Timberline Interactive

On most ecommerce websites, when you add an item to the cart, you are directed to the shopping cart page where you may opt either to keep shopping or to check out. A different approach is to remain on the product page but display a small "perpetual cart" showing that an item has been added. With the advent of AJAX, interactive sliders that slide into view more conspicuously display the "mini cart."

I'm inclined to prefer the move-to-cart approach, because it very clearly shows customers they succeeded in adding a product to their cart. (Staying on the product page can give some customers, especially the less experienced online shopper, confusion about whether their button click actually did anything). And it takes them one step closer to converting the sale. 

Admittedly, this approach may be more important for companies that typically sell just one or two items per order (like gifts) versus places that sell many per order (like apparel).
 
Anecdotally, we changed Gorton’s to land on the cart after the add-to-cart, and their Q4 results were really good. There’s no clear connection, but it is interesting.
 
I looked at 20 leading sites and move-to-the-cart is the dominant behavior. (But I also like LL Bean’s approach.) Here are the results:
 
60% move to the shopping cart
30% remain on the product page and display a small “perpetual cart” or slider
10% move to a cross/sell upsell page with options to check out or keep shopping
 
1-800 Flowers > cart
Abercrombie & Fitch > remains on page (perpetual cart)
Amazon > cart
Bass Pro Shops > cart
Cabelas > cart
Gap > remain on page (perpetual cart - slider)
Gardener's Supply > cart
Godiva > cart
Harry & David > remain on page (perpetual cart - slider)
Home Depot > cart
J. Jill > remains on page (perpetual cart)
Lands End > remains on page (perpetual cart)
LL Bean > cross-sell, keep shopping/checkout page
Mrs Fields > cart
Orvis > remains on page (perpetual cart)
Overstock > cart
REI > cart
Victoria's Secret > cross-sell, keep shopping/checkout page
Walmart > cart
West Marine > cart