Most Common Reasons for Abandoned Checkouts (and How to Fix Them)

Abandoned checkout is one of the most expensive problems in ecommerce. According to Baymard Institute, the average cart abandonment rate sits around 70 percent, which means most users who show purchase intent never complete it.

Understanding why abandoned checkout happens is not optional. If you are running paid traffic or scaling an ecommerce business, fixing this directly impacts revenue, not just conversion rates.

What Is An Abandoned Checkout?

An abandoned checkout refers to users who add products to their cart, start the checkout process, but leave before completing the purchase.

This is different from casual browsing. These users already showed high intent, which makes abandonment a conversion problem rather than a traffic problem.

Most Common Reasons for an Abandoned Checkout

Data from Baymard Institute and Shopify shows that abandonment is rarely random. It is usually caused by friction, lack of trust, or poor user experience.

1. Unexpected Extra Costs

The biggest driver of abandoned checkout is surprise costs at the final step.

These include:

• Shipping fees

• Taxes

• Handling charges

Users expect transparency. When the final price is higher than expected, they leave.

Why this matters: Pricing friction breaks trust instantly, especially for new customers.

2. Mandatory Account Creation

Forcing users to create an account before purchasing creates unnecessary friction.

Common issues include:

• Long registration forms

• Email verification steps

• Password creation requirements

Many users prefer a fast checkout experience, especially on mobile.

Fix: Offer guest checkout as the default option.

3. Complicated Checkout Process

A long or confusing checkout flow increases drop-off.

Typical problems:

• Too many steps

• Unclear progress indicators

• Repetitive form fields

Users want speed and clarity. Every extra step reduces completion probability.

4. Slow Website Performance

Page speed is a conversion lever, not a technical detail.

According to Shopify, slower checkout experiences significantly increase abandonment.

Common performance issues:

• Slow loading checkout pages

• Delays in payment processing

• Mobile performance problems

5. Lack of Trust Signals

Users hesitate when they do not trust the website.

Missing trust elements include:

• SSL/security badges

• Clear return policies

• Contact information

If users feel uncertain about payment security, they leave.

6. Limited Payment Options

If users cannot pay the way they prefer, they abandon.

Examples:

• No Apple Pay or Google Pay

• No local payment methods

• Limited card support

This is especially critical for international audiences.

7. Delivery Issues

Shipping expectations play a major role.

Users abandon when:

• Delivery times are too long

• Shipping costs are unclear

• No delivery options are available

Abandoned Checkout Breakdown (Data Overview)

Reason for Abandonment	Approximate Impact
Extra costs too high	~48%
Forced account creation	~24%
Slow delivery	~22%
Lack of trust	~18%
Complex checkout	~17%

This data is based on aggregated research from Baymard Institute and Shopify.

How to Reduce Abandoned Checkout

Fixing abandoned checkout is not about one change. It is about removing friction across the entire funnel.

Key actions to take:

• Show full pricing early in the journey

• Enable guest checkout

• Simplify the checkout flow

• Optimise page speed, especially on mobile

• Add clear trust signals

• Expand payment options

• Set clear delivery expectations

Each of these removes a specific barrier that causes users to drop off.

Why This Matters for Growth

If you are spending on paid ads, abandoned checkout is where most of your budget is wasted.

Improving checkout conversion has a direct impact on:

• Revenue

• ROAS

• Customer acquisition cost

This is not a small optimisation. It is a core growth lever.

If you want to fix abandoned checkout properly, not guess your way through it, you need structured testing and data-backed decisions.

Learn more about conversion rate optimisation and contact us to turn traffic into revenue.

FAQs

What is a good abandoned checkout rate?

A typical abandoned checkout rate is around 60 to 70 percent, depending on the industry.

Can abandoned checkout be fully eliminated?

No. Some level of abandonment is natural. The goal is to reduce it, not eliminate it.

What is the biggest cause of abandoned checkout?

Unexpected extra costs are consistently the top reason.

Does mobile affect checkout abandonment?

Yes. Mobile users abandon more often due to friction and slower performance.

How do I recover abandoned checkouts?

You can use email reminders, retargeting ads, and checkout optimisation strategies.