Ecommerce Conversion Rate Optimization Checklist: 130+ Tips

15 min readApr 13, 2022

This e-commerce conversion optimization checklist can be applied to any website builder, such as Shopify, WooCommerce, Wix etc. There are 130+ tips covering the homepage, category listings, product pages, cart, checkouts, and other pages to boost sales and performance.

Ultimate Guide to Ecommerce Conversion Optimization — 130+ Checklist Tasks — Photo by Mark König on Unsplash

For more than 10 years, I’ve founded several start-ups, managed marketplaces with high traffic and transactions, and expanded businesses internationally. Sadly, I had to learn most of the conversion optimization tactics by losing money at the beginning, and I had to figure everything out on my own for a while. But I was lucky enough to raise a couple of investment rounds, having the experience of both success and failure and hold C-level positions in larger companies. During that time, I worked with highly talented team members and best-in-class advisors to pass seven-figure monthly revenues.

And now, I decided to write down what I learned and share my experiences with other entrepreneurs, business owners, digital marketers, and anyone else interested in this type of information. I plan to develop this checklist periodically, but I would be very grateful if you share any other tips or tricks you have tried and succeeded in. We can improve this ultimate conversion optimization checklist together, or you can read it and get what you need to grow your business. Please share your thoughts, experiences, quick-win strategies or questions in the comments.

Before we start, let me explain how I designed this checklist a little bit. I tried to include the most essential elements of an e-commerce website. However, do not use this list to solve everything at once. Conversion optimization is a mindset that every start-up founder, digital marketer, UI/UX designer, product developer, or business owner must-have. Conversion optimization tactics are constantly developing and evolving. Please use this checklist as a starting point to understand that mindset, apply the tips one by one with A/B tests and always keep track of the performance improvement metrics.


Table of Contents  ∘ Overall website experience CRO tips
  ∘ Header (Navigation Menu) CRO tips
  ∘ Footer CRO tips
  ∘ Homepage CRO tips
  ∘ Category Listing Pages CRO tips
  ∘ Product Page CRO tips
  ∘ Cart and Checkout Page CRO tips

What is conversion rate optimization (also known as CRO), and how is it calculated?

Everyone’s dream is to have the best conversion rate! — Photo by Jon Cellier on Unsplash

Optimization of conversion rate (CRO) refers to increasing the percentage of conversions (which can be a sale, lead generation form, adding new subscribers or anything else that is valuable to your business) from a website or app. You can find conversion rates changing at every stage of digital marketing, based on your goals and the company’s objectives.

The main goal of any CRO strategy is to increase the number of conversions for each visitor. The best way to do this is to use analytical tools to identify what users like about your site or app and then make changes to it in order to increase sales, revenue, profit and growth.

Here are the most common conversion goals by digital industries:

Media/ Publishing Websites — page views, ad views, newsletter subscriptions, recommended content engagement
Ecommerce — add-to-carts, sales, shopping cart completions, newsletter sign-ups
Travel — bookings, additional purchases, shares on social media
B2B — generated leads, setting-up meetings, closed deals

To calculate the conversion rate, divide the total number of visitors by the number of conversions (or, let’s say, desired actions taken) and multiply the result by 100.

For instance, if your web page had 50 sales yesterday and 2500 visitors, your conversion rate is 50 divided by 2500 (0.02), multiplied by 100 = 2%.

After passing that vital information, let’s dive into page-type-based ecommerce conversion optimization points.

Complete CRO Guide to Boost your Conversion Rate and Increase Revenue!

Below are the most common conversion rate optimization tactics categorized by website sections. Keep in mind that each task must be tested, and the performance doesn’t depend on putting the element or doing what the task said. From design to load time, there are a number of factors that can impact performance, but this list provides a good starting point for optimizing conversions. Please share your experiences with the results in the comments and let readers learn more about your A/B testing.

Tyler Durden: Welcome to CRO Club. The first rule of CRO Club is: you do prioritize mobile all the time, and desktop will come after. The second rule of CRO Club is: you do prioritize mobile all the time, and desktop will come after!

The game is no longer a desktop game. You should build a winning strategy on mobile for success, and desktop needs to support mobile.

