eCommerce Conversion Rate Audit Checklist (And 24 Ideas For Improving Conversions)

‍So, how important is an eCommerce conversion rate audit?

For instance, your website gets 15,000 monthly traffic.

Let’s consider you convert 2.2% of the traffic, which is the current average conversion rate.

Even a 1% increase in conversion rate means 150 more conversions per month.

Armed with a detailed eCommerce CRO audit checklist, you can apply targeted website optimizations and significantly increase conversion rates.

The long-term benefits include better customer retention, and as a result, significantly better profit margins. 

How often should you audit your online store?

Think of auditing your online store like giving it a regular check-up.

Before you get started, there’s one advice you need to keep in mind before and during an eCommerce CRO audit:

Think like a shopper and not just a store owner!

Keep a constant watch on your store. If something seems off, investigate right away.

As a rule, every three months, take a deep dive into your store's performance, security measures, and finances.

This helps catch any sneaky problems early on.

Once a year, give your store a thorough review.

A regular conversion rate audit on your eCommerce website will keep it running smoothly and you can avoid any surprises down the road.

Many eCommerce stores run conversion rate audits.

However, they often fail to connect the dots between website audits and conversion rates.

Here are the CRO audit checklists we’ll cover in this article:

• Homepage
• Product Listing Pages
• Product Pages
• Checkout Pages
• SEO & Content
• Website UX

(A) eCommerce Conversion Rate Audit Checklist for HOMEPAGE

Here are some ways to conduct eCommerce conversion rate audits of homepage design for more conversions.

1. Navigation design

A report shows that improving eCommerce website navigation can increase conversion rates by 18.5%.

Tips to consider while conducting eCommerce CRO audit on navigation structure:

✓ Limit the number of core categories to reduce cognitive load on shoppers

✓ Evaluate the use of faceted navigation (filters) on category pages to enable shoppers to refine search results based on attributes such as price, size, color, and brand

✓ Collect user feedback and analytics data to identify pain points or areas for improvement in the navigation.

Key questions to ask on eCommerce navigation design:

👉 Does it take longer than 2 steps to reach a particular product from the drop-down menus?

👉 Does the navigation show clear visual cues to direct shoppers to bestsellers or trending products?

Further Reading: 15 Website Navigation Menu Examples for eCommerce Stores

2. Search bar functionality

eCommerce stores lose $300B each year from bad online search experiences.

What’s more, search users tend to convert anywhere between 2 and 6 times better than other shoppers. 

Tips to consider while performing eCommerce conversion audit on the search bar:

✓ Display popular or relevant search terms, product names, and categories to help shoppers find what they're looking for more quickly

✓ Offer hint text to give first-time visitors an idea about what all your site features (something as simple as “search by use, concern or product” can be reassuring)

Key questions to ask on eCommerce search bar functionality:

👉 Is the search bar prominently displayed, especially on mobile?

👉 Is your search bar equipped to show results for non-product content, like ‘returns’ or ‘order tracking’?

Further Reading: Get More Conversion Rates From Search Results Page - 15 Proven Ideas

3. Homepage visual hierarchy

34% of people shop online at least once a week.

This means your eCommerce homepage design should balance what’s familiar in terms of UX and unique in terms of information. 

Tips to consider for above-the-fold optimization of an eCommerce homepage through an eCommerce conversion audit:

✓ Clearly communicate your value propositions to visitors within the above-the-fold section

✓ Showcase featured products, promotions, or special offers prominently within the above-the-fold section to capture a shopper’s interest

✓ Include a prominent and compelling call-to-action (CTA) above the fold to encourage shoppers to take the desired action, such as "Shop Now," "Learn More," or "Sign Up"

Tips to consider while auditing below-the-fold eCommerce homepages for better conversions:

✓ Use eye-catching banners, badges, or countdown timers to create a sense of urgency and encourage action

✓ Highlight security measures, return policies, or guarantees to instill more confidence

✓ Bring in the most relevant review snippets alongside product recommendations

Key questions to ask on eCommerce homepage visual hierarchy during a CRO audit:

👉 Is your hello bar pitching free shipping or other important updates?

👉 Are visual elements working together to guide attention naturally (from top to down, left to right)?

