Anatomy of an effective Ecommerce cart drawer

Plus: Breaking down a real transformation with before & after results

Hey Optimizer,

If your conversion funnel was a water slide, would visitors be screaming with joy or scrambling for the exit? Let's add some slip to your slide in today's edition.

Highlights of Today’s Newsletter

  • Design: Stop chasing clicks! Focus on THIS for higher conversions 👇

  • The Chosen Topic: Anatomy of an Effective eCommerce Cart Drawer

  • CRO Insight: Your landing pages are missing one critical element: DESIRE

  • Video: The ultimate E-commerce website makeover for maximum conversions

Weekly Content Roundup

Get the latest and greatest CRO content from around the web.

Design 🎨

2 Red flags to watch out for when hiring a CRO agency 🚩 (Link)

Stop chasing clicks!

Focus on THIS for higher conversions 👇 (Link)

We all shop on Amazon WITHOUT a second thought.

You never worry about your purchase.

You click, and it arrives the next day.

Because Amazon is:

- Reliable

- Fast

- Trusted

Brands need to match this trust. (Link)

CRO Around the Web 🌐

Shopify: How To Promote Your Business in 2025: 29 Cost-Effective Ways (Source)

Baymard: E-Commerce Gifting UX: 4 Ways to Provide a Superior Gifting UI and Flow (Source)

Client’s Result

I love seeing my team share internal wins, who wants the floodgates opened on their brand? 😗

Videos Of The Week

In this episode of Talks That Convert, we dive deep into the world of CRO with Carlos Trujillo, Senior Strategist at Speero and CXL instructor.

Carlos shares his incredible journey from freelancing to leading CRO projects for over 100 brands. He reveals the 4 Optimization Pillars that go beyond just conversion rates, focusing on long-term e-commerce growth and profitability.

What’s Included in This Episode:

  • The truth about conversion rates and why they’re often misunderstood.

  • How to increase Average Order Value (AOV) and customer retention.

  • Common data mistakes even big brands make—and how to avoid them.

  • The secret to creating impactful A/B tests that actually move the needle.

  • How to use user research to drive better results.

  • Practical insights from Carlos’s CXL course and real-world experience.

Learn how small tweaks to your homepage, product pages, and checkout process can make a massive difference in your sales.

Whether it’s improving your call-to-action, simplifying your layout, or leveraging social proof, these proven methods will help you boost conversions fast.

📌 What You’ll Learn:

  • The #1 mistake most e-commerce websites make (and how to avoid it).

  • How to design pages that guide visitors effortlessly toward checkout.

  • Simple strategies to increase average order value using cross-sells and dynamic elements.

High Converting Design Inspiration

Here's a recent product page transformation we did for a client.

Let me break down the key changes:

Notice Bar Enhancement

→ Made it more noticeable with contrasting colors

→ Implemented scarcity countdown timer for sales

→ Added larger fonts and attention-grabbing emojis

Trust Policy Bar

→ Added simple trust statements

→ Positioned right under navigation

→ Helps cold traffic feel confident buying

Thumbnail Optimization

→ Enhanced clickability

→ Enlarged product thumbnails

→ Treated carousel like a mini landing page

→ Added annotated images with social proof

Pricing Display

→ Increased font sizes

→ Added strike-through pricing

→ Made discounts more prominent

→ Highlighted monetary savings with labels

Product Options

→ Enhanced selection experience

→ Moved all options above the fold

→ Main image changes with option selection

Call-to-Action Improvements

→ Full-width button

→ Contrasting colors

→ Added directional cue

→ Positioned strategically

Navigation Refresh

→ Cleaner design

→ Better user experience

→ Enhanced brand presentation

Remember:

Small changes compound into significant revenue increases.

CRO Insight

Your landing pages are missing one critical element:

DESIRE.

Forget A/B testing buttons and headlines (for now).

Here are 4 proven strategies that transformed our clients' conversion rates overnight 👇

1️⃣ Strategic Testimonials

The secret is placement, not just collection:

- Next to pricing

- Below pain points

- Above the CTA

Real words from real buyers hit different.

2️⃣ Raw Social Proof

Show unfiltered reviews (yes, even the 3-stars):

- Full transparency

- Regular updates

- Response to feedback

Authenticity sells more than perfection.

3️⃣ Customer Spotlights

Real user content beats stock photos every time:

- Authentic experiences

- Day-to-day usage

- Genuine results

People trust people, not polished ads.

4️⃣ Visual Case Studies

Simple before/after format that works:

- Problem snapshot

- Solution applied

- Results achieved

Let success stories do the heavy lifting.

Anatomy of an Effective eCommerce Cart Drawer

1. Header

  • Clear cart status indicator

  • Easy-access close button

2. Main Item Display

  • Product visual reference

  • Item details

  • Price information (original and discounted)

  • Quantity adjuster

3. Cross-sell Section

  • "Your Cart" (1 items)

  • "You May Also Like" suggestion header

  • Related product display

  • Quick add option

  • Product pricing (£50.00 £45.00)

  • "Add to Cart" button

4. Cart Summary

  • Subtotal clearly displayed (£45.00)

  • Prominent checkout button

  • FREE shipping indicator

5. Additional Features

  • Icons for important services and policies

Key Takeaways

  1. Keep the layout clean and organized

  2. Clearly display cart contents and totals

  3. Offer easy quantity adjustment

  4. Include cross-selling opportunities

  5. Make the checkout button prominent

  6. Provide quick access to important information (shipping, returns)

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