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A customer browses your site, adds items to their cart, and heads to checkout—so close to converting. But then, something goes wrong and they abandon it.
Sound familiar?
You’re not alone. Nearly 70% of online shopping carts are abandoned before checkout is complete. And in most cases, it’s not because customers changed their minds—it’s because the checkout experience was frustrating, confusing, or too time-consuming.
The good news?
A seamless checkout experience can dramatically increase conversions and keep shoppers from dropping off at the final step.
In this guide, we’ll cover the best practices to streamline your checkout process, along with common mistakes that might be costing you sales. Let’s make sure your checkout isn’t a dealbreaker.
14 Best Practices for an Online Checkout Experience That Converts
A clunky checkout sends customers running, but a smooth one? That’s where conversions happen. The goal is simple: make buying as easy as possible—no unnecessary steps, no surprises, no headaches.
Here are 14 checkout best practices to keep shoppers moving from cart to confirmation without a second thought.
1. Offer Guest Checkout
Nothing makes shoppers bail faster than the dreaded “Create an Account” wall. Not everyone wants a lifelong commitment—sometimes, they just want mascara without the paperwork. Give them a guest checkout option so they can buy now, sign up later (if they feel like it). A frictionless checkout means fewer abandoned carts and better customer experience.
2. Minimize Checkout Steps
If checkout feels like an obstacle course, customers will give up before the finish line. Every extra click, form field, or unnecessary step increases the risk of abandonment. Keep it simple: a single-page checkout or a clear progress bar makes the process feel faster. Less clicking, more buying!
3. Provide Multiple Payment Options
Not everyone pays the same way—some prefer PayPal, others rely on Apple Pay, and plenty love Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) options. By integrating multiple payment gateways, like Stripe, PayPal, and Square, you ensure shoppers always find their preferred method. Because nothing should stand between them and their impulse buy!
4. Show All Costs Upfront
Nothing sends shoppers running faster than surprise fees at checkout. If the total jumps at the last second, they’ll likely abandon their cart. Be upfront about taxes, shipping, and any extra charges from the start. Transparency builds trust—and trust leads to completed purchases, not ghosted checkouts.
5. Enable Autofill & Express Checkout
Nobody enjoys typing out their shipping address for the hundredth time—especially on mobile. Autofill and express checkout options like Shop Pay, PayPal Express, and Apple Pay let shoppers breeze through with just a tap. Less time spent filling forms means more completed purchases and fewer second thoughts at checkout.
6. Offer a Clear Return & Refund Policy
A shopper hesitating at checkout is often thinking, “But what if it doesn’t work out?” Reassure them with a clear, hassle-free return policy that’s easy to find. Whether it’s free returns or a generous window, showing you’ve got their back makes them more likely to hit ‘Buy Now’ instead of ‘Leave Tab’.
8. Offer Live Chat Support at Checkout
A shopper with last-minute questions—“When will this ship?” “Does this come in a gift box?”—might abandon their cart if they can’t find answers fast. Live chat support during checkout provides instant help, reducing hesitation and keeping them on track to complete their purchase. A little reassurance goes a long way!
9. Provide Real-Time Order Summaries
No one likes checkout guesswork. Shoppers want to see exactly what they’re paying for—before they hit ‘Buy’. A real-time order summary with item details, shipping costs, taxes, and discounts keeps everything transparent. No surprises = no second thoughts = more completed purchases. Simple math, right?
10. Save Cart Details for Later
Life gets busy—calls interrupt, tabs get closed, and carts get forgotten. But if shoppers return to find an empty cart, they might not bother refilling it. Enable cart persistence so their items stay put, whether they come back in an hour or a week. Bonus points for a friendly reminder email nudging them to complete their purchase!
11. Allow Easy Modifications in Checkout
Ever hit checkout and realized you need to swap a size, remove an item, or update your shipping address? If fixing it means starting over, many shoppers will just walk away. Make it easy to edit cart items, change quantities, or update details without leaving checkout. The smoother the process, the fewer abandoned carts!
