The Ultimate Shopify Checkout Best Practices Guide

This Comprehensive resource is designed to provide tips and strategies to help you improve and optimise your Shopify checkout & thank you page.

Guest Checkout Options

Offer a quick checkout option that allows customers to complete their purchase as guests without requiring account creation, making the process faster and more convenient.

Payment Options

Offer multiple payment options—credit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay—and localised options for international customers. Add "buy now, pay later" options like Klarna or Afterpay for flexible financing.

Enable auto-fill

Enable auto-fill for form fields to speed up checkout, and use address validation to prevent shipping errors and enhancing the overall customer experience.

One-Page Checkout

Implement a one-page checkout, combining all necessary fields into a single page or minimal steps to streamline the process and enhance the customer experience.

Social Sharing

Promote social sharing and engagement by adding social sharing buttons and encouraging customers to share their purchase on platforms like Instagram or Facebook. Suggest a branded hashtag for them to use, and invite satisfied customers to leave a review, helping build community and trust around your brand.

Offer Multiple Shipping Options

Provide multiple shipping options with varying speeds and prices, giving customers flexibility to choose what best fits their needs.

Order Add Ons

Offer add-ons at checkout, like shipping insurance, extended warranties, or gift wrapping, to provide extra value and customisation options for customers.

Conversion Content & Copy

Incorporate conversion-focused content and copy in your checkout, such as reviews and testimonials, to boost customer confidence and increase the likelihood of completing their purchase.

Cover Image

Design a custom cover image for your checkout page that visually represents your brand, reinforcing your identity and creating a cohesive, professional experience for customers as they complete their purchase.

Post Purchase Offer

Add a post-purchase offer immediately after a customer completes their purchase to provide a last-minute cross-sell or upsell opportunity, effectively increasing your average order value (AOV).

Hide Irrelevant Shipping and Payment Options

Use shipping validation functions to hide irrelevant shipping and payment options, showing only the choices that apply to each customer’s location and order, for a streamlined checkout experience.

Checkout Validations

Implement checkout validations to ensure customers meet specific conditions before finalising their purchase. This feature streamlines order requirements and ensures all criteria are met, improving the checkout process.

Brand Logo

Ensure your brand logo is prominently displayed on the checkout page, reinforcing brand identity and creating a seamless, professional experience for customers.

One Click Checkout

Add one-click checkout buttons to streamline the purchasing process, enabling customers to quickly and easily complete their orders with minimal steps, increasing conversion rates.

Subscription & Recurring Payments

Clearly outline any subscription and recurring payment details in the order summary, ensuring customers understand their commitment before completing the purchase.

Personalized Thank You Message

Create a personalised thank-you message that warmly expresses gratitude for the customer's purchase. Use genuine language, address the customer by name if possible, and briefly mention the purchased items to make the experience feel personal and memorable.

Order Summary

Provide a clear order summary, detailing the products purchased, quantities, total price, and payment method. Include shipping information with the address, selected shipping method, and expected delivery date for a complete and reassuring confirmation.

Invite to Join Your Loyalty Program

Encourage customers to join your loyalty program by highlighting the perks they’ll enjoy as members. If your program awards points for purchases, display their current points and show how close they are to their next reward, motivating them to stay engaged and earn more.

Collect Customer Phone Numbers

Experiment with collecting customers' phone numbers during checkout to assess its impact on conversion rates. This information can enhance your remarketing efforts through SMS campaigns, providing another channel for engagement.

Order Tracking

Include a "Track Your Order" button for easy access to order tracking, helping customers stay informed about their delivery status and reducing the need for follow-up inquiries.

Next Purchase Discount

Encourage the next purchase by offering a discount or promo code for future use, creating a strong incentive to return. Boost urgency with limited-time offers to prompt faster repeat purchases.

Referral Program

Introduce your referral program on the Thank You page, inviting customers to share a unique referral link or code with friends. Highlight the rewards for both the referrer and their friends (e.g., 'Give $10, Get $10') to encourage participation and grow your customer base.

Validate shipping address

Reduce failed deliveries by providing real-time suggestions when customers enter an invalid shipping address, helping them correct errors and ensuring accurate delivery information.