You have visitors. But they don't buy. Or not enough. The average conversion rate of a Dutch web shop is around 2-3%. That means 97 of every 100 visitors leave without buying anything. The question isn't whether you can improve, but where you start. Not with a new design or a different font — but at the places where you're actually leaving money on the table.
The checkout: this is where you lose the most
Forced account creation
"Create an account to order." Five words, thousands of lost orders. Always offer a guest checkout. Anyone who wants to come back will create an account on their own.
Too many steps
Every step in your checkout is a moment to drop off. Address, shipping method, payment method, confirmation — four steps is standard, but three is better and one (one-page checkout) is best. Fewer clicks, more orders.
Hidden shipping costs
The number one reason for cart abandonment worldwide: unexpected costs in the checkout. Show shipping costs as early as possible — on the product page or in the cart. No surprises.
Limited payment options
iDEAL is a must in the Netherlands. But don't forget Bancontact for Belgian customers, credit card for international, and buy-now-pay-later (Klarna, Riverty) for those who hesitate. Every missing payment option is a lost customer.
The product page: this is where you convince
Good product photos
One photo isn't enough. Multiple angles, detail shots, in-context photos (the product in use), and if possible a 360-degree view or video. People buy with their eyes — give them something to look at.
Clear product information
Sizes, materials, weight, fit, delivery time — the more relevant information, the less doubt. And less doubt means more conversion. Write product descriptions that answer questions before they're asked.
Social proof
Reviews, ratings, customer photos, the number of times ordered — people buy what others buy. If you have no reviews, start collecting them today. A product with five reviews converts dramatically better than one without.
Urgency and scarcity
"Only 3 left in stock" works — if it's true. Fake scarcity is seen through by everyone and damages your brand. But real stock messages, temporary offers and seasonal products create legitimate urgency.
Speed: the silent conversion killer
One extra second of load time costs you 7% conversion. Amazon, Google and Walmart have measured it. If your product page loads in 4 seconds instead of 2, you lose money. Every day.
Optimise images, use caching, choose good hosting, minimise scripts. The technical foundation has to be right before you start on the marketing.
Navigation and search functionality
Filters that work
If you have a hundred products and your customer has to scroll through all of them to find what they're looking for, you lose them. Good filtering — by price, colour, size, category — isn't a nice-to-have, it's essential.
Search bar
Visitors who use the search bar convert 2-3x more often than those who browse. Invest in a search function that works: with autocomplete, spelling correction and relevant results.
Category structure
Think from the customer, not from your stock system. "Men > Shoes > Sneakers" is logical. "Category 7 > Subcategory 12b" is not. Make it easy to find what they're looking for.
Building trust
Trust marks and guarantees
Thuiswinkel Waarborg, WebwinkelKeur, money-back guarantees — they're signals that remove uncertainty. Visible in the footer, on the product page and in the checkout.
Reachability
A phone number, an email address, a physical address. Show there's a real business behind the web shop. Anonymity is suspicious.
A clear returns policy
Don't hide it in the small print. A clear, fair returns policy isn't a cost — it's a conversion booster. Customers who know returning is easy order more readily.