Your customer made it to checkout. They want to buy. Their credit card is ready.
Then something happens. They abandon their cart and never come back.
What went wrong? Probably one of these 7 checkout killers.
The Checkout Psychology
At checkout, your customer's brain shifts into "protection mode." They're looking for reasons NOT to complete the purchase:
"Is this site secure?" "Are there hidden fees?" "What if I need to return this?" "This is taking too long..."
Every extra click, field, or surprise fee amplifies their anxiety.
The 7 Checkout Conversion Killers
🚫 Hidden Costs Surprise shipping fees at the last second Taxes not calculated upfront "Processing fees" that appear at payment
✅ The Fix: Show total cost (including shipping) on product pages
🚫 Forced Account Creation Making customers create an account before buying Long registration forms Password requirements
✅ The Fix: Guest checkout option + post-purchase account creation
🚫 Too Many Form Fields Asking for information you don't need Separate billing/shipping forms when they're the same Required fields that aren't actually required
✅ The Fix: Only ask for what you absolutely need to ship the product
🚫 Payment Friction Only accepting credit cards No digital wallet options (Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal) Confusing payment forms
✅ The Fix: Multiple payment options, especially one-click payments
🚫 Security Concerns No trust badges or SSL indicators Checkout doesn't look professional No clear privacy policy link
✅ The Fix: Display security badges prominently, use trusted payment processors
🚫 Complicated Shipping Options Too many choices Unclear delivery dates Confusing option names
✅ The Fix: 2-3 clear options with specific delivery dates
🚫 No Progress Indicators Customer doesn't know how many steps remain Feeling lost in the process No way to go back and edit
✅ The Fix: Clear progress bar showing steps and current position
The 30-Second Checkout Test
Time yourself completing a purchase on your site:
Under 30 seconds = Excellent
30-60 seconds = Good
60-90 seconds = Needs work
Over 90 seconds = Revenue killer
The Mobile Checkout Priority
60% of checkouts happen on mobile. Your mobile checkout should be even simpler than desktop:
Large form fields
Auto-fill everything possible
One-tap payment options
Minimal typing required
The Abandoned Cart Recovery Insight
Look at your abandoned cart emails. What questions are customers asking?
"What's your return policy?" "When will this ship?" "Is my information secure?"
Every question represents missing information in your checkout flow.
Your Checkout Audit
Complete a purchase on your site right now. Note:
How many clicks to complete?
How many form fields?
Any surprising costs?
Any confusing steps?
Any security concerns?
Each friction point is costing you 10-15% of potential sales.
What's the biggest checkout frustration you could eliminate this week?
