How To Reduce Cart Abandonment Rates

I've worked with SFCC brands pulling in 9 figures a year. And many leaked revenue at the same exact place. Checkout. Let's be honest: You can have the perfect product. A smooth PLP. A stunning PDP. But if your checkout makes customers hesitate (even for a second) they're gone. And they don't come back. Here's what I've learned the best brands do differently when optimizing checkout in Salesforce Commerce Cloud - without sacrificing UX. 1. Don't just reduce friction. Eliminate it. Customers abandon for simple reasons: • Promo codes that don't work • Forms that ask for info twice • Shipping costs that show up too late Top brands build flows that assume urgency: • Pre-filled fields from session data • Real-time validation with inline feedback • Shipping transparency up front A slow or unclear step isn't "just UX." It's lost revenue. 2. Offer fewer payment methods than you think - but make them obvious More isn't always better. Confusion creates delay. Delay kills conversion. What works: • Credit/debit (always) • Apple Pay / Google Pay • PayPal / Shop Pay • Affirm / Klarna (only if AOV supports it) Smart brands prioritize based on data. They test placement, auto-detect device types, and default to what converts fastest. 3. Mobile isn't secondary - it's everything The biggest brands I've worked with design for tap-first, scroll-second. That means: • Full-width input fields • Large tap targets with spacing • One-column flow • Sticky CTA at the bottom of the screen If your checkout feels like a spreadsheet on mobile, you're already losing. 4. Use Business Manager like a growth engine, not just a CMS I've seen many teams hard-code checkout logic. Top teams know better. They use: • A/B tests for live checkout experiments • Real-time rules that adapt without redeploys SFCC is powerful - if you treat it like a tool, not a template. Your checkout is the last conversation your brand has with your customer. If that conversation feels clunky, confusing, or exhausting - you won't get a second one. Want to grow revenue without spending more on ads? Fix the one place that silently kills conversions: Checkout. What did I miss?

The moment of truth in ecommerce isn't adding to cart - it's CHECKOUT. This is where your revenue is either captured or lost. With over 80% of Shopify traffic now coming from mobile devices, an optimized checkout experience is essential. Master these 20 checkout optimization tactics to boost your conversion rate: 1. Allow guest checkout (account creation can wait, but use Rivo for that) 2. Offer multiple payment options 3. Display security badges prominently (use Platter+) 4. Design for mobile FIRST 5. Minimize form fields ruthlessly 6. Show ALL costs upfront (no surprises) 7. Use clear progress indicators 8. Use one-page checkout flow (can test against multi-page, but one-page outperforms in our experience) 9. Design clear, compelling CTAs 10. Capture exit intent with smart prompts 11. Support autofill functionality 12. Optimize loading speed (critical on mobile) 13. Show visual cart reminders throughout 14. Enable "save cart" features 15. Move account creation AFTER purchase 16. Offer risk reversal/return policies 17. Make support options post-purchase clear and easy 18. Test and measure continuously 19. Add post-purchase offers (use Platter+) Checkout optimization isn't one-and-done, but you can easily improve your checkout performance by double-digit percent. Commit to making small, continuous improvements based on data that comes in.

I analyzed 150+ ecommerce checkouts this year including luxury giants Garmin, Michael Kors, and Tiffany. What’s shocking is that even billion-dollar brands are bleeding revenue at checkout through amateur mistakes. The forcing account creation before purchase is the #1 killer. My data shows brands offering guest checkout with optional account creation at confirmation seeing 25% higher completion rates without fail. Other costly checkout errors destroying your revenue: • Hiding order summaries (customers abandon when they can't verify purchases) • Cluttering pages with navigation bars (each unnecessary element drives drop-offs) • Using unconventional form fields (cognitive friction kills sales) • Lacking progress indicators (uncertainty breeds abandonment) The best checkout experience provides absolute clarity about where customers are in the process, eliminating hesitation and creating the confidence needed to complete the purchase. Remember: Every second your customer spends thinking is a second they might leave forever.

