Converting Mid-Funnel Customers in eCommerce: 14 Effective Strategies

We know that there are all kinds of customers–from those who know what to buy and complete their purchase to those who spend time on your website and abandon their carts.

There is a different strategy for each set of customers–depending on which stage of the funnel they are at.

In this article, we will particularly focus on the customers who are at the mid-funnel stage (evaluation and decision-making).

Let’s go!

Who are mid-funnel customers in eCommerce?

Mid-funnel customers in eCommerce are those who have shown interest in your products but are still considering their options and haven't yet made a purchase decision.

They frequently browse product pages, read reviews, and add items to their cart without completing the purchase.

So, if this is a pattern that you have noticed in your eCommerce store, it's time to pay close attention to learn how to convert these mid-funnel customers into buyers.

Why is it difficult to move them down the funnel?

It's difficult to move mid-funnel customers down the funnel because they are often caught in an infinite loop of "Exploration" and "Evaluation".

They constantly compare options leading to indecision and a lack of clear differentiation between choices which keeps them from committing to the purchase.

Strategies to convert eCommerce mid-funnel customers

Here are 14 proven strategies that will help you move the mid-funnel customers down the funnel:

1. Make product recommendations super effective

Oftentimes customers don’t know exactly what they want but have a rough idea of what they are looking for.

It is the product suggestions that help them choose the “right” product–these could be alternate products or supplementary products.

Alternate products help shoppers choose the right product while supplementary ones help find items that go along with the product.

Both are equally important when it comes to product recommendations.

To nail this:

✅ Recommend both alternate and supplementary products on your product pages to cater to different customer needs

✅ Clearly label and differentiate alternate and supplementary products, placing them in distinct sections for maximum clarity

✅ Prioritize compatibility in your recommendations, ensuring that supplementary products work well with the main item, avoiding customer frustration

✅ Diversify your product suggestions to showcase a broader range of your catalog, increasing the likelihood of cross-selling and upselling

Rothy’s does this quite well. Check how they recommend alternate as well as supplementary products on the product page.

2. Run dynamic retargeting ads

Focus on creating highly personalized ad experiences that resonate with the customer’s previous interactions.

This isn’t just about showing them what they’ve seen before—it's about anticipating their next move and addressing potential barriers to conversion.

To make the most of dynamic retargeting ads:

✅ Leverage predictive analytics to recommend products or offers that align with the customer's likely next purchase, not just what they’ve already viewed

✅ Address common objections directly within the ads, such as highlighting easy returns or customer service availability to build confidence

✅ Use carousel ads to display a range of relevant products, increasing the chances of capturing their interest with a broader selection

✅ Incorporate urgency elements, such as countdown timers or limited stock alerts, to motivate immediate action

✅ Customize CTAs based on behavior, such as “Complete Your Purchase” for cart abandoners or “Explore Similar Items” for product browsers

3. Play around with exit-intent popups

With exit-intent popups in place, it's time to fine-tune them into a conversion-booster.

Your focus should be on making these popups a strategic touchpoint that directly counters the reasons customers might leave without buying.

To optimize your exit-intent popups:

✅ Address specific objections: Use the popup to directly tackle common reasons for abandonment, such as high shipping costs or doubts about product quality

✅ Highlight limited-time offers: Create urgency by showcasing time-sensitive discounts or promotions that encourage immediate action

✅ Reinforce trust: Include trust signals like customer reviews, satisfaction guarantees, or security badges to reassure customers who might be hesitant

✅ Provide an alternative action: Offer options like saving the cart for later or subscribing to a newsletter, so the interaction doesn’t end completely if they’re not ready to buy

✅ Segment your audience: Use different exit-intent strategies for different customer segments, such as new visitors vs. returning customers, to tailor the approach and improve effectiveness

4. Instill trust through reviews and UGC

We know that UGC is imperative for real-world validation–but just having UGC on your website is not enough. We need to think about maximizing its impact.

Enhance how you present and manage this content to build stronger trust and drive higher engagement with your potential customers.

To achieve this:

✅ Feature reviews and UGC prominently on key pages, such as product details and landing pages, to ensure high visibility

✅ Integrate UGC into your marketing materials, like email campaigns and social media, to extend its reach and influence beyond your website

✅ Create a dedicated section for reviews and UGC on your site to allow visitors to easily explore and engage with this content

✅ Use advanced filtering options to help users find reviews and UGC relevant to their interests or concerns

✅ Highlight verified buyer reviews to add an extra layer of credibility and trustworthiness

✅ Regularly update and refresh UGC to keep it relevant and engaging, showing potential customers that your products are consistently well-received

✅ Spotlight the most helpful or impressive reviews and UGC to enhance visibility and influence potential buyers

5. Create enticing product bundles

Mid-funnel shoppers evaluate their options and constantly look for added value to finalize their decision.

