How to improve the e-commerce shopping process?
The e-commerce purchase path is the sequence of steps a shopper takes from noticing a need to completing a purchase: discovery, research, comparison, the product page, the cart and checkout. Improving it means giving shoppers the right content at each stage and removing what stops them from buying. Key takeaways How do people shop online […]
The e-commerce purchase path is the sequence of steps a shopper takes from noticing a need to completing a purchase: discovery, research, comparison, the product page, the cart and checkout. Improving it means giving shoppers the right content at each stage and removing what stops them from buying.
Key takeaways
- Three stages: TOFU (awareness), MOFU (comparison) and BOFU (decision). Each needs different content and different metrics.
- Find drop-off points first: GA4 funnel exploration shows where shoppers leave; session recordings (Clarity, Hotjar) show why.
- Biggest leaks: around 70% of carts are abandoned, most often because of extra costs, forced account creation and a slow or long checkout.
- Polish shoppers expect BLIK (used by 78% of online buyers), clear delivery and return terms.
- AI assistants are now part of the path: shoppers compare products in ChatGPT, Gemini or AI Mode before they reach your store.
Let your customers find you, wherever they look.
How do people shop online in 2026?
Online shopping is mainstream: according to Gemius, 78% of internet users in Poland buy online. Shoppers research more before buying, compare prices across stores and marketplaces, and use more channels: search engines, social media, marketplaces and, increasingly, AI assistants. The path is longer and less linear, so each touchpoint needs to answer the shopper’s question at that moment.
What are the stages of the purchase path?
| Stage | Shopper’s question | Content that helps | What to measure |
|---|---|---|---|
| TOFU (awareness) | “What do I need?” | Guides, trend articles, inspiration, short videos | Organic traffic, engaged sessions, AI citations |
| MOFU (consideration) | “Which option is best for me?” | Comparisons, buying guides, size guides, reviews, category pages with filters | Category and product page views, use of filters, add-to-wishlist |
| BOFU (decision) | “Why buy here, now?” | Product page, reviews and ratings, delivery and return terms, payment options | Add-to-cart rate, checkout steps, conversion rate |
| After purchase | “Will I buy again?” | Order updates, easy returns, care tips, cross-sell emails | Repeat purchase rate, returns, reviews collected |
Match content to the search intent at each stage; see search intent.
How do you analyze the purchase path?
- Build a funnel in GA4. In Explore → Funnel exploration, add steps: view_item → add_to_cart → begin_checkout → add_shipping_info → add_payment_info → purchase. The biggest drop shows where to start.
- Segment the funnel by device, channel and new vs returning users. A drop only on mobile usually points to a UX problem.
- Watch session recordings and heatmaps in Microsoft Clarity or Hotjar for the weak step: rage clicks, errors, fields people abandon. Collect consent and mask personal data in line with GDPR.
- Check speed. In Deloitte’s study, a 0.1 s faster mobile site increased retail conversions by 8.4%.
- Test changes with A/B testing tools (e.g. VWO, Optimizely, AB Tasty) since Google Optimize was retired in September 2023. See analytics audits.
How do you improve each stage?
Discovery: be visible where shoppers search
- Category structure for search demand. Create subcategories for phrases with real demand (for example “women’s black boots” under “women’s boots”) and link them. Don’t index every filter combination.
- Seasonality. Publish and optimize before the peak (boots: from August) and keep pages live after it for late and bargain shoppers.
- Rich results. Use Product structured data and a complete Merchant Center feed so prices, ratings and images appear in Google and AI Mode.
- AI assistants. Product descriptions, reviews and buying guides are what AI cites when shoppers ask for recommendations. See AI search and e-commerce.
Product page: answer every question
- Complete information: materials, sizes with a size guide, care, use cases. See product descriptions for AI search. Example: auroria.pl.
- Photos and video from all sides, on a model, in use. Example: deezee.pl.
- Cross-selling of matching products, to raise the cart value and help navigation. Example: wojas.pl.
- Reviews and ratings (social proof), including photos from buyers. Example: wojas.pl.
- Delivery, returns and payment visible next to the price, not only in the footer.
Cart and checkout: remove friction
- No surprise costs. Show delivery costs early; extra costs are the most common reason for cart abandonment.
- Guest checkout without forced account creation.
- Payment methods Polish shoppers use: BLIK, fast transfers, cards, Apple Pay / Google Pay and deferred payments.
- Delivery options: parcel lockers, courier, pickup point, with delivery times.
- Fewer fields and autofill; clear error messages.
Returns and trust
- Easy, clearly described returns (free returns where possible). Example: wearmedicine.com. Consumers in the EU have 14 days to withdraw from a distance purchase.
- Promotions in line with the Omnibus directive: show the lowest price from the last 30 days next to a discount (in force in Poland since 1 January 2023).
- Accessibility: since 28 June 2025, online stores in the EU must meet accessibility requirements (European Accessibility Act). Accessible forms and contrast also help all users convert.
For more tactics, see 12 data-driven ways to boost e-commerce conversions.
Make your brand visible – from Google to AI chatbots.
FAQ
What are the stages of the e-commerce purchase path?
Awareness (TOFU), consideration (MOFU) and decision (BOFU), followed by the post-purchase stage. Each stage needs different content and metrics.
How do I find where customers drop off?
Build a funnel exploration in GA4 from product view to purchase, segment it by device and channel, and watch session recordings for the step with the largest drop.
Why do shoppers abandon carts?
Most often because of extra costs (delivery, fees), forced account creation, a long or complicated checkout and missing payment methods.
Which payment methods should a Polish online store offer?
At least BLIK, fast online transfers and cards. BLIK is the most popular method, used by 78% of online shoppers surveyed by Gemius.
Sources
- Przelewy24: Gemius E-commerce in Poland 2025
- Shoper: payment habits of online shoppers (Gemius data)
- Baymard Institute: Cart abandonment rate
- web.dev: Milliseconds make millions (Deloitte)
- Google Search Central: Product structured data
- Google Search Central: March 2024 core update
- UKE: Accessibility of products and services (Polish Accessibility Act)
About the author: Kacper Chyła wrote this article as part of the Insightland team. Insightland is a Wrocław-based SEO and GEO agency, part of the Hexe Capital Tech Hub. Contact us.