12. Display Estimated Delivery Dates
Shoppers want certainty, especially when ordering gifts or essentials. Show a clear estimated delivery date based on their location, chosen shipping method, and carrier delays. When customers know exactly when their order will arrive, they’re more likely to hit ‘Buy Now’ with confidence instead of hesitating.
13. Use Exit-Intent Popups to Save Sales
If a shopper moves to close the tab mid-checkout, don’t let them go without a fight! A well-timed exit-intent popup offering a small discount, free shipping, or a reminder of their cart can catch their attention before they leave. Sometimes, a little extra incentive is all it takes to turn hesitation into conversion.
14. Include a Progress Indicator
Even when shoppers know the typical checkout steps, seeing a clear progress indicator reassures them that they’re moving forward. It creates a sense of momentum, reduces frustration, and helps them stay committed to completing the purchase—especially if checkout has multiple steps. The clearer the journey, the smoother the conversion!
5 Worst Online Checkout Experience Mistakes
Even the best products can’t save a checkout process that frustrates customers. A slow, confusing, or overly complicated experience can send shoppers straight to your competitor’s site.
Here are the most common online checkout experience mistakes that could be costing you sales—and how to fix them.
1. Slow Loading Times
A slow checkout drives customers away.
Speed things up by compressing images, minimizing scripts, and enabling browser caching.
Use a content delivery network (CDN) to load pages faster, and choose a high-speed payment gateway to prevent processing delays.
Test checkout speed with tools like Google PageSpeed Insights and optimize for both mobile and desktop.
Every second of delay increases cart abandonment—so make sure your checkout keeps up with your customers, not slows them down.
2. Poor Mobile Checkout Experience
If your checkout isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re losing customers. Period.
Make sure buttons are large and easy to tap, forms autofill where possible, and checkout pages fit perfectly on any screen—no pinching or zooming required.
Enable express payment options like Apple Pay and Google Pay to speed up transactions.
Test your checkout on multiple devices and remove any friction.
A smooth one-handed checkout experience means fewer frustrations and more completed purchases.
3. Poor Error Handling
Few things are more frustrating than a checkout error with no clear fix.
Prevent abandoned carts by using real-time error validation—highlight incorrect fields instantly instead of waiting until submission.
Provide clear, specific messages (e.g., “Invalid ZIP code” instead of just “Error”) and offer quick solutions.
If a payment fails, guide users to retry or choose another method.
A smooth, frustration-free checkout experience keeps customers on track instead of making them give up. Investing in CRO helps identify and fix weak points in your checkout flow, improving conversion rates.
4. Complicated Discount Code Entry
Nothing kills checkout momentum like a frustrating promo code experience.
If shoppers have to hunt for the discount field or manually type codes without knowing if they work, they might just leave.
Keep it simple: auto-apply discounts when possible, make the code field easy to find, and show real-time validation if a code is invalid.
A smooth discount process keeps shoppers happy and more likely to complete their purchase.
5. Lack of Order Confirmation & Tracking
Leaving customers wondering, “Did my order go through?” is a recipe for frustration.
Always provide an instant confirmation page and email with order details, estimated delivery time, and payment status.
Once shipped, send a tracking link with real-time updates to keep them informed.
A smooth post-checkout experience builds trust, reduces support tickets, and encourages repeat purchases—because no one likes feeling left in the dark after hitting "Buy Now."
Conclusion
A smooth checkout experience keeps shoppers moving from cart to confirmation without hesitation. When the process is fast, simple, and transparent, customers are more likely to complete their purchase and return for future orders.
On the other hand, slow load times, unexpected fees, and frustrating checkout forms can send them straight to a competitor. Every step should reduce friction, not create obstacles.
The key is to optimize, simplify, and test your checkout regularly. Small improvements—like enabling guest checkout, adding multiple payment options, and ensuring mobile-friendliness—can have a big impact on conversion rates.
Keep it seamless, and customers won’t just buy—they’ll keep coming back.
Every purchase is impulsive if the checkout experience is smooth enough!