You got the click. They liked the product. They hit "Add to Cart." Then...silence. Cart abandonment isn't always about price or timing. It’s about cognitive overload right before the finish line. Let’s break it down: 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲: - Multiple upsells - Confusing discount fields - Cross-sell suggestions - Shipping ETA popups - Shipping insurance opt-ins - Loyalty nudges - People also bought… That’s 7 new decisions after they’ve already made one. It is one thing to try this with loyal, returning customers. But first time visitors…PUMP. THE. BRAKES. It’s like agreeing to a date...and getting handed a prenup over appetizers. What to fix in your cart flow:  𝟭. 𝗡𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝟭 𝘂𝗽𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗹     You don’t need 5. You need 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁, 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲 𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝟭 𝘁𝗮𝗽.  𝟮. 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗼-𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘀     Don’t make them copy/paste a code from email. That’s friction.  𝟯. 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆    Surprise shipping is the #1 cart killer. Be upfront or offer a free shipping threshold. And, Make sure shipping messaging actually matches what is presented in the checkout.  𝟰. 𝗟𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁     Guest checkout. Express pay. Shop Pay. Don’t make them log in just to give you money.  𝟱. 𝗞𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀     No floating widgets, quizzes, or surveys once someone is in checkout mode. Focus = finish. Great example: BattlBox With their subscriptions, they go from click to checkout speedy fast. No distractions outside fo a checkout bump. And 1-click checkout options. Zero chaos. Treat your cart like the final step in a relay race. You don’t hand the baton and then ask 3 questions mid-sprint.

Abandon cart is only 1/7 of the story. Most brands only hit "send" after an empty cart, without realizing there are 𝗦𝗜𝗫 other exit points are waving a white flag for help. 1. 𝗦𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗔𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 They bounced from the home page. Use a soft re-invite - "Still exploring? Here's what people love most on day one." 2. 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 They browsed a category but never drilled deeper. Spotlight a best-seller from that collection and add social proof. 3. 𝗦𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗔𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 They typed a query and left. Fire a message that echoes the exact term ("Looking for red linen?") and suggest a shortcut to results. 4. 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗕𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘀𝗲 𝗔𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 They lingered on a product page. Send a quick FAQ or user photo to erase last-mile doubts. 5. 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗔𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 Items in cart, but life got loud. A gentle nudge plus urgency ("Inventory is low") wins the easy saves. 6. 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗔𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 They reached the billing screen. Address friction directly-shipping, payment methods, guest checkout, whatever the data shows. 7. 𝗣𝗮𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗔𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 Card entered, transaction failed or timed out. Offer alternative payment options or a one-click resume link. Each of these moments carries different intent signals-search terms, dwell time, SKUs, even error codes. Feed that context into your flows and the message feels helpful, not pushy. Remember: most shoppers aren't saying no. They're saying 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘸. Meet them exactly where they paused, and "later" turns into "order confirmed."

Most brands treat abandoned carts like a discount machine. “Still thinking about it? Here’s 10% off!” Cool. Groundbreaking dude. But what if you used that moment to *listen…* not just nudge? Try this instead: Someone bails on checkout. Send an SMS that says: “Still thinking it over? Hit reply: 1. Too expensive 2. Need more info 3. Waiting for payday” Now instead of guessing the objection… you *have* it! And you can respond with something that actually moves the needle: → “Too expensive?” Offer a bundle. Or split pay. → “Need info?” Hit them with a value prop or quick feature breakdown. → “Payday’s coming?” Respect it. Set a reminder. Maybe add a bonus. It’s a simple shift. Ask *why* they didn’t buy… then build flows that speak directly to that. “Still deciding? Let us help - tell us what’s holding you back.” That one line turns a generic recovery email/SMS… Into a feedback loop. An objection handler. A micro-survey. And a sales tool. All at once. This is how you turn intent into revenue. And abandoned carts into actual *conversations.*

69% of shopping carts get abandoned. But your customers won't tell you why. Here are some reasons I found 1. Hidden Costs Shock They added a $50 item Shipping shows up: $12.99 Tax appears: $4.50 Handling fee: $2.99 Suddenly that $50 purchase Is almost $70 Fix: — Show total costs upfront — Offer free shipping thresholds — Be transparent about fees 2. Forced Account Creation "Create an account to checkout!" Customer leaves Nobody wants another password Just to buy your product Solution: — Guest checkout first — Account benefits later — Optional registration 3. Complicated Checkout Your 5-page checkout process? It's costing you sales. What customers hate: — Too many form fields — Unnecessary information requests — Multiple page loads — Complex navigation (There is a reason why people love Shopify) 4. Trust Issues Small signs that raise red flags: — Generic email domain — No return policy — Missing contact info — Outdated security badges — Poor reviews (or no reviews) ------------------- I'm Esti Meisels, founder of Code & Spade. 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐧: — 40% lower cart abandonment — Higher average order value — Better customer retention — Increased repeat purchases Ready to stop losing sales at checkout? DM me - let's optimize your store. #Ecommerce #ConversionOptimization #Sales What's your current cart abandonment rate? 👇