When you check the “remember me” box while logging into a website, it saves more than just your username and password. Right now, regular online shoppers get this. They know that the full benefit of eCommerce only happens when they create an account and log in. Without registering, returning visitors have to re-enter their credit card, billing, and shipping details every time they want to buy something.
The formal term for accessing saved information is persistent sessions. This is made possible with persistent cookies, which are small text files stored on a user’s computer. On a first-time visit, an online store is presented in default mode, but once an account is registered, viewing preferences and profile information is stored for access on all subsequent visits.
When it comes to eCommerce, there are persistent sessions and then there are persistent shopping carts, where previously viewed or selected items can be accessed. Both can improve a registered user’s experience by making it easier to retrieve a pending shopping cart.
Persistence pays off
Although it’s almost impossible to understand why some carts are abandoned, in many cases, the cart might not have been totally abandoned at all. Shoppers might have had every intention to return later to finish the transaction. In fact, many shoppers consider a shopping cart as more of a wish list than anything else. So while there’s no guarantee that a return visitor will purchase every item that they’d previously placed in their cart, allowing them to resume shopping will enhance their experience – especially from a convenience standpoint.
When a return visit doesn’t result in a completed transaction, persistent sessions can still reap benefits. By providing the feature, online store owners are able to better manage sales transactions by correlating shopping activities that span several sessions. Some eCommerce platforms even allow guests to take advantage of persistent shopping carts, further aiding marketers in their ability to deliver on shoppers’ wants and needs.
While guests are able to resume shopping, there are some viewing options not available to them that are available for registered customers. Those options include viewing order history, accessing previous billing and shipping information, as well as obtaining certain coupons, promotions and eligible contracts.
To take advantage of persistent sessions, eCommerce site owners must, of course, enable the feature. They must also create the “remember me” check box on the logon and registration page. To get help setting up persistent sessions, feel free to contact the team at NetSphere Strategies. We have experience assisting online retailers with everything from developing UI/UX strategies to integrating the most powerful eCommerce platforms available.
