How Do I View My Store's Not Completed Orders?

Introduction
Back to top

Shift4Shop keeps tracks of orders from the time that a customer adds a product to their shopping cart, all the way to the last page of checkout. This allows you to keep an eye on where/why customers decide to stop shopping on your store.

Before we continue, it's very important to understand that when it comes to e-commerce, it's very tough to get a 100% conversion rate. That is, everyone that comes to your store will not necessarily buy. It's very common that someone may add things to cart, check shipping rates and leave. Your goal is to try to convert as many customers as possible, so you want to look at where customers stopped shopping to see what can be changed to make their experience better. This is why we made not completed orders visible. A tool was created to contact customers with not completed orders; we recommend that you use this tool often. The tool emails customers with their order details, and a link that can be clicked to complete the order.

How to View Not Completed Orders (3 Page Checkout)
Back to top

While logged into your Shift4Shop Online Store Manager:

1. Go to Orders >Manage Orders
2. Once there, look along the top of the page and click on the "Not Completed" tab

3. View the Step each Not Completed order is in:
   • Step 1
     Customer added 1 or more items to their cart.
   • Step 2
     Customer entered shipping information
   • Step 3
     Customer selected Shipping method
   • Step 4
     Customer selected a Payment method and tried to complete their order

As of Step 1, we have very little information, we only know what the customer added to their basket, and unless they are an existing customer and have logged in, we have no idea what their email/phone/contact information is.

By Step 2 however, we now have their email, possibly a phone number, their name, and address.

Step 3 gives us an insight on what shipping method they selected, did they select NEXT DAY? Or did they select GROUND?, where they looking for the cheapest or the fastest way to get the product?

Step 4 means that they where happy with everything and tried to pay. If the order is still not complete it's because they were never able to complete the transaction. Perhaps they found no balance on their Paypal account, or their card was declined.

Based on the information above, we know that starting at step 2, the customer had some interest in your product, and if they didn't checkout, you should contact them and offer them your help to complete the transaction.

How to View Not Completed Orders (Single Page Checkout)
Back to top

While logged into your Shift4Shop Online Store Manager:

1. Go to Orders >Manage Orders
2. Once there, look along the top of the page and click on the "Not Completed" tab

3. View the Step each Not Completed order is in:
   • Step 1
     Customer added 1 or more items to their cart.
   • Single Checkout
     Customer reached the single checkout page
   • Step 4
     Customer selected a Payment method and tried to complete their order

As of Step 1, we have very little information, we only know what the customer added to their basket, and unless they are an existing customer and have logged in, we have no idea what their email/phone/contact information is.

At Single Checkout, the customer has reached the checkout page. Email address, phone number, shipping information, and billing information may be present, depending on how much of the form the customer has filled out.

Step 4 means that they where happy with everything and tried to pay. If the order is still not complete it's because they were never able to complete the transaction. Perhaps they found no balance on their Paypal account, or their card was declined.

Based on the information above, we know that starting at single checkout, the customer had some interest in your product, and if they didn't checkout, you should contact them and offer them your help to complete the transaction.

How to Contact Customers of Not Completed Orders
Back to top

Before you start contacting customers, you should know that many times customers leave during checkout because they can't find answers to their common questions such as return policy, shipping/handling, and payment. It's not always necessary to offer them a cheaper price, or free shipping to complete a sale. Depending on what type of products you sell, your competitors, your pricing, etc; you may want to use different strategies to contact your clients. You can edit the not completed order email to fit your needs at: SETTINGS > DESIGN > EMAILS

Once you review your email template, you can continue to the next step. The email template contains order information such as the items the customer added to their basket, and shipping options (if they had selected one), as well as a link they can click in order to complete their order.

Emailing Customers of Not Completed Orders
Back to top

To email multiple people in the not completed order section simultaneously:

1. Go to Orders >Manage Orders
2. Once there, look along the top of the page and click on the "Not Completed" tab
3. Look along the top right and cick on the Email Customers button
4. Check the checkbox if you want to send an email to ONLY those that have not been emailed yet.
5. Choose timeframe in which the customer left your site for whom you would like to send the email to.
6. Click Send Email.

Move Order from Not Completed to New Status
Back to top

In the situation you may need to move the not completed order to the New status for processing

1. Go to Orders >Manage Orders
2. Once there, look along the top of the page and click on the "Not Completed" tab
3. Click View next to the order (make sure the order is in STEP 4)
4. Move the Order Status from Not Completed to Unpaid.
5. Click Save Changes
6. If you have already received payment for this order, this process will not charge the customer a second time – you are simply moving the order from one status to another. Once done, move the order from Unpaid to the New status for processing.