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Blog Post 2 min read

Add to cart ui design: users blame cart abandonment on price, choices

Users Blame Cart Abandonment on Price, Choices and Bad UX — Cover Image

The Importance of Add to Cart UI Design for Conversions

Convincing shoppers to add to cart is just one of the daily challenges of digital marketing teams everywhere – the real concern is making sure digital journeys end in conversion.

A ContentSquare survey of US consumers aged 18 to 65 found that 81% of shoppers had abandoned their cart at least once in their lifetime.

The 25-34 age group has the biggest tendency for cart abandonment (21%), followed by the 35-44 (20%) and 45 to 54 age groups (13%). The three most frequently abandoned item categories are clothing (40%), tech products (18%), and homeware (16%).

But what exactly causes someone to spend time filling their basket, only to get cold feet at the very last minute?

Key Reasons Behind Cart Abandonment

Not surprisingly, price tops the list of reasons, with 74% of surveyed consumers citing cost as the biggest obstacle to conversion. Others fill up their cart but simply can’t make up their mind once they reach checkout – 8.9% of consumers say ‘too many options’ prevent them from following through. For 7.95% of consumers, the biggest issue is lack of time to complete the purchase.

In fourth place is a poor online experience, with 7.30% of shoppers blaming an underwhelming User Experience (UX) for abandoning their cart.

Optimizing Add to Cart UI Design to Reduce Friction

One major friction point in the checkout process is ineffective add to cart UI design. A cluttered or confusing interface can lead to hesitation, causing users to abandon their purchase.

Brands should focus on:

Clear and visible add-to-cart buttons with contrasting colors

Seamless navigation from product page to checkout

Minimizing distractions that might lead users away from completing their purchase

Providing instant feedback (e.g., confirmation pop-ups or mini cart previews)

There are many levels of engagement in any digital journey, and the challenge for brands is to meet prospects’ needs at every step. Disruptors like Amazon have mastered competitive pricing, but brands can also reduce cart abandonment by offering free shipping, promotions, and exclusive member deals.

Behavioral insights that identify friction points along the customer journey will help teams optimize add to cart UI design and improve conversions, ensuring visitors stay engaged until the final purchase.

Pola Zen

Pola is ContentSquare’s Director of Content. A storyteller at heart, she is fascinated by how the right content has the power to connect people to people, ideas and brands.