Last Updated: December 18, 2024 by Editorial Team | Reviewed by: James Dyson
For online businesses, the Add to Cart button is your virtual cash register. But what if it’s not ringing up the sales you want?
The good news is you can increase your conversions with just a few tweaks.
If you’re asking yourself how powerful the Add to Cart button can be, this is the article for you. After all, that’s where powerful eCommerce design comes in.
In this article, we’re taking a deep dive into the world of Add to Cart buttons, exploring 10 real-world examples that highlight their potential for boosting conversions.
The humble Add to Cart button is a small but powerful part of your e-commerce website. Despite its size, it’s a big player in the customer journey and the gateway to the checkout process.
Positioned strategically, with the right design, color, and wording, it can significantly influence user behavior, increase average order value, and drive conversions.
The add to cart button is a clear call to action (CTA), asking the customer to take the next step to buy. When a customer clicks this button, they are effectively saying, “I want to buy this product and move forward with the transaction.”
Optimizing the add to cart button can give you:
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When designing a high-converting ‘Add to Cart’ button, you need to consider several key elements: color, size, wording and placement. Each factor plays a big role in user decisions and the overall shopping experience.
The color of the ‘Add to Cart’ button is one of the most important as it grabs attention and can elicit an emotion.
Bright, contrasting colors like orange, green or blue are popular as they stand out against the background and signal action.
The right color can create a sense of urgency, increase visibility and more clicks, and directly impact conversion rates.
The button must be big enough to be seen and clicked but not so big it overwhelms the page.
A well-sized button ensures accessibility across all devices including mobile where precise clicking is key.
The button size helps create a clear path forward in the buying journey and makes it easy for the user to engage with the buying process.
The wording of the button should be short, clear and action orientated.
Phrases like ‘Add to Cart’, “Buy Now” or “Get Yours” create a sense of urgency and guide the user on what to expect next.
The language should be plain and jargon free and encourage decisive action with clear direct commands that match the shopper’s intent.
Placing the ‘Add to Cart’ button in a strategic position ensures it’s not too far down the page for the user to have to scroll.
Above the fold, next to product images or next to price details is where the button should be.
Proper placement reduces friction and makes the checkout process easy and user friendly and captures the buyer’s intent at the moment of interest.
There is more to the process of creating an ‘Add to Cart’ button than mere aestehics. It’s also about understanding user behavior and UI/UX principles.
Here are some tips to help you create a button that drives engagement and conversions.
Choose button colors that contrast with the surrounding elements of your page. Orange, green, or blue against a neutral background grabs attention and makes the button pop. Make sure the button color matches your brand but stands out enough to grab the user’s attention.
The button should be big enough to be clickable, especially on mobile, but not so big it takes over the screen. Aim for a size that balances prominence with usability so users can interact with it without accidentally tapping other elements. Consider touch-friendly design principles for mobile shoppers.
Use direct, actionable text that tells the user what the button does, like 'Add to Cart', “Buy Now” or “Get Yours”. Avoid vague text. The goal is to make the next step obvious.
Place the button near the product title, price and description—above the fold so users don’t have to scroll to find it. For mobile, place it in a thumb-friendly area where it’s easy to tap. Accessibility and positioning makes the shopping journey seamless and frustration-free.
Add subtle animations, hover effects or color changes when the button is clicked to give the user instant feedback. These visual cues give the user confidence their action was successful.
Test different colors, text, sizes and positions to see what works best for your audience. Analyze the data to see which design variations get higher click through rates and conversions.
With more and more shoppers using mobile devices, your ‘Add to Cart’ button must be fully mobile optimized. Make sure it’s clickable, doesn’t overlap with other content, and loads quickly without lag.
Keep the button design consistent across all pages to build trust with your users. Consistency in color, size, and text helps users know what to do and where to do it from browse to checkout.
Now that we’ve covered the importance of optimizing the ‘Add to Cart’ button for conversions, let’s look at some real-world examples from top eCommerce sites.
Below are 10 top ‘Add to Cart’ button examples that grab attention and drive engagement and sales. Each example shows a different approach, so you can see what makes these buttons work.
Amazon’s Add to Cart button is super simple, with an orange and white coloring. It’s accompanied by a ‘Buy Now’ button so users have quick action options based on their intent.
Amazon’s design works because of the high contrast against the white background so the button stands out. The clear and simple messaging - ‘Add to Cart’ and ‘Buy Now’ - removes any doubt and guides the user to the action they want.
Both buttons are above the fold so users don’t have to scroll to get to them. This thoughtful design reduces friction and speeds up the decision-making process while increasing conversions on Amazon’s high-traffic site.
Apple’s Buy button is a simple yet elegant design that matches the brand’s style. The button has clean lines and blue text on a bold background and fits in with the overall layout of the product pages. This minimalism is what Apple is all about.
Functionally, the button allows users to customize their product options (such color, storage capacity, accessories) before adding to their cart. This customization helps the shopping experience and lets users make informed decisions based on their preferences.
Apple’s ‘Add to Cart’ function works because of the premium feel which matches the brand’s luxury image. The clean design helps the overall user experience and lets customers easily navigate through the available product options.
By providing a clean, on-brand interface integration with their ‘Buy’ button, Apple encourages users to engage with their products fully, ultimately leading to higher conversion rates.
Nike’s Add to bag button is big, black and white on the product page so it stands out. It’s big and functional so it grabs the customers’ attention as they are browsing through options.
In terms of functional elements, above the button there are visible size and color options and a dynamic stock indicator. So users can select their product attributes (size and color) before adding to their cart. This instant customization makes the user experience better as customers can quickly and accurately select the product they want.