👉 Are trust elements placed where shoppers are likely to take the most strategic decisions?

Further Reading: Above The Fold: 12 Ideas For Better Conversions Rates (+ Examples)

4. Homepage UX

88% of online consumers report that they are less likely to return to a site after a bad experience.

On top of that, direct traffic that lands straight on the homepage, contributes to almost half the total traffic amongst major eComm retailers. 

To conduct eCommerce site audit on homepage UX, your conversion audit needs to:

✓ Answer the 3 What-s as soon as a shopper lands—“What is this?” → “Why should I care?” → “What should I do next?”

✓ Remove distractions that prevent shoppers from going exploring further and / or easily adding to cart

✓ Create a balance between brand info, product discovery & trust elements to offer shoppers a cohesive first-time impression

Key questions to ask on eCommerce homepage UX:

👉 Do your shoppers have to scroll back up to access other parts of a website?

👉 Is the path to start shopping compelling enough to continue?

Further Reading: 23 Ways to Boost eCommerce Homepage Conversions (2024 Edition)

(B) eCommerce CRO Audit Checklist for PRODUCT LISTING PAGES

Here are some ways to conduct an eCommerce conversion rate audit of product listing pages to boost profits.

5. PLP navigation

In this part of the buyer’s journey, your product listing page design will be a virtual foot inside the door to an eventual sale.

Tips to consider while conducting CRO audits on PLP navigation:

✓ Offer multiple filtering and sorting options to help shoppers narrow down their product choices

✓ Make the most important filters easily viewable and accessible to avoid confusion in high-intent buyers and searchers

✓ Optimize product cards to offer clarity to scanners and deliberate explorers alike - check pricing, discounting, review, variants etc.

Key questions to ask on eCommerce product listing page navigation during a conversion audit:

👉 Are sort functions like “Best Sellers,” “Price: Low to High,” or “Newest” clearly labeled?

👉 Are there visual cues for promos, stock levels, or shipping speed?

Further Reading: Build high-converting category pages (13 ideas + great examples)

6. PLP design UX

Remember, a bad user experience means shoppers will bounce off.

And that word spreads. 

Tips to consider while conducting CRO audits on product listing page UX:

✓ Evaluate the quality and size of product thumbnails and images—make sure they are high-resolution and provide multiple views or angles where applicable

✓ Check if your product titles and descriptions are formatted consistently to maintain readability and visual hierarchy

✓ Show a quick snapshot of the product description so shoppers can easily view the product without going back and forth between web pages.

Key questions to ask on PLP design UX:

👉 Is the default number of products per page optimal for loading and scroll fatigue?

👉 How is urgency / incentive standing out given there are multiple products?

👉  Are there any visual labels on product images like ‘bestseller’, ‘trending’, or ‘low stock

Availability’?

Further Reading: Product Listing Pages: 23 High-converting Examples For 2024

7. CTA buttons on PLP

Category page CTAs aren’t just competing amongst themselves, but also along with multiple product cards—reason enough to run CRO audits to see if they’re really being engaging. 

Tips to consider while conducting conversion rate audit on CTA buttons:

✓ Make “Quick View” buttons accessible without hovering—and give them a color that stands out against the product cards

✓ Ensure the primary (and secondary CTA) carry consistent text across all listings—don’t switch text to create differentiation between them

✓ Offer intuitive feedback to shoppers the moment the CTA is clicked so that they can initiate next steps

Key questions to ask on PLP CTA buttons:

👉 Is the CTA copy action-oriented and specific (e.g., “Add to Bag” vs. “Click Here”)?

👉 Is the button disabled or “loading feedback” after being clicked to prevent double taps?

Further Reading: How to Increase Add to Cart Rate: 30 Brilliant Ideas

8. Pricing cues

One of the main ways to attract attention and encourage conversions on eCommerce PLPs is through smart pricing cues.

Tips to consider while conducting CRO audits on PLP pricing strategies:

✓ Display the original price with a strikethrough alongside the discounted price to highlight savings

✓ Provide price filter options to narrow down product searches within specific price ranges

✓ Mention a “X to Y” pricing range in case of different product variants—indicating if the shopper is interested enough, they’ll have to head to the product page

Key questions to ask on PLP pricing cues:

👉 Do bulk or bundle options clearly show per-unit savings?

