Online Shopping Cart

An Online Shopping Cart is a virtual basket on an e-commerce website where customers can collect items they want to buy.

It allows users to select and store items temporarily as they navigate through a website, much like a physical shopping cart in a retail store.1

Functionality

  1. Selection of Products: Customers can browse the website and add desired items to their cart with a simple click. Each item added is saved in the cart, allowing customers to continue shopping without losing their selections.
  2. Modification: The online shopping cart offers flexibility to change the quantity of items, remove items, or save them for future purchases. This ensures that customers have control over their purchases before proceeding to checkout.
  3. Display of Information: The cart displays detailed information about the items selected, including product name, price, quantity, and any applicable discounts.
  4. Price Calculation: The cart automatically calculates the total cost of the items, including taxes and shipping fees. This provides a clear overview of the final cost before making the purchase.
  5. Checkout Process: Once customers are satisfied with their selections, the shopping cart guides them through the checkout process. This typically includes entering shipping information, selecting a payment method, and reviewing the order before confirming the purchase.2

Benefits

  • Convenience: Collect items over time and buy them all at once.
  • Flexibility: Change the items and quantities in your cart as needed.
  • Transparency: See all costs clearly, including taxes and shipping.
  • Ease of Use: Simplifies the buying process, reducing the chance of cart abandonment.3

Example

Consider a customer shopping on an online electronics store.

They browse various categories, adding a smartphone, headphones, and a charging cable to their shopping cart.

As they add these items, the cart displays the total price, including an extended warranty option for the smartphone.

Before checkout, the shopping cart also suggests a compatible phone case, an example of cross-selling.

The customer reviews their selections, changes as needed, and proceeds to checkout through the shopping cart interface.

Related Terms

References:

1. Whitten, M. (2023, December 14). How do e-commerce shopping carts work?. Digital.com. https://digital.com/ecommerce-shopping-cart/

2. Heinonen, K. (2010). Optimizing sales of online shopping cart within the digital customer life cycle. https://www.theseus.fi/handle/10024/24570

3. Ortale, S. (2023, June 16). Shopping cart optimization: A guide for eCommerce retailers. KORONA POS. https://koronapos.com/blog/ecommerce-shopping-cart-optimization-guide/

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