CRO tips related to the overall website experience

General conversion optimization tasks for a website. — Photo by Sigmund on Unsplash

Site speed and core web vitals assessment results of all page types must be within acceptable limits. Don’t just check the homepage and think everything is fine. Try to improve all of these page types as much as possible: Homepage, Product Listing Page, Product Page, Blog Listing Page, Blog Detail Page. Make sure both mobile and desktop versions are performing well.
A call-to-action button should appear on every page, and you should be consistent with your CTA messages across the site.
Keep your CTA messages short and to the point.
Use the same color for your CTA buttons.
For cookie consent, promotion, campaigns, etc., pop-ups should not cover the whole page and be easy to close. You should also avoid using too many pop-ups and annoying your visitors.
The tone of the language must be consistent throughout the site. It can be friendly, informal or too formal. It depends on your strategy, but make sure your tone is the same whether you post on social media or write on your website.
Use only high-quality images. It is worth investing some money into this.
Avoid using images that are commonly used. Don’t just search for “free stock photos” and use the same images as millions of other websites.
Set up a live chat widget and respond quickly

Conversion Rate Optimization Tactics on Header (Navigation Menu)

Getting around in the backcountry is easier. — Photo by Jamie Street on Unsplash

Put your main categories on your navigation menu and easily let your user see subcategories. Don’t try to add too many categories or links.
Prioritize your header links from the most important categories, pages and features to the least important. It is not necessary to cover the entire website in the header section. Try to include the best-performing or most valuable pages in the header section.
You can use category images if you don’t have too many categories or subcategories. (for web version only)
Make sure your categories and subcategories are optimized for what your visitors are searching for. If, for instance, your visitors are searching for “GPS sport watches” and you put “GPS Watch” as the subcategory title, you might consider changing your subcategory heading.
Your header menu should not include unnecessary links such as privacy policies, return policies, and terms and conditions.
Definitely have a search bar and make search and cart widgets easily accessible by using sticky navigation.
The search and cart icons should always be visible in the header, whether on a mobile or desktop device.
Include a cart icon for the cart in the header. Don’t just use the text “Cart” or “Basket”.
An autocomplete and an autosuggest option should be provided in the search. Product categories and products should be displayed in a logical order.
Keep track of what your visitors are searching for and periodically add synonyms and misspell words’ equivalence to your search engine.
Try displaying close variants like the “did you mean that” feature on Google and add special offers if you have them on the website if there are no results returned.
Periodically check search queries with no results displayed to expand your service and product offerings.
The search bar should display a magnifying glass icon, and users should be able to choose results by pressing the Enter key.
Place the most common terms as placeholders in the search bar.
Show the number of products added to the cart on the cart icon when users start adding products.
Use announcement bar or widgets to show if you have a free shipping option/ special coupon etc.
Display how much the user needs to add to the cart to get free shipping and how much shipping fee the user will save.
Fill in the empty card page/widget with special offers or best-selling products.

Conversion Rate Optimization Tactics on Footer

Your footer can be more useful when it’s alive. — Photo by Waldemar Brandt on Unsplash

People tend to think footers are just graveyards. Nope, they aren’t.

Make your return policy, privacy policy, and terms & conditions easily accessible. You may also add additional guarantees/policies if you provide them, such as free return shipping, a no-questions-asked policy, etc.
The links on your About Us, Contact, Vision, and Mission pages should be near where your policies are located.
Include links to your social media accounts in the footer.
All social media links and policy pages should be tagged with the “no follow” attribute.
If you’re working with a charity or NGO, explain how you’re helping. For example, 1% of sales go to preserving and restoring the natural environment.
Include a link to customer reviews in your footer.
If you are new to the market, provide your physical address and company information to show there is a real business behind you.
Add trust icons or badges such as your overall customer review rate, Trustpilot rating, or excellent customer satisfaction award.
Add your categories’ links but be careful, don’t add too many footer links.