👉 Is there a visible value prop near the price (e.g. “Best Seller” or “2-pack saves 15%”)?

Further Reading: eCommerce Tiered Discount: 10 Awesome Examples You'd Want To Copy

(C) eCommerce CRO Audit Checklist for PRODUCT PAGES

After the homepage, product pages are the most visited web pages on eCommerce stores.

Here are some ways to conduct eCommerce conversion rate of product pages to increase conversion rates.

9. Product page copy

87% of customers feel product content is the most important factor when deciding to purchase an item online as they cannot physically see, feel, or smell the item.

Tips to consider while conducting eCommerce site audit on product page copy:

✓ Use persuasive language and visuals to highlight the benefits of the product

✓ Create product descriptions that are concise, informative, and highlight key features

✓ Include high-quality images or videos of the product from different angles to provide a comprehensive view

Key questions to ask on product page copy:

👉 Are you using microcopy (and icons) to draw attention to unique product features?

👉  Is there clear messaging about shipping, taxes, or subscription terms?

Further Reading: 23 Key Elements Every Product Description Page Must Have (eCommerce)

10. Product page UX

We can’t stress enough on this: great product, good customer fit and conversions not happening simply because product page UX is a pain.

Tips to consider while conducting eCommerce conversion audit on product page UX:

✓ Add interactive elements like sliders, carousels & expandable sections to provide additional details without overwhelming shoppers 

✓ Use large font sizes and contrasting colors to make the price stand out and catch attention

✓ Assess the placement, size, color, and wording of the CTA buttons—test different variations of CTAs to see which ones yield higher conversion rates

✓ Implement a sticky CTA button that is easy to click even when shoppers scroll down the product page

✓ Enable geolocation features to automatically detect a shopper’s location and accordingly adjust pricing

✓ Ease product page navigation by highlighting connected categories at the top of the page

Key questions to ask on product page UX during CRO audits:

👉 Are key benefits, features, or materials mentioned near the price?

👉 Is free shipping messaging (if it exists) tied to pricing (“Spend $20 more for free shipping”)?

👉 Are FAQs, guarantees, and shipping info easily accessible without leaving the page?

Further Reading: eCommerce Product Page Guide

11. Customer retention

It’s said that repeat customers in eCommerce often convert 2-3X higher than the rest, and that they often find their way back through product pages—making points of retention excellent factors to audit. 

Tips to consider while performing conversion audit on customer retention:

✓ Check if your subscription plans are getting any traction and encouraging repeat customers

✓ Implement quick reordering functionality that lets customers easily repurchase previously bought items

✓ Optimize the reviews section to help high-intent customers engage more with this facet 

Key questions to ask on product page customer retention:

👉 Are your discounts getting converted into sales? 

👉 Is your live chat able to guide shoppers through every stage of the buying process? 

Further Reading: 19 Customer Retention Strategies that Actually Work (for eCommerce)

12. Credibility

Reinforcing trust on the product page in right ways can strengthen the decision to not leave without buying—and that’s why the following product page pointers are critical.

Tips to consider while conducting conversion audits on trust factors across product pages:

✓ Establish trust with elements like user-generated content, social media shares, or influencer endorsements

✓ Assess how transparent your product descriptions are—and what else you could do to bring transparency in more targeted ways

✓ Assess how transparent and immediately helpful your live chat function feels—this can in fact decide how many people will realistically use it when there’s a need!

Key questions to ask on product page credibility & trust during CRO audits:

👉 Are you showcasing your industry partnerships or certifications for more validity?

👉 How prominently are you placing your security indicators like payment methods & money-back guarantees?

Further reading: eCommerce Social Proof: What, Why & How (With Proven Examples)

(D) eCommerce Conversion Rate Audit Checklist for CHECKOUT PAGES

Average checkout abandonment over the past ten years has fluctuated between 60 - 80%.

If you fall within this range, an eCommerce conversion rate audit can help you identify gaps in the checkout flow.

Here are some ways to audit eCommerce checkout pages to boost profits.

13. Checkout navigation

Your potential customers have reached checkout.

