5 ways to stop losing sales at checkout

Getting a shopper to the checkout is hard work. Losing them on the last step hurts the most, and it often happens for small, fixable reasons.

1. Show the full price early

Unexpected shipping costs, taxes or fees on the last page are one of the most common reasons people leave. Show delivery costs on the product page or in the cart, before checkout starts.

2. Let people buy without an account

Forcing shoppers to create an account before they pay adds friction. Offer guest checkout, and invite them to save their details after the order is placed.

3. Ask for less

Remove every field you do not really need, use address lookup where possible, and keep the steps short and clearly numbered so people can see the end.

4. Offer payments people trust

Familiar options like PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay and major cards make paying faster and feel safer. Show security signals and your contact details near the pay button.

5. Make it fast on phones

Most shoppers browse on their phones. Large buttons, the right keyboard for each field and a page that loads quickly make a real difference to completed orders.

Bonus: follow up kindly

A friendly reminder email for an abandoned cart, with a direct link back to it, wins back orders from people who were simply interrupted.