Product bundles can entice these shoppers by offering a compelling mix of items that enhances perceived value and encourages a purchase.

For best results:

✅ Design bundles that combine complementary products to address common customer needs

✅ Add images of all the items in the bundle on the product page

✅ Offer discounts or added benefits for purchasing bundles to increase appeal

✅ Clearly communicate the value proposition of each bundle, highlighting savings or exclusive features

✅ Test different bundle configurations and analyze performance to optimize your offerings

6. Have your abandoned cart sequences in place

Shoppers who abandon their carts are often still interested but need a nudge to complete their purchase.

Effective abandoned cart sequences can re-engage these shoppers, address potential objections, and drive conversions.

To optimize this:

✅ Implement a 3-step email sequence:

• First email: Send within 1 hour of abandonment, reminding them of their items and offering a direct link to their cart
• Second email: Send 24 hours later with a personalized message, highlighting product benefits and any customer reviews
• Third email: Send 48-72 hours later with a limited-time discount or free shipping offer to create urgency

✅ Tailor emails based on cart value, product category, and browsing behavior to make messaging more relevant

✅ Make it short and crisp; don’t forget to add images of the cart items to the email

Recommended articles:

How Many Emails To Include In An Abandoned Cart Workflow?

Prevent Shopify Cart and Checkout Abandonment: 24 Tested Ideas

7. Design compelling limited-time offers

To maximize the effectiveness of your limited-time offers, pinpoint the optimal times and triggers based on customer behavior.

For example, if your analytics show that most users abandon their carts around 3 PM, schedule your limited-time offers to launch just before this peak time to capture their attention when they’re most likely to need an incentive.

To optimize this:

✅ Identify peak abandonment times: Analyze your data to find when customers frequently abandon their carts, such as 3 PM. Use this insight to time your limited-time offers, like launching a “Flash Sale: 30% Off—Only Until 3 PM!” right before this peak time

✅ Set up automated cart reminders: Trigger personalized emails or push notifications to customers who have abandoned their carts, offering a discount like “Complete your purchase now and get an extra 20% off—offer ends in 2 hours!”

✅ Utilize geo-targeting: If you have multiple locations or regions, create location-specific offers. For example, “Exclusive 25% Off for NYC Shoppers—Ends at Midnight!” to make the offer more relevant

✅ Place offer strategically on high-traffic areas: Use heatmaps to identify where users spend most of their time and position your countdown timer or offer banner prominently in these areas

✅ Run A/B tests on urgency messaging: Test different urgency messages, such as “Ends in 3 Hours!” versus “Limited Time: 20% Off Today Only!” to see which drives higher conversions

8. Optimize your product descriptions

If your product descriptions are solid chunks of paragraphs, you risk losing potential sales and frustrating mid-funnel shoppers who need clear information to make a decision.

Well-crafted descriptions are the ones that can address concerns, highlight key benefits, and answer questions quickly.

To perfect them:

✅ Incorporate icons to highlight key features like “Free Shipping,” “Eco-Friendly,” or “Limited Edition” for quick reference

✅ Break down information into bullet points to present features, benefits, and specifications for easy scanning and readability

✅ Format descriptions well using headings, subheadings, and whitespace to create a clean, organized layout that guides the shopper’s eye

✅ Include detailed specifications such as size, materials, and product dimensions to ensure shoppers have all the necessary information

✅ Add shipping information to clearly state shipping options, costs, and delivery times to manage customer expectations and reduce cart abandonment

Leesa does an absolutely fantastic job with their descriptions. They organize it well, add shipping information, add their offers, highlight top benefits and make it super readable.  

9. Add flexible payments to your checkout

Convenience = easier decision-making. Always.

When only a few payment options are available, you may alienate potential customers who prefer or need different payment methods, leading to abandoned carts and lost sales.

For best results:

✅ Integrate multiple payment methods such as credit/debit cards, digital wallets (like PayPal or Apple Pay), and buy now, pay later options

✅ Ensure seamless payment experiences by optimizing your checkout process for speed and ease

✅ Highlight payment options clearly during checkout to reassure customers about the flexibility available

✅ Add icons and trust seals for your checkout to look credible

10. Offer live chat support

In a competitive eCommerce landscape, immediate customer support can be a key differentiator.

To get it right:

✅ Integrate a live chat feature to ensure prompt support and improve user satisfaction

✅ Do not let the live chat pop up on its own–it should open only when clicked

✅ Optimize chat staffing for peak traffic times to maintain high service levels

✅ Leverage chatbots to handle routine inquiries and escalate complex issues to human agents

✅ Personalize chat interactions by utilizing customer data to tailor responses and recommendations

11. Create simple video content

Yes, we are talking about really simple videos.

Well-crafted videos can clarify product features, demonstrate value, and improve the overall visitor experience on your site.