Now, it’s your job to avoid overwhelming them with unnecessary or complicated steps.

Tips to consider while conducting conversion rate audit on checkout pages:

✓ Use familiar conventions for form fields and buttons—this minimizes confusion and helps shoppers move smoothly through the checkout process

✓ Implement a one-page checkout layout to reduce last-minute hesitation

✓ Feature social logins for shoppers in a hurry to checkout—this is also an ingenious way to track shopper behavior eventually

Key questions to ask on checkout navigation:

👉 Is the checkout flow linear enough for shoppers to not second guess next steps?

👉 Is there a clear way to edit shipping details or payment method without starting over?

Further Reading: The Best One-Page Checkout Examples in eCommerce (2024)

14. Checkout UX

While checkout navigation has mostly to do with how shoppers “move” during this step, checkout UX is more about how they “feel”—so the more intuitive you can make it through a CRO audit, the more positive it is for conversions. 

Tips to consider while conducting eCommerce site audit on checkout page UX:

✓ Ensure that form fields, buttons, and other elements are easily accessible and usable on small screens

✓ Provide multiple shipping options, including standard, expedited, and same-day delivery, if possible

✓ Let shoppers select / deselect products on the checkout page—you can always issue a “warning message” to deter them like “are you sure you want to delete this product? Now you’ll have to pay shipping of $X to complete the order”

Key questions to ask on checkout UX:

👉 Are error messages helpful, visible, and placed near the problem fields?

👉 Are shoppers able to move their choices to the wishlist?

Further Reading: eCommerce Checkout UX: 13 Tips To Boost Conversions (+ Templates)

15. Checkout security

Account takeovers can be common in eCommerce, and as a brand, you’ll have to ensure shoppers feel at ease parting with their payment details at this stage. 

Tips to consider while conducting eCommerce site audit on checkout page security:

✓ Include CAPTCHA or similar verification for high-risk transactions without creating friction for normal purchases

✓ Clearly outline the total cost of the order, including taxes, shipping fees, and any other applicable charges, before shoppers proceed to payment

✓ Display trust badges, security seals, or SSL certificates to reassure shoppers about the safety and security of their personal and payment information.

Key questions to ask on checkout UX during an eCommerce CRO audit:

👉 Do you have ways of verifying customer payment information against Government databases if you’ve seen higher fraud in the past?

👉 Have you considered adding 3D Secure authentication (like Verified by Visa) for an additional verification layer?

Further Reading: Free Shipping: Still a Conversion Driver in 2024? (+ Brands Nailing It)

16. Post-purchase UX

A great post-purchase experience means better customer satisfaction rates, loyalty, and repeat purchases.

Tips to consider while conversion auditing your post-purchase UX:

✓ Evaluate the order confirmation page for clear and detailed information about the purchase, including the order summary, delivery details, and expected arrival date

✓ Review communication around shipping updates, tracking information and exact delivery as the shipping day draws closer

✓ Thank you emails that contain a discount for the next purchase, or / and carries critical info on how to use / how to care for the product

Key questions to ask on post-purchase UX:

👉 Can customers easily initiate returns or exchanges, print return labels, and track the status of their return requests?

👉 Are you incentivizing reviews and other kinds of UGC when you email shoppers for feedback?

Further Reading: Deliver An Amazing Post-Purchase Experience: 17 Ideas (& Examples)

(E) eCommerce SEO Audit Checklist

37.5% of all eCommerce site traffic comes from search engines.

So, make sure your store ranks higher and visitors land on optimized stores.

17. On-page SEO

In the eCommerce world, on-page SEO can help individual product pages, category pages, and landing pages rank higher in search engine results and target specific customer profiles.

Tips to consider for eCommerce SEO audit on links:

✓ Analyze your website's backlink profile to identify high-quality inbound links and potential opportunities for link building.

✓ Use clean and descriptive URLs for your product pages—include relevant keywords and a clear URL structure to help search engines understand the content of your pages

Tips to consider for eCommerce on-page SEO audit on product copy:

✓ Craft descriptive and keyword-rich titles for your product pages—include relevant keywords near the beginning of the title, reflecting the product being sold

✓ Review and optimize title tags, meta descriptions, and header tags (H1, H2, etc.) for relevant keywords

Tips to consider for eCommerce SEO audit on product images:

✓ Use descriptive filenames for your images—use descriptive names that accurately describe the image content, such as "blue-widget-product.jpg."

