Why you should place the add to cart button on the product list page

The world is shopping online today. When you were shopping, you might have seen some websites that take you to the product pages and make you add the product to the cart from that page. You would have also seen websites that are filled with add-to-cart buttons everywhere. But which one is the best practice?

At WEMASY, we’ve built many webshops and have seen some real results in the “Add to Cart” buttons placed under the products on the product listing pages. Read this blog to find out a new hack for increasing sales on your e-commerce website.

What is a product list page?

Before we look at why you need to place the add-to-cart button on the product list page, we will see what a product list page is. The product list page is a category or a webshop page that has multiple products. They are placed in a grid or a layout with images under each category, and the customer browses through them.

Why should you place "Add to Cart" buttons for products in the product list?

There are many reasons to add these tiny buttons, but here’s what has worked best for the best-selling e-commerce websites across the world.

Minimize the clicks and maximize the conversions

Every click counts for the website owner. When you make the user click too many times, they may drop off. We know you’re building a smooth, seamless shopping experience, but adding extra steps along the way increases the risk of drop-offs. Users who have to go to a product page and then click Add to Cart could easily change their mind or get distracted before they even get to checkout.

Wouldn’t it be easier to let users add their favorite products to the cart directly from the list, instead of forcing them to navigate to another page? Your goal should always be to minimize friction, and adding this button is a simple way to get users closer to the checkout.

Impulse buying is real, and you can take advantage

Impulse buys are huge, and the Add to Cart button on a product list is one of the simplest yet most powerful ways to leverage this behavior. Think about a buyer on the website browsing through the products he wants. In case they like two products, their impulsive shopping behavior will make them buy both products. But if they have to go to another page, they may not act on that impulse.

Adding more products increases the AOV

By placing Add to Cart buttons on the product list, users can quickly add items they’re interested in without losing track of their choices. Cross-selling and upselling become much more effective when users can seamlessly add items to their cart without needing to open up multiple product pages. The recommendation pages are product lists, too. When you recommend products with the cart button, the buyers add the products to the cart without having to browse through other product pages.

Faster browsing for busy customers

The attention span of the visitors on your website is very short. Some visit your website and browse through the product list, knowing exactly what they want. Placing Add to Cart buttons on product lists helps customers add products to their cart instantly, without having to go through the entire product page. For those who need more information about the products, the individual product pages are always ready for them.

What do you avoid while adding the "Add to Cart" Buttons on the product list pages?

You’ve learned from the blog that the products on the product list pages need to have the add-to-cart buttons. Here are some tips to do it the right way.

• Do not use jargon: Not all the visitors on your website have the time to spare. You need to know that online shoppers have a very short attention span. Clarity is crucial. When designing an Add to Cart button, you want to make sure it’s understood instantly.

• Call the button "ADD TO CART": Do not go fancy and write words like “Make them yours,” etc. This will not grab the attention of the user. The other way to do it is to use the icon

• Do not add too many features: The user journey does not end with your add-to-cart button. You need to collect the basic information from the user before adding the product to the cart. It can be the size, color, or anything of such importance. Do not make this option list long with more features. Users may not appreciate answering questions that do not matter and may skip adding the product to the cart.

• Do not complicate the button graphic: The add to cart button needs to be easy for the user to recognize and interact with. If the button graphic or icon is too complex, users may become confused about its purpose or hesitate to click. A simplified icon ensures the button remains legible and usable across all devices.

• Watch for the size of the button: The add to cart button should be neither too big nor too small. Small buttons make it hard for the shopper to find the button and click. The larger ones can be dominating and can give the user the impression that it is more important than the product.

• Don’t overload the product page: If you want to give the website visitors a good shopping experience, work on the fact that less is more. If the product list page is too crowded, with multiple buttons, links, or images, it can confuse the user and make them feel overwhelmed. Overloading the page also makes it harder for the add-to-cart button to stand out. Keep the page minimal and the button clear to encourage faster purchases.

• Don’t forget to give feedback: When the user adds the product to the cart by clicking on the add-to-cart button on the product list, put up a notification that the product has been added to the cart. When this is missed, the user keeps clicking on the button and gets clueless about what is happening. This may not take them to the cart and make them finish the payment.

The Add to Cart button is one of the most important features on this page, and getting it just right can make all the difference in conversions and user satisfaction. WEMASY has some of the best templates to help you design a clean, intuitive, and efficient product list page that makes shopping easier for your customers.

Our team is always here to offer guidance and support as you create a seamless experience for your users. If you ever have questions or need assistance while working on your product list page design, we’re just a message away.