The success of Nike’s button is in its simplicity. By combining a visual button with essential customization options, Nike ensures customers can add the right product to the cart without confusion.
This streamlined approach makes for a smooth experience and boosts conversions by removing friction points in the buying process.
Target’s Add to Cart button is bold, red, and nestles well into the product page’s overall design. The color is a part of Target’s branding and also draws the shopper’s eye so the button stands out from other page elements.
The button provides a smooth and fast ‘Add to Cart’ experience. Potential customers can select quantities and specific delivery or pickup options from the product page. This flexibility makes it easy for users to customize their experience based on their needs (home delivery or in-store pickup).
Why does Target’s ‘Add to Cart’ button work? The success is in its is in its design and functionality. The bold red color fits into the brand’s identity and is highly visible so it grabs the user’s attention immediately.
By offering quantity and delivery options, Target caters to different shopping behaviors and creates a seamless experience that encourages quick conversions and happy customers.
This thoughtful approach removes friction and makes the overall shopping journey better for Target’s eCommerce customers.
Truvani’s Add to Cart button is a little different. It’s a “Subscribe & Save” button. The big pink and white button says “SUBSCRIBE & SAVE - $35.99”. This way the customer can choose to buy once or subscribe and get it delivered to them regularly at a discount and the button text changes based on the selection.
The button is designed to give the customer more options when buying flavored bars or other products. The added bonus of free shipping for life if they subscribe makes the subscription option even more tempting.
The magic of Truvani’s Add to Cart button is in its dynamic model and the focus on savings. By allowing the customer to subscribe and save, the button is encouraging repeat business and speaking to value-conscious customers.
The clear pricing and the free shipping offer makes it easy to decide and converts by offering convenience and long-term benefits.
Warby Parker’s Add to Cart button example is simple and clean with a blue button and white text that says “Select Lenses and Buy”. Next to it is an equally sized button that says “Try at Home for Free” so you can choose to buy or try before you buy.
Functionally, the button allows you to add glasses to your cart after you’ve selected frame styles and lens options. Warby Parker also has a virtual try on feature so you can see how the frames will look on you before you decide to buy.
This works because the minimal design matches Warby Parker’s modern brand and is easy to see on the product page. Being able to select lenses, try on frames virtually or try at home reduces purchase anxiety and gives the customer more flexibility.
It’s a great interactive approach that builds confidence so they’re more likely to buy.
Etsy’s ‘Add to Cart’ button is round-edged and white and black, matching the handcrafted, artisanal feel of the site. The simplicity and soft edges make it feel friendly and approachable, like Etsy’s marketplace of handmade and vintage products.
Functionally, the button lets you customize items - size, color, and other options - before adding to cart. This is key for Etsy’s audience as many products are unique and made to order. Thee ‘More like this →’ next to the button lets you browse similar items and shop more.
Etsy’s ‘Add to Cart’ button is a hit because it’s personal and visible, matches Etsy’s overall feel and supports their niche of customizable, one-off products and the clear option to browse more. It’s a smooth user experience that converts and keeps the handmade feel.
The Black Falcon Drone’s ‘Add to Cart’ button is a bit different. The bold red design stands out against the white page. Instead of ‘Add to Cart’ it says ‘Check Availability’ which creates a sense of scarcity and exclusivity around the product.
When you click on it, it takes you to the checkout page where you can add product add-ons and complete your purchase. This is perfect for a complex product like a drone where add-ons like insurance coverage are common.The button stays fixed as you scroll so it’s always accessible throughout the shopping journey.
This works because it creates a sense of urgency and FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) and takes you straight to the checkout so the process of adding add-ons is frictionless.
The static button means you never lose sight of your purchasing options and it’s a smooth and enjoyable shopping experience that drives conversions.
The Add to Cart button on Terra Health’s website has a simple black and white design with a clear call to action text ‘Add to Cart’ and the price. This makes the button easy to spot on the product page and encourages the user to take action.
What the button does best is that it’s surrounded by some nice optimizations.
Customers can choose between having a one-off purchase or “Subscribe and Save”, also having a drop down to select their delivery frequency. There are also options to select the quantity of bottles they need and the interface highlights the savings for each and the most popular options to guide the user to the best choice.
Terra Health’s Add to Cart button works because of the many options and clear instructions given to the customer. By offering multiple options for frequency of purchase, quantity and savings the design caters to many different types of shoppers and gets the customer more engaged with the product.
This thoughtful approach makes the purchasing process simpler, more user friendly, and ultimately leads to higher conversion rates.
Make Waves’ Add to Cart button has a dynamic design that changes as the user navigates through the purchasing process. Initially, the button says ‘Select Your Plan’ but as the user scrolls down and selects their customizations, it changes to ‘Choose Your Scents’. This makes the experience feel interactive and customized.
The checkout is broken up into clear and manageable steps that match the product. Step one is to select the refillable applicator, step two is to select the plan type, and step three is to select the refills and scent types. As the user goes through these steps, the product image on the left-hand side of the screen updates dynamically so the user can see their selections and the overall experience.
The Make Waves’ ‘Add to Cart’ button works because it’s so interactive. By guiding the user through a structured process that feels customized, the design makes it easy for the shopper to understand their options and gets them more connected to the product.
This reduces decision fatigue and gets the user to complete the purchase while giving them a fun and memorable experience.
We’ve seen 10 different approaches to the Add to Cart button to inspire you but here are the key takeaways to keep in mind:
With an attractive and optimized Add the Cart button, there’s nothing stop your business from hitting your conversion targets today!
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