✓ Add descriptive alt text to your images to provide context for search engines and shoppers who cannot view images (e.g., visually impaired shoppers using screen readers)—include relevant keywords in the alt text while accurately describing the image content.

Key questions to ask about on-page SEO audit:

👉 Do your H2-H6 tags create a logical content hierarchy that helps users scan the page effectively?

👉 Is the content depth appropriate for the user's stage in the buying journey, and does it build trust and authority in your subject matter?

👉 Have you implemented relevant schema markup for your content type, such as product, article, FAQ, or local business schema?

Further Reading: How To Drive Traffic To Online Stores: 14 Proven Strategies

18. Technical SEO

Technical SEO often gets overlooked while auditing eCommerce SEO.

Optimizing various technical aspects can improve your store’s search engine visibility and performance.

Technical SEO audit tips for your eCommerce website:

✓ Audit slow-loading pages first—take a look at Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), First Input Delay (FID), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) scores

✓ Evaluate site performance from a mobile-first lens—this includes touch-friendly navigation, readable text sizes, and proper viewport configuration

✓ Review your robots.txt file, XML sitemaps, and internal linking structure—crawl errors, orphaned pages, and pages that should be indexed but aren't appearing in search results, need looking into

✓ Identify any redirect chains or loops in your internal architecture—ensure 301 redirects are working for content that’s been moved and URL structures are clean

✓ Identify duplicate or near-duplicate content across your eComm store—especially check for identical URLs serving the same content

Key questions to ask about technical SEO audit:

👉  Is the page load speed 2-3 seconds across all devices?

👉 Are important pages being crawled and indexed?

👉 Are secure HTTPS protocols consistently enforced (no mixed content)?

Further Reading: 17 Creative (Yet Economical) Ways To Drive Traffic To Your eCommerce Store

19. Content SEO

Evaluating content as part of your eCommerce SEO audit can help attract organic traffic and ultimately drive conversions—this is because the right efforts in this direction can help you attract more high-intent shoppers.

Tips for content SEO audit on your eCommerce website:

✓ Audit existing content for relevance, freshness, and alignment with target keywords

✓ Identify opportunities to create new blog content to address customer needs and target long-tail keywords

✓ Encourage customers to leave reviews, ratings, and comments on your product pages—quality user-generated content provides valuable keyword-rich content that can improve your search visibility

✓ Include an FAQ section on product pages to address common questions and concerns that potential customers may have

Key questions to ask about content SEO audit:

👉 Is it clear which pages are targeting what kind of intent (ToFu, MoFu and BoFu)?

👉  Does the content have declining impressions and/or clicks?

👉  Are there missed opportunities to guide readers deeper into the funnel?

Further Reading: 3 eCommerce SEO Mistakes To Avoid And Get More Conversions

20. Local SEO

Local SEO tends to attract highly qualified leads who are more likely to convert into customers.

Local customers are often ready to make a purchase and may prefer to buy from nearby businesses for convenience and faster delivery.

Tips to consider while auditing local SEO for your eCommerce website:

✓ Verify and optimize your Google My Business profile with accurate business information, including name, address, phone number (NAP), website URL, business hours, and categories

✓ Target keywords with local intent, including city names, neighborhood names, and other location-specific modifiers

✓ Create dedicated landing pages for specific locations or regions you serve with location-specific keywords, content, and imagery to improve relevance and visibility in local search results

Key questions to ask about local SEO audit:

👉 Is my business category and description clear and keyword-optimized?

👉 Am I listed on major local directories (Yelp, Bing Places, Apple Maps, etc.)?

👉 Do reviews mention location-specific services or experiences?

Further Reading: International eCommerce Expansion: 15 Commonly Missed Action Items

(F) Website & UX Conversion Rate Optimization Checklist

Here are some ways to conduct eCommerce conversion rate audits of websites for improved user experiences.

21. eCommerce website page load time

The conversion rates are 3x higher for eCommerce websites that load in 1 second.

