acquisition without cannibalizing new shoppers from other channels. Plus, many of the customers acquired through direct checkout links provide returning revenue.
Increasing order volume
Something exciting we’ve seen since releasing direct checkout links has been its impact on order volume. Merchants who used direct checkout links saw, on average, a 1% lift in order volume this year. The top direct checkout link using merchants saw an almost 5% increase in order volume.
Recharge merchant Global Tea Hut saw direct checkout link purchases increase over time, while those from other checkout channels remained consistent month over month—proving how valuable these links can be in converting new customers and as a tactic for new customer acquisition.
Enhancing direct checkout links
After witnessing our merchants utilize direct checkout links successfully, we’ve continued to look for ways to improve this strategy. Ecommerce brands using these links have already seen increased order volume and greater customer acquisition thanks to the ease of purchasing from a direct checkout link.
So, what’s next? We’re always looking for ways to make direct checkout links better. Some things we are considering include:
- Select a specific variant to be used in the direct checkout link
- Input discount codes to be automatically applied in the direct checkout link
- Select multiple products to be included in a direct checkout link
- Select custom quantity to be included in a direct checkout link
If you’re a merchant with specific feedback for us, we’d love to hear it. Leave your feedback here and stay tuned for updates to direct checkout links soon.
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Sources
[1] Targeted marketing strategies: Unlocking potential with direct checkout links (Recharge)
