APRIL 8 2025
Cart and Checkout on Shopify: 10 Optimizations to Boost Conversions
Shopify provides a standard Cart layout and a fully functional Checkout flow. But when it comes to maximizing conversions, are the default settings enough? According to an analysis by our UX team—based on Baymard Institute guidelines—the answer is: not always. In fact, several elements in Shopify’s default cart and checkout flow create friction points that can slow down—or worse, interrupt—the buying experience.
In this article, we’ll look at the most common issues found in Shopify’s default Cart and Checkout setup, and share a set of best practices to help you optimize them and increase your conversions.
How to Optimize the Cart Experience on Shopify
Optimizing the user experience in the cart is essential to reduce abandonment and increase conversions—especially on Shopify. A cart that’s unclear or unintuitive can create uncertainty and lead users to abandon their purchase.
In 2024, the average cart abandonment rate reached 70.19% (source: Baymard). The main reasons included:
- 22% of users found the process too long or complicated
- 26% abandoned because they were forced to create an account
- 21% couldn’t see the total costs upfront
- 17% dropped off due to errors or site crashes
Following these best practices will help you improve the cart experience on Shopify and increase your conversion rate.
4 Best Practices to improve the cart experience
Here are 4 best practices you can easily implement to start seeing positive results:
- 1. Keep products in the cart and notify users of any changes
Many users treat their cart like a temporary wishlist. If they return and find their items missing or altered (price, availability), the chances of losing the conversion go up.
Shopify saves carts for two weeks using cookies: add a message that alerts users of any updates—like changes in price or stock availability.
2. Avoid Intrusive Ads in the Cart
Aggressive banners and promotions can distract users and hide essential details like the order total. If you choose to include ads, keep them subtle and clearly separated from the main cart information to avoid disrupting the checkout flow.
3. Show Cross-Sell Products in Add-to-Cart Pop-Ups Without Distracting the User
When a user adds an item to the cart, the confirmation pop-up shouldn’t be overloaded with information. Recommending related products can be effective, but it’s important not to divert attention. The “Proceed to Checkout” button must always remain the primary and immediately visible call-to-action.
4. Make Each Cart Item Clickable and Linked to Its Product Page
Users may want to review product details before completing a purchase. If they can’t easily access the product page, they might leave the site to look for information. Ensure that every item in the cart is clickable and links directly to its product page to support faster and more confident decision-making.
By implementing these best practices, you can create a smoother, more intuitive user experience—reducing cart abandonment and increasing conversions on your Shopify store.
How to Optimize the Checkout on Shopify
How important is optimizing the checkout experience in eCommerce? After identifying some key friction points in the Cart, it’s clear that Checkout plays an even more critical role in converting visitors into paying customers.
According to Baymard, applying checkout best practices can increase conversions by up to 35%. Yet, 65% of websites still offer a subpar checkout UX, making it harder for users to complete their purchases.
Shopify’s default checkout flow also presents some usability challenges. Baymard’s in-depth analysis of the purchase process revealed several friction points that can cause frustration for users.
But here’s the good news: Shopify’s checkout can be optimized with a few targeted adjustments.
Below are 6 best practices you can implement right away to improve the user experience and increase conversions.
- 1. Use Adaptive Error Messages That Address the Specific Issue
Generic error messages can slow down the purchase process, leaving users confused about how to fix the problem.
Instead, clear and specific messages that explain what went wrong—and how to resolve it—can significantly improve order completion rates. Shopify allows you to customize these error messages through your theme’s language settings.
- 2. Avoid Automatically Redirecting Users to the Shop Pay Flow
Third-party payment options should always remain optional.
While some users may appreciate the convenience of using saved payment details via Shop Pay, not everyone finds it helpful. Forcing users into this flow can confuse or frustrate those who prefer other payment methods. Let users choose how they want to pay—it puts them in control and enhances the overall checkout experience.
- 3. Always Indicate Required and Optional Fields
Failing to clearly mark which fields are required and which are optional can slow down form completion and lead to unnecessary validation errors.
Clearly labeling these fields makes the process smoother and more intuitive for the user.
- 4. Move Account Creation to the Order Confirmation Page
Prompting users to register during checkout adds friction. A more effective approach is to offer account creation on the order confirmation page, where users only need to set a password—the rest of their information has already been collected.
Shopify allows for post-purchase account creation via a six-digit verification code, streamlining the process.
- 5. Make It Easier to Enter Email and Phone Number on Mobile
Using the appropriate keyboard layout greatly improves usability on mobile devices and reduces input errors.
While Shopify already displays optimized keyboards for some fields, email and phone number inputs are not fully optimized by default. By adding simple attributes to the input field code, you can trigger the correct keyboards and improve data entry efficiency.
6. Display Clear Delivery Dates
“2–3 business days” is vague and can leave users feeling uncertain. A more reassuring message like “Estimated delivery: April 4–9” gives a specific timeframe that helps set clear expectations and builds trust.
These are just some of the best practices for optimizing the Cart and Checkout on Shopify—but every eCommerce business has its own specific needs.
With our experience and UX expertise, we can help you truly maximize conversions and deliver a frictionless shopping experience through targeted analysis.