And 40% of visitors will abandon a website that takes longer than 3 seconds to load.

Tips to consider while conducting eCommerce CRO audit on page load times:

✓ Analyze page load times with tools like Google PageSpeed Insights, and GTmetrix to identify pages with the longest load times and optimize them first

✓ Review and optimize the performance impact of third-party scripts such as analytics trackers, social media widgets, and marketing tags

✓ Reduce the number of HTTP requests by combining CSS and JavaScript files, and minimizing the use of external scripts and resources

✓ Optimize above-the-fold content to ensure it loads quickly and prioritizes critical resources such as text, images, and CSS styles

Key questions to ask on page load time during eCommerce conversion auditing: 

👉 Are third-party apps slowing down your eCommerce website?

👉 How does the eCommerce website's page load speed compare to competitors or industry benchmarks?

👉 What is the average page load time on desktop, mobile, and other devices?

Further Reading: Smart Ways to Speed Up Your eCommerce Store (Top 5 Platforms Covered)

22. Mobile responsiveness

A report shows mobile commerce revenue will reach approximately two trillion U.S. dollars by 2024.

Almost 76% of shoppers buy through their smartphones, and 82% of users have made at least one purchase with their smartphones in the last 6 months.

Tips to consider while conducting eCommerce site audit on mobile responsiveness:

✓ Assess the overall design on mobile devices, including layout, navigation, and visual elements.

✓ Check if interactive elements like buttons, links, and form fields are large enough and spaced adequately for easy tapping and interaction.

✓ Enable a collapsible or hamburger menu for streamlined navigation on mobile devices, if you have a load of product information

✓ Optimize multimedia content such as videos and slideshows for mobile playback and ensure compatibility with popular mobile browsers

Key questions to ask on eCommerce mobile responsiveness: 

👉 Can shoppers finish key actions (like filling a form or adding to cart) without putting any extra effort than they would’ve made for desktop?

👉 Is the content hierarchy letting people move through the customer journey seamlessly? Or are some pieces of content buried?

👉 Are there too many pop-ups or are they few but ill-timed?

Further Reading: Mobile Commerce: Examples, Trends, Best Practices (For 2024)

23. Website image optimizations

75% of online shoppers rely on product photos to make purchasing decisions.

22% of returns are because the delivered product looked better on the website than in reality.

Tips to consider while conducting eCommerce site audit on image optimizations:

✓ Use modern image formats like WebP for improved compression and faster loading times

✓ Leverage lazy loading techniques to defer the loading of images that are not immediately visible on the screen

✓ Use descriptive and keyword-rich file names for images, separated by hyphens or underscores. Avoid generic file names like "image1.jpg" or "product123.jpg".

Key questions to ask on website image optimization:

👉 Are multiple images, angles, or views provided to give shoppers a 360-degree understanding of the product?

👉 Have accessibility guidelines, such as WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines), been followed when adding alt text and other image attributes?

Further Reading: Our Favorite Hero Image Examples in eCommerce (2024)

24. eCommerce website security

88% of consumers say their willingness to share personal information is based on how much they trust a brand.

That’s why it’s important to establish security, trust and credibility on your eCommerce site.

Tips to consider while conducting eCommerce site audit around website security:

✓ Encrypt sensitive data for transmission - this includes such login credentials, payment information, and personal details 

✓ Evaluate the security of payment processing systems and gateways to ensure compliance with PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) requirements

✓ Use automated scanning tools and manual testing techniques to uncover vulnerabilities in the website's code, configurations, and third-party integrations

Key questions to ask on eCommerce website security:

👉 Are trust signals appearing on the most high-intent pages (think product page, checkout)?

👉 Are payment options easily recognizable by most people?

👉 Are return, refund and privacy policies easily accessible?

Further Reading: 30 Ways to Build Trust FAST (On Your eCommerce Store)

So, how about a FREE CRO AUDIT?

98% of visitors who visit an eCommerce site—drop off without buying anything.

Why: user experience issues that cause friction for visitors.

And this is the problem Convertcart solves.

We've helped 500+ eCommerce stores (in the US) improve user experience—and 2X their conversions.

How we can help you:

Our conversion experts can audit your site—identify UX issues, and suggest changes to improve conversions.