Checkout drop-off: why shoppers abandon at checkout and how to win them back

A shopper who reaches your checkout has already chosen a product and decided they want it. Losing them at that point is painful, because you have often paid to bring them there. This guide explains the common causes of checkout abandonment and the practical fixes UK Shopify and WooCommerce stores can make to recover more of those sales.

Why checkout abandonment deserves your attention

Every visitor who reaches checkout has passed through your ads, your product pages and your basket. They are among your warmest prospects, yet many still leave.

Fixing checkout friction makes every other channel more efficient, because your SEO traffic, paid ads and email campaigns all convert better when the final step works smoothly.

It helps to separate two related problems:

• Cart abandonment: shoppers add items to their basket but never start checkout.
• Checkout abandonment: shoppers start checkout but do not complete payment.

This post focuses on the second, though many fixes help reduce cart abandonment too.

Reason 1: Unexpected costs at the last step

One of the most common frustrations for online shoppers is discovering extra costs late. Delivery charges, handling fees or a higher-than-expected total can make people reconsider.

How to fix it:

• Show delivery costs on product pages or in the basket, not only at checkout.
• Display any free delivery threshold clearly, for example “Free UK delivery over £50”.
• Add a delivery estimate or calculator in the basket if your platform or theme supports one.
• Make sure prices include VAT where UK shoppers expect them to.

When the final total matches what the shopper expected, they have one less reason to leave.

Reason 2: Forced account creation

Asking people to create an account before they can pay adds effort and a password to remember. Many shoppers simply want to buy and go.

How to fix it:

• Offer guest checkout. On Shopify, you can usually choose whether customer accounts are optional or required in your checkout settings.
• On WooCommerce, check that guest checkout is enabled in the settings.
• Offer account creation after purchase, when the shopper has already paid and has a reason to track their order.

Reason 3: Limited or unfamiliar payment options

Shoppers have preferences about how they pay. If their preferred method is missing, some will leave rather than pull out a card.

How to fix it:

• Offer widely used options such as debit and credit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay and Google Pay.
• Consider accelerated checkout options. On Shopify, Shop Pay can let returning shoppers complete their details faster.
• If you offer buy now, pay later services, make sure you follow the relevant UK rules and present them clearly and responsibly.

Show accepted payment logos in the basket so shoppers know before they start checkout.

Reason 4: A long or confusing checkout process

Every extra field, page or decision gives shoppers another chance to drop off. Shopify has moved towards a simpler checkout layout in recent years, but your settings, apps and customisations still affect how smooth it feels.

How to fix it:

• Remove fields you do not truly need. A company name or second phone number is rarely essential.
• Use address lookup, which many UK shoppers expect, if your platform or apps offer it.
• Show progress clearly if your checkout has several steps.
• Keep error messages clear and specific, and show them next to the relevant field.

On WooCommerce, a heavily customised checkout or a pile of plugins can create clutter. Shopify checkout optimisation also means checking which apps add content to your checkout. Some add helpful features, while others introduce distractions or slow things down.

Reason 5: Trust and security concerns

Shoppers need to feel confident handing over their payment details, especially if they have never bought from you before.

How to build trust at checkout:

• Make sure your site uses HTTPS, which shows as a secure connection in the browser.
• Show clear links to your returns, delivery and privacy policies.
• Display customer service contact details so shoppers know they can reach a real person.
• Keep the checkout design consistent with the rest of your store, so it does not feel like a different site.
• Show genuine customer reviews earlier in the journey, such as on product pages.

Avoid fake urgency or invented reviews. They can damage trust and may break consumer protection rules.

Reason 6: Discount code distractions

A visible discount code box can send shoppers off to search for a code. Some never come back.

How to fix it:

• If you run a promotion, apply the discount automatically where your platform supports it.
• Consider making the discount field less prominent, for example behind a small link, if your checkout allows this.
• If you offer a welcome discount, show it clearly before checkout so shoppers do not feel they are missing out.

Reason 7: Slow pages and mobile problems

Many shoppers browse and buy on their phones. A slow or awkward mobile checkout can quietly cost you sales.

How to fix it:

• Test your checkout on real devices, not only in a desktop browser.
• Make buttons large enough to tap easily.
• Check that the keyboard type matches the field, such as a number pad for card numbers.
• Review apps and scripts that may slow down your basket or checkout pages.

If you want a structured approach to finding and fixing these issues, our conversion rate optimisation service focuses on exactly this kind of work.

How to win back shoppers who leave

Even with a great checkout, some people will leave. Recovery flows give you a second chance.

Abandoned checkout emails

Shopify includes abandoned checkout emails, which you can usually turn on through its marketing automations or notification settings. WooCommerce stores typically use a plugin or an email platform to do the same. Email platforms such as Klaviyo also offer flows for this.

A simple sequence might look like:

1. A reminder within a few hours, showing the items they left behind.
2. A follow-up a day later that answers common questions about delivery or returns.
3. An optional final reminder, with an incentive only if your margins allow it.

You can only email people who have given you their email address, and you need to respect UK data protection and marketing consent rules.

Retargeting ads

Retargeting campaigns on Google or Meta can remind shoppers of what they viewed. Keep frequency sensible, and exclude people who have already bought.

How to measure it

Focus on revenue and conversion first, then use step-by-step data to find problems.

Primary metrics:

• Checkout completion rate: the share of started checkouts that become orders.
• Overall conversion rate: the share of sessions that end in a purchase.
• Recovered revenue: sales attributed to abandoned checkout emails and other recovery flows.
• Revenue per session: shows the combined effect of conversion rate and order value.
• Average order value: check that changes such as delivery thresholds do not reduce basket size.

Supporting signals:

• Drop-off between checkout steps. In Google Analytics 4, events such as begin_checkout, add_shipping_info, add_payment_info and purchase can show where people leave, if your tracking is set up correctly.
• Shopify’s own analytics reports, which typically show sessions that reached checkout and sessions that converted.
• Email open and click rates for recovery flows.

Example: imagine a made-up store with 1,000 started checkouts in a month and 500 completed orders, with an average order value of £50. That is £25,000 in revenue. If checkout fixes raise completion to 550 orders, revenue rises to £27,500 from the same traffic.

Conclusion

Checkout abandonment usually comes down to surprise costs, extra effort, limited payment options or a lack of trust. Fix those at the source, then use recovery emails and retargeting to win back some of the shoppers who still leave. Track your progress through completion rate and revenue, rather than clicks or traffic.

If you would like help finding where your store is losing sales, start with a free website evaluation. For more practical e-commerce advice, join our newsletter.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between cart abandonment and checkout abandonment?

Cart abandonment happens when shoppers add items to their basket but never start checkout. Checkout abandonment happens when they begin checkout but do not complete the order. Both matter, but checkout abandonment usually points to friction, cost or trust problems at the final step.

Should I offer a discount in abandoned checkout emails?

It depends on your margins and your customers. A discount can recover some sales, but it can also train shoppers to abandon on purpose to get a code. Many stores start with a simple reminder and test an incentive only on a later email.

How can I see where shoppers leave my checkout?

Google Analytics 4 can show drop-off between checkout steps if your e-commerce events are tracked correctly. Shopify’s analytics also reports how many sessions reached checkout and how many converted. Watching session recordings or testing the checkout yourself on a phone can reveal problems the numbers miss.