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Don’t Make Me Sign In To Give You Money
Nothing is more frustrating then making me jump through hoops to give you my money. I go to Warren Miller annually to get psyched for the upcoming ski season. Make fun of me if you wish, but it’s tradition ok?!
Anyway, I just went to warrenmiller.com and found out that I could buy tickets for one of the Utah shows directly at Abravanel Hall’s box office web site, so I went here:
to find and buy the tix for myself and 5 of my friends.
I could search by event name — which was great — and it was easy to find the three Warren Miller shows that are being shown at this location. I chose my time and date and clicked “Buy Tickets”. Let’s not even get into the horrible “view seat map” tool, but check it out if you want to see how to seriously frustrate visitors. This experience is a really good example of what not to do unless you want your visitors ripping their hair out! Anyway, I chose the option “best seats available” and put it in their hands because I had no way of determining what seats were the best. Of course, I’m having to trust that they are actually giving me the best seats. But whatever.
The real fun starts at checkout. On the shopping cart, I click to “check out” and they bring me to a “create an account” page. They either let you log on if you already have an account or they make you create a new account.
I couldn’t remember if I bought last year’s tickets through this site so I “create a new account” and fill out their many fields and click “register”. I then receive an error message that I already have an account associated with that email so now I have to go to another page and try to remember my password in order to login! I don’t remember my password. You call this business?! I now have to say that I forget my password and have it sent to my email account in order to sign in.
Oh, by the way, throughout this entire time, my order is no longer available for me because I had 10 minutes to checkout and all of the jumping through hoops that they made me do, took longer than 10 mins. Maybe my “best seats available” are now gone? Readers, if there is but one thing you change today, please let visitors checkout as a guest — don’t make them create an account or sign in just to give you money.
About the author
Melissa is a Senior Persuasion Analyst at FutureNow.
More articles from Melissa Burdon
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October 1st, 2009
8:09 pm
This is exactly the problems I have with my webshop. The underlying issue is that I can’t switch off registration. I have looked at several webshops around and they all want some form of registration even if it is silent. I am now thinking of deleting the accounts on a daily basis. Any other solution is greatly appreciated.
October 2nd, 2009
2:40 am
Exactly same probleme in Europe
October 2nd, 2009
6:29 am
Yes, same problem in Germany too
October 2nd, 2009
6:57 am
It seems that everybody have the same problems
October 2nd, 2009
7:12 am
It’s quite disappointing that this problem occurred while you want to get something. You rather go to a site without the need to sign in or create an account either. Can they realize it that it’s so hassle on the part of their customers?
October 2nd, 2009
7:30 am
Hi Edward,
I recently developed two e-commerce sites using X-Cart open source shopping cart software. While not perfect — I don’t know of any shopping cart software that is — there was an add-on for a one-page checkout with optional registration. Just a thought.
October 2nd, 2009
8:36 am
Oh, yeah – I totally agree. It is so anoying.
If I visit a web shop like this, I go somewhere else (if it is possible).
It should be optional to create an acount.
October 2nd, 2009
9:59 am
Great point here Melissa. I hate having to log in to buy. I’d recommend looking into Magento. I had the same log in issues with previous stores and can’t tell you how aggravating it is to have carts abandoned because people have to log in.
We’ve been using Magento for about a year and a half and have wonderful results. People can buy as guests and the member area is very easy to navigate and use.
October 2nd, 2009
11:56 pm
Very valid point. So many ecommerce stores could be operating at much higher conversion rates, but their checkout system is so damn confusing! I am a solid believer in giving the customer the opportunity of not having to register an account!
October 3rd, 2009
9:01 am
Very few ecommerce stores let you check out as a guest. It’s amazing how many accounts you have to juggle as an online shopper
October 3rd, 2009
10:47 am
The frustration of online shopping. even if you did had an existing account the easiest and fastest way to make a smooth transaction would “Send Account Information with Email Use to Register” ….it’s that simple but yet everyone fails to implement it on the online store.
October 3rd, 2009
8:40 pm
the saddest thing is that this is not happening only in online. you would be amazed how many hoops you need to jump through to give someboy your money. ( at least in some countries in europe ). Basically, you beg them to let you buy something from them. this is unbelievable.
