Around 70% of online shopping baskets are abandoned before payment. Some of that is people just browsing, but a big chunk is friction you can fix. Here are nine changes most stores can make this week.
1. Show delivery costs early
Surprise costs at the final step are one of the biggest reasons people bail. Show delivery prices on the product page or in the basket, and make free delivery thresholds obvious.
2. Offer guest checkout
Forcing people to create an account before buying is a conversion killer. Let them check out as a guest and offer to save their details afterwards.
3. Add express payments
Apple Pay, Google Pay and PayPal let customers pay in a couple of taps, especially on mobile. Most payment providers make these easy to switch on.
4. Cut the form fields
Every field is a reason to stop. Do you really need a phone number, company name and a separate billing address by default? Remove or hide anything optional.
5. Use address lookup and autofill
Postcode lookup and correct autocomplete attributes mean browsers and phones can fill forms for people. Less typing, fewer mistakes.
6. Make errors helpful
Validate as people type, explain what's wrong in plain English and never wipe a form after an error.
7. Speed it up
Slow checkouts feel risky. Strip out unnecessary scripts, compress images and check your Core Web Vitals.
8. Add trust signals
Clear returns info, recognisable payment logos and a few genuine reviews near the pay button all help nervous buyers commit.
9. Track every step
If you can't see where people drop out, you're guessing. Set up proper funnel tracking in GA4 so you know which step to fix first.
Want us to find your biggest leaks? Book a free checkout audit and we'll send you a prioritised list of fixes.
