Ever wondered how to make your customers’ shopping experience smoother and more engaging? The answer lies in side carts a powerful tool that can streamline the checkout process and reduce cart abandonment. By providing a mini cart for WooCommerce that stays visible throughout the shopping experience, you keep your customers informed and ready to complete their purchase without leaving the page.

In this article, we’ll explore some of the best side cart tools available for WooCommerce in 2024. We’ll highlight their features, point out their drawbacks, and explain why Extendons’ Mini Cart for WooCommerce stands out from the competition.

What Is a Mini Cart for WooCommerce?

Before diving into the tools, let’s clarify what a mini cart for WooCommerce is. It’s a feature that allows customers to view the contents of their shopping cart without leaving the page they’re on. This cart typically sits in a corner (side cart) or floats on the screen, updating in real-time as items are added or removed.

Why Use a Mini Cart?

• Improved User Experience: Shoppers can see their cart contents without navigating away from the product page.
• Reduced Cart Abandonment: By making it easier to view the cart, customers are less likely to abandon their purchases.
• Increased Conversions: A seamless checkout experience often leads to higher conversion rates.

Now, let’s take a look at some of the top side cart WooCommerce tools in 2024, their strengths, weaknesses, and why Extendons outshines them all.

1. Sharabindu WooCommerce Side Cart

Sharabindu is a popular plugin in the market that offers basic side cart WooCommerce functionality. While it’s widely used, it does come with some limitations.

Pros:

• Simple Setup: Sharabindu offers a straightforward setup process, making it easy for store owners to install and activate the side cart quickly.
• Basic Customization: Users can tweak the colors, text, and position of the side cart to match their website’s theme.

Cons:

• Limited Features: The plugin lacks advanced features like coupon code integration or real-time notifications, which can be a dealbreaker for stores wanting more robust functionality.
• Lack of Detailed Cart Options: Unlike more advanced plugins, Sharabindu doesn’t offer multiple cart views or icons, limiting its customization potential.
• No Support for Flyout Animation: Sharabindu’s cart remains static, which can make the shopping experience feel less dynamic and engaging.

Why Extendons Is Better:

While Sharabindu might be sufficient for basic needs, it doesn’t offer the level of customization or interactive features that Extendons’ Mini Cart for WooCommerce provides. If you’re looking for a more engaging and feature-rich solution, Extendons has a lot more to offer, including fly-out animation, coupon code support, and a highly customizable cart layout.

2. WooCommerce Cart Abandonment Recovery by CartFlows

CartFlows is another strong contender in the WooCommerce plugin space, focusing heavily on cart abandonment recovery. While it does include side cart functionality, its primary goal is to encourage users to complete their purchases through email reminders and discounts.

Pros:

• Cart Abandonment Emails: Automatically sends emails to customers who leave items in their cart without checking out.
• Customizable Cart: Offers some customization options for the cart’s appearance.

Cons:

• Heavy Focus on Recovery: CartFlows is more about cart recovery than providing a sleek side cart experience. This can feel like overkill if you’re just looking for a simple side cart.
• Complex Setup: Setting up the full range of CartFlows’ features can be time-consuming and overly complex for users who only need basic side cart functionality.

Why Extendons Is Better:

If you want to focus purely on improving the shopping experience without diving into complex recovery workflows, Extendons’ Side Cart for WooCommerce is a better fit. It offers an easy-to-use, highly customizable side cart without requiring the complex setup that comes with CartFlows.

3. WooCommerce Floating Cart by Xootix

Xootix offers a visually appealing floating cart plugin that integrates smoothly with WooCommerce stores. Its main draw is the beautiful design and animation options for the side cart.

Pros:

• Aesthetic Appeal: Xootix is known for its sleek and modern cart designs, which can enhance the look of your store.
• Flyout Animation: Offers smooth flyout animations that improve user engagement.

Cons:

• Limited Functionality: While Xootix excels in design, it falls short when it comes to deeper functionality. For example, it doesn’t offer detailed cart options like coupon code application or customizable notifications.
• No Sticky Cart Option: Unlike Extendons, Xootix doesn’t support sticky cart functionality, meaning the cart disappears as users scroll down, which could lead to cart abandonment.

