I've spent months checking eCommerce stores one buying path at a time. Not scans. Actually adding a product to the basket and going through to checkout.
I expected to find slow pages and dated design. That is not what comes up most.
What comes up most is two pages on the same store contradicting each other.
A product page promising free returns within 90 days, with the linked policy saying 30 days and the customer pays postage. A cart badge saying free shipping, with the policy saying free shipping on orders of 12 bags or more. An FAQ saying a product has no sugar, with the current label showing 2g.
One store managed three different shipping thresholds across the cart, the policy page and the actual checkout. I tested an order below both stated minimums and still got free shipping.
None of this is neglect. Someone updated an offer and the policy page kept the old terms. Someone added a badge to the cart and the shipping page was written a year earlier.
What makes it expensive is when the buyer meets it. They hit the contradiction at the moment of paying, which is exactly when they are looking for a reason to hesitate.
Worth an hour of your week. Buy your own product. Read every promise on the way through, then check each one against the page it links to.
First posted on LinkedIn.