Why I Abandoned My Shopping Cart

The problem of online shopping cart abandonment is discussed in an article published today in Commerce Times. The story by Pam Baker contains useful information and is worth a read.

Meanwhile, here''s a personal story about a shopping cart I recently abandoned. I was about to make my usual tea order from my usual online site. When I got to check out, I noticed that shipping charges had gone up -- to the point that I thought it was too expensive, so I abandoned my cart and sent an e-mail asking if they could ship via parcel post.

The e-mail reply told me that they cannot because parcel post cannot be tracked.

OK, I understand, I guess, but that didn't solve my problem of the shipping costing as much as one of the boxes of tea I would have ordered.

After this occurred, I discovered a bricks and mortar store which carries the hard-to-find tea that I love. Once a month, I get my hair cut near this store, so I can always easily replenish. I will pay no shipping. And the store is a discounter, so I save money all the way around.

And here's the rub for the online retailer, which has lost my business. If it had made an exception and agreed to work with me to ship parcel post, I would never have gone looking for another source for my tea.

No doubt that retailer has its reasons and no doubt they are valid, but it did lose a customer.