October 4th, 2009
9:15 am
These things remind me of the irritation I sometimes feel when I shop online. There are only a couple of good ones, and I am their client. That’s something to think about.
October 4th, 2009
2:05 pm
I hate the idea of having to sign up to everything just to buy a basic product. UK has so many red tape issues its untrue
October 5th, 2009
3:22 am
it is great yah
October 5th, 2009
6:20 am
I will be visiting more often as you have done a good job, keep going..
October 5th, 2009
10:07 pm
This is really so important ! I’ve heard of companies more than doubling their funds when their turned to a no-login based payment system. It’s important to make it as easier as possible for the client.
October 5th, 2009
10:17 pm
Virtuemart now has an “incognito” purchase mode. I am so stupid for not being on the newsletter list. I will upgrade today.
October 6th, 2009
1:29 pm
Yeah, making it easy for customers and keeping them happy should be the highest priority.
October 6th, 2009
2:07 pm
Great points, sometimes we are so focused on getting people to our sites we forget the most important part. Ease of use, especailly in this department, should be of paramount importance.
October 7th, 2009
1:14 am
Couldn’t agree more, so
WHY DOES EVEN AMAZON MAKE YOU DO THIS?
Speaking of Amazon, I was going thru their ordering process and I thought it was absolutely abysmal.
Jumping thru hoops is an understatement. It was more like a Marine survival course, and with no way to cancel once you’re in.
I didn’t make it to the end, I died in the field.
How many more orders are dying this lonely and unreognised way?
October 7th, 2009
9:07 pm
That’s right. I’ve experienced like this several times. My conclusions were, quit from the shopping and not to buy with them again.
October 8th, 2009
5:07 am
its all about priorities, good read thanks
October 11th, 2009
4:04 pm
This is a major pet peeve of mine, keep savings covered under a web of logins, spendings should be out in the open.
October 11th, 2009
6:01 pm
I totally agree, I also hate those squeeze pages that force you to enter your email address to be able to view the underlying page
October 12th, 2009
2:52 am
everybody have the same problems…huhh
October 12th, 2009
5:57 am
I think this will be very helpful thank you.
October 12th, 2009
8:04 am
I have always wondered if they do this so they can bombard you with newsletters every week. It has happened to me, and then when I scroll down to the bottom of the newsletter to unsubscribe, there is no option!!. There should be by law.
October 12th, 2009
1:53 pm
Great ideas
October 13th, 2009
12:32 am
I hate the idea of having to sign up to everything just to buy a basic product. UK has so many red tape issues its untrue
October 13th, 2009
3:03 am
excellent post
this kind of situation also happened to me.
It is rustrating.
it is meaningless to sign up to buy a product.
we like buying stuff of ease.
October 13th, 2009
7:19 am
Most interesting article, it’s always an annoyance having to register multiple times to purchase items. You dont have to do it instore so why force people to do it online.
October 13th, 2009
7:27 pm
nice post.thank you.
October 14th, 2009
4:44 am
This is something that we always try to get across to clients too. Why put barriers in the way of making a purchase? You wouldn’t go into a shop and expect to have to “sign-up” for a membership account before buying your goods so doing so on a website shouldn’t be mandatory either.
October 17th, 2009
5:31 am
Yes, same problem in Germany too. thank you.
October 18th, 2009
3:18 pm
This is a huge pet peeve of mine. I hate websites that make you go clear through everything in your purchase and then right before you buy they make you fill out 4 pages of information. This usually makes me think twice about the impulse buy and looses them business.
October 19th, 2009
11:15 am
I’m curious to know how multichannel merchants use Guest Purchase with out logging in or creating an account. Do they still capture the information for direct mail? If so how do the guest’s purchasers feel about that?
October 25th, 2009
11:40 am
Most interesting article, it’s always an annoyance having to register multiple times to purchase items. You dont have to do it instore so why force people to do it online.
October 30th, 2009
5:45 am
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November 21st, 2009
9:58 pm
Very interesting article. Greetz from Turkey.
November 24th, 2009
9:39 pm
Wow! another people have the same problems.
January 8th, 2010
9:15 am
I thank you for this informative article. And I thank you for this I follow your vendors. It’s verry good. I wish you continued success.