Get them right by:

✅ Highlight key product features with short videos (1-2 minutes) focusing on the main features and benefits, such as a quick demo of how a jewelry piece is worn

✅ Keep videos concise and focused by ensuring each video addresses one key message to maintain clarity and viewer interest

✅ Use easy-to-use video tools like Canva or Loom to create and edit videos efficiently without high production costs

✅ Incorporate clear calls-to-action within the video or surrounding content, such as “Shop Now,” “Learn More,” or “Add to Cart” to encourage visitors to take action

✅ Add captions and text overlays to ensure the video content is accessible and easily understood even if viewed without sound

✅ Ensure responsiveness by optimizing videos for various devices and screen sizes, ensuring they load quickly and display correctly on both desktop and mobile devices

12. Add social proof widgets to foster urgency

Urgency-driven social proof widgets basically encourage faster purchasing decisions by highlighting real-time activity.

What you can do is:

✅ Implement widgets that show real-time data such as recent purchases or limited stock alerts to create a sense of urgency and prompt immediate action

✅ Display messages like “Only X left in stock” or “X people are viewing this product right now” to increase the perceived scarcity and drive urgency

✅ Ensure the widget is visible on key pages like product and checkout pages to maximize its impact and encourage quick decisions

✅ Regularly test and refine the widget’s messaging and design to ensure it effectively prompts user action and aligns with your site’s overall aesthetic

13. Create attractive loyalty programs

To effectively convert mid-funnel customers, your loyalty program should address their specific needs and motivations at this stage.

Focus on crafting a program that not only incentivizes continued engagement but also offers tangible benefits that address their purchasing considerations.

For example, if mid-funnel customers are evaluating their options, a loyalty program with tiered rewards and personalized offers can provide the extra push they need to complete their purchase.

✅ Offer tiered rewards that provide increasing benefits as customers reach higher spending levels, encouraging more frequent purchases

✅ Include personalized rewards based on customer behavior and preferences, such as discounts on favorite products or exclusive access to new items

✅ Integrate gamification elements such as points systems or achievement badges to make the loyalty program more engaging and fun

✅ Provide exclusive member benefits like early access to sales or special events to create additional value and enhance the customer experience

✅ Promote the loyalty program prominently on your website and through email campaigns to maximize visibility and enrollment

14. Work on user experience optimization

A well-optimized user experience addresses pain points, simplifies navigation, and aligns with user expectations.

To optimize this:

✅ Streamline website navigation by creating a clear, intuitive menu structure and easy-to-find search functionality to help users find what they need quickly

✅ Improve page load times by optimizing images, using efficient coding practices, and leveraging content delivery networks (CDNs) to enhance overall site speed

✅ Design mobile-friendly interfaces that ensure a seamless experience across all devices, with responsive design that adapts to different screen sizes

✅ Simplify the checkout process by reducing the number of steps and required fields, offering guest checkout options, and providing clear progress indicators

✅ Implement user-friendly forms with autofill capabilities, validation checks, and clear instructions to minimize errors and improve completion rates

✅ Enhance visual appeal with clean, consistent design elements, high-quality images, and effective use of whitespace to create a pleasant browsing experience

Recommended articles:

Why Are People Adding To Cart But Not Buying?

Why Are Shoppers Dropping Off My Checkout Flow?

Final Word

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

Reason: User experience issues that cause friction for visitors.

And Convertcart solves for exactly that.

We help eCommerce brands optimize their websites to boost their conversions.

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

How do we do this?

Our conversion experts can audit your site—identify UX issues, and suggest changes to turn more of your visitors into customers.

Frequently asked questions

1. What are the 5 stages of the eCommerce funnel?

The eCommerce funnel typically consists of five stages:

Awareness (Top of Funnel): Discovering your brand or products

Consideration (Mid-Funnel): Evaluating options and engaging with your content

Decision (Mid-Funnel): Choosing to purchase your product

Action (Bottom of Funnel): Completing the purchase

Retention (Post-Funnel): Building loyalty and encouraging repeat purchases

Each stage requires tailored strategies to effectively move customers further down the funnel.

2. How do I measure the success of my mid-funnel marketing campaigns?

To measure the success of your mid-funnel marketing campaigns, focus on these key metrics:

• Engagement Rates: Track interactions with content, such as click-through rates (CTR) on emails and ads
• Conversion Rates: Monitor how many leads from the mid-funnel stage move to the decision stage or make a purchase
• Lead Quality: Assess the quality of leads generated by analyzing their behavior and likelihood to convert
• Cost Per Acquisition (CPA): Calculate the cost of acquiring a lead compared to the revenue generated
• Customer Feedback: Gather insights from surveys or reviews to gauge the effectiveness of your mid-funnel strategies

These metrics help evaluate how well your campaigns are nurturing leads and driving them towards conversion.