Checkout Conversion Benchmarks
A typical Shopify checkout converts at 15-30% of sessions that reach it. Top-performing stores achieve 35-45%. The gap is usually explained by payment options, trust signals, and friction in the form.
UK-specific benchmarks vary by sector. Fashion averages around 20-25% checkout conversion. Beauty and health products typically convert better at 28-35%, partly because purchases are more intentional. Electronics and high-ticket items often convert lower at 12-18% due to longer consideration periods.
Reducing Form Fields
Every additional field in your checkout form increases abandonment. Shopify's standard checkout requires name, email, address, and payment details. You cannot remove these, but you can minimise friction around them.
Enable address autocomplete by ensuring your theme and checkout settings support it. Shopify's checkout uses Google's address API for autocomplete on supported plans. This reduces the number of keystrokes required and prevents address errors that lead to failed deliveries.
Remove the 'Company name' field if you do not need it for B2B. Remove 'Address line 2' or make it less prominent. These fields are rarely used and add visual clutter.
Payment Options
Offering the right payment methods is one of the highest-impact checkout improvements. UK shoppers expect: credit and debit card, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and buy now pay later (Klarna or Clearpay).
Buy now pay later adoption in the UK reached 17% of online purchases in 2024. Offering Klarna or Clearpay can convert customers who would otherwise abandon due to budget constraints, particularly for purchases over £50.
Trust Signals at Checkout
Customers are sharing payment details at checkout, so trust signals matter more here than anywhere else on your store. Key trust elements include: SSL padlock (automatic with Shopify), payment provider logos, security badges, and a clear returns policy summary.
On Shopify Plus, you can add custom content to the checkout via checkout extensions. Use this to add a short reassurance message, free shipping reminder, or returns guarantee near the payment section.
Express Checkout
Express checkout options (Shop Pay, Apple Pay, Google Pay) allow customers to complete a purchase in two taps, skipping the full form. Enable these in Shopify Settings under Payments. Displaying them on the product page as well as the cart reduces steps to purchase.
Shop Pay, Shopify's own express checkout, has the highest conversion rate of any accelerated checkout option. Customers who have used Shop Pay elsewhere have their details pre-filled, reducing checkout to a single confirmation step.
Abandoned Checkout Recovery
Shopify sends automated abandoned checkout emails for customers who start checkout and do not complete it. Enable this under Settings, then Checkout, then Order Processing. The default timing is 10 hours after abandonment.
A three-email recovery sequence performs better than a single email: send at 1 hour (reminder), 24 hours (reminder with social proof), and 72 hours (optional small discount). A well-configured abandonment sequence typically recovers 5-15% of abandoned checkouts.
Plus Checkout Customisation
Shopify Plus merchants have access to checkout extensibility, which allows adding custom fields, UI components, and branding elements to the checkout. This includes custom delivery instructions fields, loyalty point displays, and custom upsells.
