---
title: "How to optimize your checkout page"
author: "Performetic Ekibi"
url: "https://www.performetic.com/en/blog/checkout-page-optimization-guide"
published: "2026-07-17T08:00:00.000Z"
updated: "2026-10-05T01:24:56.898Z"
---

# How to optimize your checkout page

> You optimize a checkout page by removing the obstacles in front of a shopper who has already decided to buy. Offer guest checkout instead of forced accounts, cut form fields, show the total cost up front, add common payment methods and design card fields that look secure. Baymard data shows complex checkouts lose a meaningful share of buyers.

## How do you optimize a checkout page?

You optimize a checkout page by removing the obstacles a shopper meets after deciding to buy. Guest checkout, fewer form fields, a total cost that is visible from the start, enough payment methods and card fields that feel secure are the most effective changes. Never lose a decided customer to forms, surprises or doubt.

Shoppers who reach checkout are the warmest audience your store has. Small improvements here go straight to revenue without any extra ad spend. Baymard Institute estimates that the average large ecommerce site can gain as much as a 35% increase in conversion rate through checkout design changes alone.

This article focuses on the design of the checkout itself. For tactics to win back shoppers who leave after adding to cart, see our guide to [reducing cart abandonment](/en/blog/reduce-cart-abandonment).

## Why do shoppers abandon at checkout?

Baymard's abandonment research, excluding people who were "just browsing", paints this picture:

| Abandonment reason | Share of shoppers | What to fix in checkout |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Extra costs too high (shipping, tax, fees) | 40% | Show total cost early |
| Did not trust the site with card details | 19% | Visually reinforce card fields |
| Site wanted me to create an account | 18% | Offer guest checkout |
| Checkout too long or complicated | 17% | Cut form fields |
| Could not see total cost up front | 12% | Show an estimated total in the cart |
| Not enough payment methods | 9% | Add the methods your market expects |

Most of these are solvable with design and flow decisions. Let us go through them one by one.

## Why does guest checkout matter?

Forcing an account turns a purchase into a registration form. Baymard found that 42% of sites interrupt users before or during checkout to suggest they create an account.

A better approach:

1. Make "continue as guest" the most prominent option at the start of checkout.
2. Offer sign in for returning customers, without making it mandatory.
3. Move account creation to the order confirmation page. The shopper has already typed their email and address, so they only need to choose a password.
4. Explain the concrete benefits of an account: order tracking, faster reorders and easier returns.

## How do you reduce form fields?

According to Baymard's 2024 data, the average checkout flow is 5.1 steps long and contains 11.3 form fields. The research shows that the total number of fields matters more than the number of steps, and that most checkouts could reduce the form elements shown by default by 20% to 60%.

Practical changes:

- **Use a single "Full name" field.** In testing, 42% of participants typed their full name into the "First name" field at least once.
- **Hide "Address line 2"** behind a link.
- **Collapse the coupon field.** A prominent coupon box can send shoppers off site to hunt for codes.
- **Default billing address to the shipping address** and use a checkbox for the exceptions.
- **Auto fill city and region from the postal code** or use address autocomplete.
- **Mark both required and optional fields explicitly.**

### How should form errors be shown?

Show errors after the user leaves a field, right next to that field, in language that explains what to do. "Phone number must have 10 digits" beats "Invalid input". The web.dev guide to payment and address forms recommends correct autocomplete attributes and input types so the browser can fill details automatically, which removes a lot of typing, especially on mobile.

## When should the total cost appear?

If a shopper sees the shipping fee for the first time on the last step, it feels like a surprise. Show the total as early as possible:

- Shipping cost or the free shipping condition on the product page
- Estimated shipping and order total in the cart
- An order summary that stays visible at every checkout step

If options like cash on delivery or installments carry a fee, state it before the option is selected.

## Which payment options should you offer?

The right payment mix depends on your market and audience. Cards are universal, but expectations differ: installments matter in some markets, cash on delivery in others, and Apple Pay, Google Pay and local methods matter when you sell internationally. Digital wallets shorten checkout dramatically on mobile because shoppers do not have to type card details at all.

As you add methods, keep the page tidy. Make the most popular method the default and present the others in a clean list.

## How do you build trust in checkout?

Remember that 19% of shoppers abandoned because they did not trust the site with their card. Baymard's research on perceived security shows that users judge safety from visual cues rather than the underlying technology. A distinct frame or background around the card fields, a lock icon and a short security note all strengthen that perception.

Other trust elements:

- Return and exchange terms that stay visible during checkout
- Easy to reach customer service details
- A focused checkout design with no distracting navigation or banners
- Recognizable payment provider and card logos

## What distracts shoppers during checkout?

Checkout has a different job from the rest of the store: completion, not discovery. Strip out or simplify the main navigation, category links and site search, promotional banners and pop ups, newsletter boxes and social links, and product recommendations (save those for the cart or the confirmation page). Keep the logo and a "back to cart" link so nobody feels trapped.

On mobile, trigger the right keyboard for each field, keep the order summary collapsible at the top, and make the pay button large and easy to tap.

## How do you measure checkout changes?

Track each step's pass rate in GA4 with the begin_checkout, add_shipping_info, add_payment_info and purchase events. When you change something, compare those rates by device against the previous period. Checkout traffic is lower than product page traffic, so A/B tests take longer here; resist ending them early.

**Example:** in a store where 2,000 people start checkout each week, lifting checkout completion from 45% to 50% raises weekly orders from 900 to 1,000. With an average order of 40 EUR, that is 4,000 EUR in extra weekly revenue.

If you would like to audit your checkout against Baymard's findings together, you can book a free growth analysis with the Performetic team through our [contact page](/en/contact).

## Key takeaways

- Checkout is where you lose your warmest shoppers, so small fixes pay off directly.
- Make guest checkout the default and move account creation to the confirmation page.
- Cut visible fields: one name field, hidden address line 2, collapsed coupon box.
- Show total cost from the product page onward and leave no surprise fees.
- Reinforce card fields visually and track every step's pass rate in GA4.

## FAQ

### Should every store offer guest checkout?

For most stores, yes. Baymard data shows 18% of shoppers have abandoned because a site required an account. Making guest checkout the default and offering account creation on the confirmation page, with only a password to choose, protects both conversion and sign ups.

### Is a one page checkout better than a multi step checkout?

Baymard's findings suggest the number of form fields matters more than the number of steps. Before choosing a layout, reduce the fields users have to manage, then test both structures with your own traffic to see which performs better for your audience.

### Does a coupon code field hurt conversion?

A large, open coupon field can push shoppers without a code to leave and search for one. Instead of removing it, hide it behind a "Have a discount code?" link. People with a code can still use it, while everyone else is not distracted.

### How do you make checkout feel secure?

Visually separate the card fields with a frame or background, add a lock icon and a short security note. Keep return terms, customer service contact details and recognizable payment logos visible, and remove distracting navigation and banners from the checkout entirely.

## Sources

- [Baymard Institute: Cart Abandonment Rate Statistics](https://baymard.com/lists/cart-abandonment-rate)
- [Baymard Institute: Checkout Optimization: 5 Ways to Minimize Form Fields](https://baymard.com/blog/checkout-flow-average-form-fields)
- [Baymard Institute: Save Account Creation for the Confirmation Step](https://baymard.com/blog/delayed-account-creation)
- [Baymard Institute: How Users Perceive Security During the Checkout Flow](https://baymard.com/blog/perceived-security-of-payment-form)
- [web.dev: Payment and address form best practices](https://web.dev/articles/payment-and-address-form-best-practices)