Why Extendons Is Better:

Extendons' Mini Cart for WooCommerce not only offers the same level of design customization but also goes beyond with its sticky cart option, allowing customers to always see their cart as they browse. Plus, it includes features like coupon code support, which Xootix lacks.

Why Choose Extendons’ Mini Cart for WooCommerce?

Extendons has clearly positioned itself as a leader in WooCommerce side cart solutions, offering unmatched flexibility and functionality. Here’s why Extendons’ Mini Cart for WooCommerce stands out from the competition:

1. Highly Customizable Mini Cart

With the Extendons plugin, you can easily add a mini cart anywhere on your store using shortcodes. Want it in the header, footer, or sidebar? No problem. The plugin gives you complete control over where and how the mini cart appears. You can also customize the look with 13 different cart icons or even upload your own custom icon for a truly unique look.

2. Flyout and Side Cart Options

Extendons offers two distinct cart options: a sticky cart and a side cart. The sticky cart ensures that customers can always see what’s in their cart as they browse your store. The side cart, on the other hand, automatically appears when a product is added, providing instant feedback to the customer. Both options are designed to enhance user experience and encourage higher conversions.

3. Real-Time Cart Updates

Unlike many competitors, the mini cart WooCommerce by Extendons provides real-time updates. This means that when a customer adds a product, the cart is updated instantly without needing to refresh the page. Real-time updates ensure customers can see their selections and subtotal immediately, leading to a more confident checkout process.

4. Easy-to-Use Shortcodes

You can easily add a mini cart to any page using shortcodes. Whether you want it on product pages, the homepage, or even in the menu, Extendons makes it simple to implement without complex coding or setup.

5. Coupon Code Integration

A big differentiator for Extendons is its ability to let users apply coupon codes directly within the side cart. This encourages users to complete their purchase, knowing they’re getting a deal right away.

6. Engaging Flyout Animations

Extendons doesn’t just stop at functionality—it also offers style. The plugin allows you to add flyout animations and notifications whenever an item is added to the cart. These visual cues make the shopping process more interactive and enjoyable, keeping customers engaged.

7. Mobile-Responsive Design

In today’s mobile-first world, it’s essential to offer a seamless shopping experience across all devices. Extendons’ side cart WooCommerce is fully mobile-responsive, ensuring that your cart looks great and functions perfectly on smartphones and tablets.

FAQs: Mini Cart for WooCommerce by Extendons

1. Can I Customize the Look of the Mini Cart?

Yes, Extendons offers 13 different cart icons and allows you to upload a custom icon. You can also change the colors, text, and style to match your store’s theme.

2. Does the Plugin Support Real-Time Updates?

Absolutely! The mini cart updates in real-time, so customers can see their cart totals immediately after adding an item.

3. Can I Display the Cart Anywhere on My Store?

Yes, with the help of shortcodes, you can display the mini cart on any page, including the header, footer, or sidebar.

4. Does Extendons Support Sticky Carts?

Yes, the plugin allows you to enable a sticky cart, so customers can always see their cart as they scroll through your store.

5. Does It Work on Mobile?

Yes, the plugin is fully mobile-responsive, ensuring that the mini and side cart looks great on all devices.

Conclusion: Why Extendons Is the Best Side Cart Solution for 2024

While there are many side cart WooCommerce options on the market, Extendons’ Mini Cart for WooCommerce offers the most comprehensive feature set, combining ease of use, design flexibility, and robust functionality. Whether you’re looking for a sticky cart, real-time updates, or coupon code integration, Extendons delivers it all in one powerful plugin.

For 2024, if you’re serious about improving your store’s user experience and boosting conversions, Extendons’ Mini Cart for WooCommerce is the clear winner.

Useful Resources

Upgrade WooCommerce Dashboards with Extendons in 2024: A Complete Guide

Extendons' Latest Mini Cart Features for WooCommerce in 2024