How to Boost Average Order Value with Trust Signals

We Placed USPs Near Checkout… and Sales Went Up! In eCommerce, even the smallest on-page optimizations can make a measurable impact on conversion rates. We recently tested a simple but strategic tweak for an online retailer: positioning key unique selling points (USPs) directly next to the checkout button in the cart. The goal? Encourage hesitant buyers by reinforcing trust and value at the final stage of the purchase journey. The Experiment 💡 Hypothesis: Customers who are undecided at checkout may need a final push. Displaying USPs like “Free Shipping,” “Easy Returns,” or “Secure Checkout” could reduce hesitation and increase completed purchases. 🔎 What We Changed: We repositioned key USPs right beside the call-to-action button, ensuring that they were clearly visible at the critical moment of decision-making. The Results: 📈 +1.58% increase in conversion rate 💰 +1.73% boost in revenue per visitor 📊 +1.49% lift in profit per visitor 🛒 Projected: 179 additional orders per month if implemented permanently This test showed consistent positive trends across all devices and audience types, reinforcing the impact of subtle psychological triggers in the checkout flow. Key Takeaways: ✅ Trust signals matter. Shoppers often need one final reassurance before clicking “Buy.” Strategically placed USPs can eliminate last-minute doubts. ✅ Small changes drive big impact. A 1.58% lift in conversions may seem minor, but at scale, this translates to significant revenue growth over time. ✅ Works across all devices. Whether on desktop or mobile, the enhanced visibility of USPs improved conversion rates consistently. Next Steps: Given these findings, we’ve fully deployed this variation sitewide and will continue to refine USP placement, messaging, and design to optimize further. 🔍 Have you tested adding trust signals near your checkout? Let’s discuss—what has worked (or not worked) for your store? 👇

Most customers come for the reward… But that’s not why they convert. A shiny discount. A compelling feature. A slick UGC campaign. Those are all pull factors… But the actual purchase is driven by something simpler… People buy to avoid regret more than they do to seek reward. It’s the fear of making the wrong choice, wasting money, or being let down that truly drives decision-making. So, how do you tackle this on-site? By understanding and addressing the risks your customers perceive at every touchpoint. Think about the questions running through their minds: - "Will this product solve my problem?" - "What if it doesn’t work for me?" - "Can I trust this brand?" Here’s how to leverage CRO to answer those questions and reduce regret: 1. Elevate Trust Signals Social proof is essential here. Display customer reviews, real UGC, and any third-party validation prominently. But don’t stop there. Dive deeper. If customers respond to specific types of UGC (e.g., relatable people, real-world scenarios), test featuring that content on key pages like the PDP. AB Testing is the perfect way to validate which trust elements resonate before scaling a campaign. 2. Overcommunicate on Risk Reduction One of the simplest ways to reduce regret is to make it clear there’s nothing to lose. Flexible return policies, guarantees, or even live chat support can help remove hesitation.  And it’s not just about having these policies → it’s about where and how you communicate them. Does the return policy show up where anxiety peaks, like the checkout?  Or is it buried in a footer link? 3. Reaffirm External Campaigns If you’ve invested heavily in UGC or influencer campaigns, ensure the journey remains consistent. When customers hit your site, it should *feel* like the product your influencers were raving about. Reuse that UGC in hero images or PDPs to reinforce the story and validate the trust they arrived with. 4. Test and Validate Before you go all-in on a new strategy, test elements like UGC types, review placement, and guarantee messaging directly on your site. Use these insights to guide larger investments. Because here’s the thing: It’s not enough to get people to your site. You need to reassure them when they’re inches away from converting. Visitors may come for the reward, but customers convert, because you’ve removed the risk. The brands that understand this don’t just sell → they build loyalty.

70% PDPs bury critical info below the 3rd fold. (where less than 40% visitors reach) Leading to: – Shoppers unable to understand USPs – High bounce rate or drop-off in first fold – Less than 10% add to cart rate Showing the right things, at the right time, in the right order is critical for conversion. In this breakdown, I’ve made 11 strategic changes that improve content hierarchy and make a page convert better. 1. Add USP badges. These badges highlight product suitability and certifications, helping users see if it fits their needs and values. 2. Have a concise product title and short description. Place this above the product image. This helps users understand what the product is and why it’s useful right away. 3. Show awards that the product has won. This builds credibility. Especially in skincare and health care. 4. Showcase product thumbnails. This increases engagement with the image gallery. Helping more visitors learn about the product and convert. 5. Add key product USPs. These short notes give users an instant sense of what makes the product stand out, capturing interest without needing to read full descriptions. 6. Add clear bullet points for key product benefits. Explain exactly how the product works and what users can expect, making it easy to scan and understand the value. 7. Make the add to cart CTA stand out. Avoid stroke outline and keep a fill. A/B test having a sticky add to cart CTA. 8. Place trust signals closer to the purchase button. When shipping and return details appear right where buying decisions happen, it reduces the friction that causes cart abandonment. 9. Highlighting what's NOT in the product with clear icons. Helps to understand the brand's values and can trust that it aligns with their ingredient preferences. 10. Include before/after photos. Visual proof of results paired with clear benefit statements builds credibility. Helps skeptical shoppers see real evidence. 11. Add a "Complete Your Routine" section. Suggest complementary products to guide customers toward building a full regimen, naturally increasing order value while helping them succeed. Other UX/UI and CRO changes I did: – Moved product name above the gallery – Added sneak peek on the next image – Replace paragraphs with bullets P.S - Educational, visual PDPs build trust and make it easier for shoppers to buy. Remember, most visitors get distracted easily, so you want to really optimize the first 2 folds. If you want to get a CRO / UX audit for your store, reach out to me on DM. #conversionrateoptimization