TrainLine - High checkout abandonment?
Today I needed to buy a train ticket for next week so I went to the Trainline website and after picking the correct route, finding suitable times and fares I was ready to checkout. I was at the last screen and got presented with the following screen:
You see the problem, I can either pick up the train tickets from the nearest station or pay for next day delivery (£7.50). Ok, my journey starts from Capenhurst which is 1/2 mile from my house but nearest train station I can pick up the tickets is Chester, which is 16 miles roundtrip - not really suitable. Also I’m not in a rush for my tickets (as I’m travelling next week) so therefore don’t require next day delivery at £7.50 (over 50% the costs of my actual train tickets). So where is the 1st class post option for a £1??
Done a bit of digging around QJump is exactly the same. Also Trainline charge a booking fee and credit card fees as well so they always make a few quid on every booking. If like me you want 1st class post (free!) for your tickets, no credit card fees and no booking fee then use the service by First Great Western, they also don’t select travel insurance for you by default.
The marketing/usability guys at Trainline need shooting, for people in the same situation as me the cart abandonment will be really high and as they have deleted the option to have your tickets sent by 1st class post I can see their conversion on a big downturn - good work guys!
