What is an add to cart rate?
Your add to cart rate shows how many shoppers take action by adding products to their cart during a visit to your online store. You can track this by comparing how many visitors add items to their cart against your total number of site visitors.
For instance, if your B2B site has 1,000 unique visitors over a week, and 100 of them add items to their cart, the add to cart rate would be 10%.
This number tells you much more than just how many people clicked an ‘add to cart’ button. For B2B sellers, it reveals whether your product pages give buyers the details and confidence they need to start a purchase.
Why is add to cart rate important?
Your add to cart rate helps you spot both strengths and problems in your online store. High rates often mean you have got your marketing, products, and shopping experience working well together. Low rates might point to issues with your website design, product selection, or pricing—giving you clear areas to improve.
Implications for B2B eCommerce
For B2B companies, the add to cart rate has additional complexity. Unlike B2C purchases, B2B customers often operate within strict procurement guidelines, requiring specific approval workflows and budget constraints.
B2B buyers also frequently need to compare technical specifications, review bulk pricing options, and consider long-term supply agreements before making a purchase decision. This means that optimizing the add to cart rate requires a deep understanding of your customers’ buying processes and organizational structures.
Factors influencing the add to cart rate
Several factors can affect the add to cart rate in a B2B eCommerce environment:
1. User Experience (UX)
A clean, intuitive design can significantly improve the add to cart rate. This can be a challenge in B2B, where buyers often need to manage large orders with multiple line items. If customers can easily navigate through the product catalog, find necessary products, and add them to their cart without hassle, they’re more likely to complete that action and feel motivated to use your B2B system again in the future.
2. Product information and presentation
High-quality product visualization, including detailed images, technical drawings, and 3D models where applicable, can increase buyer confidence and improve add to cart rates. This is especially important for complex industrial products or customizable items.
DJUST's platform enables businesses to manage product information effectively, showcasing related products and using Digital Asset Management (DAM) to enhance the user experience.
3. Competitive pricing
B2B pricing strategies require sophisticated personalization capabilities to handle volume discounts, customer-specific pricing agreements, and multi-tier pricing structures. DJUST allows businesses to customize pricing per customer, offering tailored promotions that can draw customers in.
4. Bulk order management
B2B bulk ordering requirements vary significantly by business type and industry. Large enterprises often need sophisticated order management capabilities that can handle complex multi-location shipments and scheduled deliveries. Meanwhile, smaller businesses might focus more on simplified bulk ordering with basic minimum order quantities.
DJUST supports flexible ordering options, enabling businesses to set minimum and maximum order thresholds, making it easier for buyers to make large purchases.
Majorian, through its Cadhi platform, offers effective bulk order management in the hospitality sector. Its system allows hotels and restaurants to manage large orders across multiple locations while maintaining real-time inventory visibility.
5. Trust and security features
In B2B commerce, trust extends beyond basic payment security. Buyers need confidence in product authenticity, pricing accuracy, and order fulfillment capabilities. Implementing features like real-time inventory visibility, order tracking, and transparent pricing builds trust in your platform.
DJUST incorporates various payment methods and secure integration with payment service providers, enhancing customer trust.
Expert tip: Display relevant certifications, compliance badges, and customer testimonials prominently on product pages. For industrial or technical products, include downloadable certification documents and compliance specifications directly on the product page.
Best practices to improve add to cart rates
To effectively boost your add to cart rate, consider the following best practices:
1. Optimize your product pages
Ensure all product listings are well-organized, informative, and appealing. Use high-quality visuals and detailed descriptions. Implement comparison tools to help B2B customers make buying decisions more easily.
Adore Me, in its wholesale platform, provides detailed product specifications, inventory availability, and bulk pricing options all in one view, making it easier for buyers to make a purchase.
2. Simplify the cart experience
Make checking out straightforward. The cart should support complex B2B requirements while remaining intuitive. Features like the ability to save carts for later approval, split shipments across locations, and modify quantities in bulk can significantly improve the user experience.
DJUST’s platform allows users to manage multiple carts and simplifies the process of converting them into orders, enhancing user experience.
Jeff de Bruges implemented a streamlined ordering system that simplified the process of managing complex seasonal orders across its 520 stores.
3. Implement A/B testing
Use A/B testing (concurrently running two versions of a page to see which performs better) to understand which designs and strategies resonate more with customers. Test different layouts, CTAs, and even product promotions to see what enhances the add to cart rates effectively.
4. Use retargeting techniques
Employ retargeting ads for cart abandoners. If someone adds items to their cart but doesn’t complete the purchase, a gentle reminder via email can help bring them back to finish the transaction.
5. Monitor and analyze data regularly
Keep an eye on your add to cart rates alongside other KPIs and adjust strategies as needed. Understanding patterns in your customers’ behaviors can help you refine the shopping experience continuously.
Using DJUST.io to boost your add to cart rate
DJUST offers multiple features specifically designed to enhance the B2B buying experience and improve add to cart rates. It provides comprehensive product information management tools that help you create detailed product sheets with technical specifications, high-quality images, and complete documentation. This ensures buyers have all the information they need to make confident purchasing decisions.
The platform enables you to create customized catalogs and pricing for different customer groups. You can display negotiated prices and payment terms automatically, increasing buyer confidence and reducing friction in the purchasing process.
DJUST simplifies complex B2B ordering, too, with features like:
- Quick ordering through CSV file upload
- One-click reordering for frequent purchases
- Multiple cart management for different departments or projects
- Collaborative shopping lists that can be shared among team members
The platform includes powerful search capabilities powered by elastic search technology, enabling buyers to quickly find products through full-text search with auto-suggestions, advanced filtering options, and product comparisons.
Finally, DJUST ensures a consistent shopping experience across all devices, allowing buyers to start their shopping journey on one device and complete it on another—particularly important for B2B buyers who often work across multiple locations.
Conclusion
The add to cart rate is a central indicator of your B2B eCommerce platform’s effectiveness. By understanding and optimizing the factors that influence this KPI, you can create a more efficient buying experience that drives revenue growth and customer satisfaction.
Success in improving add to cart rates comes from recognizing the unique needs of B2B buyers and implementing solutions that address their specific challenges. Whether you are a small distributor or a large manufacturer, focusing on this metric can help identify opportunities for improving the digital commerce experience you offer.