Conversion Rate Optimization Tactics on Homepage

Home, sweet home! — Photo by Scott Webb on Unsplash

Don’t overcrowd your homepage. Keep it simple. Let it breathe with white space.
The top section of a homepage is the most valuable. Put your most important message and call-to-action at the top of your home page. Make sure that your value proposition is clear.
Don’t be afraid to invest in high-quality images. It is extremely hard to create a professional and trustworthy look with low quality and commonly used images.
The correct visual hierarchy on the homepage allows shoppers to easily find the elements they need.
Use the space below the main image of your homepage to display site-wide offers like free shipping, same-day delivery, pay with installments, etc.
Create a visual hierarchy on the homepage. This allows shoppers to easily find the elements they are looking for.
You should convey the right message about why using your service is a good choice. Showcase your differentiation points such as charity partnerships, no-questions-asked returns, not tested on animals, and 100% organic products.
Your homepage should feature the most popular products and categories, which will help customers decide what to buy.
Your homepage should feature special offers and deals. Promoting special offers can encourage people to make a purchase.
Your home page should include a widget showing recently viewed items for returning visitors. It will assist returning visitors and make your home page more personalized.
It should be clear on the home page how clients can contact them, such as a live chat option, a phone number, etc.
Put special category pages on the home page, such as clearance, best sellers, spring 50% off etc.
Social proof is heavily regarded by shoppers when making purchasing decisions. Include social proof on your homepage to encourage shoppers to make an informed decision.
Awards, trust badges, and certificates should be displayed on the homepage.
You should cover mentions on mainstream media platforms or companies using your products with well-known company logos.
Include screenshots or embed social media posts featuring your service or product.

Conversion Rate Optimization Tactics on Category Listing Pages

Too many things to show but no one’s ready for it! — Photo by Joshua Fernandez on Unsplash

Choose easy-to-understand category names.
Optimize category names and links to your website by conducting keyword searches and analyzing internal search terms.
Allow visitors to sort the listing page not only from cheapest to most expensive but also from best sellers or newly added items. The sorting feature should be located in the top right corner.
Allow users to choose between list and grid views.
Market belief: use grid view if product images are essential, use list view if details are more important. However, I strongly recommend running an A/B test on this topic.
Breadcrumbs should be easily clickable and should inform visitors where they are.
Optimize the size of the product card and display three to four products in each row.
When a new user loads the page, show the best-selling products in that category.
Display other product images on the product cards so visitors can see different images without going to the product page.
Provide color options on product cards and let visitors select the colors to view linked images.
Include product name, brand, images, old price, new price, discount percentage, number of reviews, overall rating and additional colors in the product card.
The CTA button should be optimized for mobile viewing, and it should not dominate the screen when there are more than six products on a page.
Clicking on the image and product title should bring the visitor to the product page. You could also make the entire product card clickable to go to the product detail page.
Badges such as “hot seller”, “best seller”, “only 1 left” or “clearance” must be placed on the product image.
Add a filtering option if you have a lot of products.
Display the number of total products on the category page at the top left corner and update it if a filter is applied.
Create a hierarchy of filtering specifications and place the most important ones at the top.
Consider covering most searched specifications and enabling those filtering options so visitors can narrow their focus.
If you don’t have the data in the products’ data, don’t put any filtering options. This can be tricky. Don’t provide filtering options that are very detailed when you don’t have products to display for the visitors.
If you cannot find enough items after applying filters, put hot selling products or discounted products.
Visitors should be able to select multiple filters at once, and the listing should update when each filter is selected.

Conversion Rate Optimization Tactics on Product Page

Products always look better on a yellow background. — Photo by C D-X on Unsplash

Product titles should be descriptive and help customers understand. For instance: consider writing Waterproof, Insulated, -30 Rated Winter Boots instead of Winter Boots.
Google only takes the first 65 characters of page titles, which is our product name in this case. Limit the product name to 65 characters.
High-quality images with a white background taken from different angles mean more conversions.
Choose an attractive main product image that best describes the product.
Make it easy for visitors to zoom in on images. Display thumbnails of other available images, include videos in the product gallery, and add different images for different variants.
Provide arrows on the product gallery to help users navigate between images.
Provide highlighted information that explains who uses the product or what it’s about in the subtitle.
Ensure that the main call to action button is the most visible element on the product page and includes a cart icon.
Ensure all buttons, variant selectors, drop-downs, and other clickable elements have enough space and provide a good user experience on mobile.
Add identifiers to required areas like color, size, etc., if a customer clicks the “add to cart” button without selecting them.
Give both imperial and metric sizes in the size chart.
Be sure to give as many details about your product as possible in your product descriptions.
Make sure your product description answers the questions Google searches about that product.
Create product descriptions that are grouped, bulleted, and highlight the most important features. Make them easy to read.
In addition to the image gallery, add a product review or how-to video to the product description.
If applicable, include a tab for technical aspects of the product.
Allow customers to ask questions about the product. Then include answers to their most frequent questions in the description.
Display the model’s size and the product’s size to help visitors estimate the product’s size.
When a customer clicks the “add to cart” button, confirm that the product has been added to the cart and ask them whether they wish to continue shopping or proceed to checkout.
If you sell goods or services internationally, try to display the price in the visitor’s local currency.
Show the listing price and the discounted price clearly, along with the saving amount and the discount percentage.
Be sure to mention any additional costs added during the checkout process next to the product price if you calculate shipping and tax on the checkout page.
Close to the “Add to Basket” button, highlight free shipping, money-back guarantee, and free returns.
Once the first item is added to the basket, display the additional amount needed to make the order eligible for free shipping.
Display the product’s availability and place it close to the primary call-to-action. You can also add urgency stamps like “only 4 left” if the product is in short supply.
Display all payment options you provide like PayPal, Amazon, Google Pay, Apple Pay etc. Give customers the feeling that they don’t need to enter all their personal information and fill out lengthy forms.
Provide installment options with Klarna, Afterpay, Paybright, etc. Add all payment providers’ logos to the product page.
Include an estimated shipping date on the product page.
Allow customers to upload photos and videos with their reviews. Additionally, try to collect the review title, rating, and reason for buying that product along with the review text.
Include the customer’s country in the reviews if you sell goods internationally.
Provide sorting and filtering features if you have a lot of reviews.
Show social proof by including social media posts from your happy customers.
Include a widget for “commonly purchased together” to upsell and a widget for “who viewed this product also purchased these products” to provide options.
Offer a discount for bulk orders when bundled with multiple items.
Add “X people ordered this product this week” or “Y people viewed this product today” notifications.
Offer a $10 discount to the first-time visitors or a similar campaign to convert them into customers.
When stocks aren’t available, collect email addresses and notify them when the product is back in stock.
Again give information about your charity partnerships on the product page. For example: “We are donating 1% of revenue to plant trees all over the globe.”

Conversion Rate Optimization Tactics on Cart and Checkout Page

Best view for an e-commerce website manager, a customer is about to make payment! — Photo by Pickawood on Unsplash

Remove the header part and simplify the page design with your logo and step-by-step instructions to finalize the order.
Display the amount of money needed to qualify for free shipping.
Allow customers to change the number of added products, delete and save for later without having to leave the cart page or refresh the page.
Include all the necessary information to identify the product, such as its title, image, price, discounted price, variants, and quantity.
Show the expected delivery date on the cart page.
Add return, refund, and money-back guarantee policies below the added products with a click to expand element.
When the order time is appropriate, show a message like “Complete your order within 2 hours and get your product shipped by tonight.”.
Use catching to show visitors the added products in their cart when they return to your website.
Include discounted upsell products related to the added products in the “You might also like these” widget.
You should clearly indicate the total list price, discount, final price, shipping and estimated tax. There should be no nasty surprises.
Show all payment partners’ logos (such as Paypal, Google Pay, Apple Pay, Stripe, Klarna, etc.)Show all payment partners’ logos (such as Paypal, Google Pay, Apple Pay, Stripe, Klarna, etc.)
Include your protection certificates and trust badges to make customers feel comfortable entering their credit card information.
Put a trustworthy call-to-action to guide customers to the checkout page. For example: “Proceed to Secure Checkout”
To prevent users from searching for coupon codes in Google, hide the Coupon Code entry area by default.
Put a checkout as a guest option.
Reduce the number of steps required to complete the form. Don’t ask “How did you hear about us?” or similar nice-to-have questions during the checkout process.
Clearly indicate errors in the input areas with red alerts in each error area and automatically navigate the page on the errors.
Include trust badges and payment provider logos, but don’t link to external sites from any element or text on the checkout page.
Instead of opening a new page, open the terms-of-use, privacy policy, or return policy in a pop-up.
A checkbox should allow the user to check “the billing address is the same as shipping”, so the address does not need to be entered twice.
On mobile devices, display the numeric keyboard when entering data into a number-only input field (e.g. phone number, postal code)
Validate the data when it is entered. For example, do not give an alert when the email does not contain @ symbol when the user clicks the next step button. Instead, show that alert when the user inputs the incorrect data.
You can fill in lots of details, such as postal code, city, province/state, etc., with an address lookup database so the user cannot mistype the address.

Thanks for reading this article! Feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions or suggestions for improving this checklist. Don’t forget to follow to get the latest tips, tricks, and news about digital marketing, growth hacking, e-commerce, marketplaces and start-ups.