In recent years, it has become much easier for businesses to sell their products and services online. But businesses that are serious about converting online sales still need to spend time thoughtfully creating, executing and refining their e-commerce checkout experiences. This includes each step of the customer journey, from marketing to making the final purchase on the checkout page.

About 70% of e-commerce shoppers abandon their baskets without making a purchase – and 18% of these shoppers cite a bad checkout experience as the reason. Building an optimised checkout requires careful consideration of the nuances of the customer experience and what matters most to digital customers. Below, we'll explain why checkout page design is so important for e-commerce businesses, which components should be included in the checkout page, and best practices for designing and maintaining online checkout pages. Here's what you need to know.

What's in this article?

• What is a checkout page?
  
• Why does an optimised checkout page design matter for businesses?
  
• Key components of checkout page design
  
• Best practices for checkout page design
  
• Tips to optimise your checkout page for conversion
  
• How Stripe can help with e-commerce checkout pages
  

What is a checkout page?

A checkout page is the section of an e-commerce website where customers finalise their purchases. After selecting products, a customer proceeds to the checkout page to provide payment and delivery details. This step typically involves entering billing information, choosing a delivery method and reviewing the order before completing the transaction.

Why does an optimised checkout page design matter for businesses?

An optimised checkout page is more than just the final step in an e-commerce transaction – it is where a customer's relationship with a business is strengthened or weakened. Here are some important concerns that are affected by checkout page design:

• Conversion rate
  Just as some customers may leave a shop without buying because the queue is too long or the process seems too tedious – the same can happen online. If the checkout page isn't well-designed, potential buyers can simply leave the website. A good design keeps them engaged, reduces the chances of basket abandonment and increases the chances of a completed transaction.

• Customer experience
  Imagine walking into a well-lit shop where everything is neatly arranged and the staff are friendly. You'd probably want to go back. Online, the design of your checkout page serves a similar function. If it's easy and intuitive to navigate, customers will feel at ease and will develop a sense of trust and loyalty. A positive experience today means that they'll probably think of your website the next time they want to shop.

• Accuracy
  Errors in collecting customer information – whether it's where to deliver an item to or how a customer is paying – can be costly for businesses. A well-structured checkout page minimises these issues. This can mean happier customers and fewer headaches for the business, saving both time and money.

• Upselling opportunities
  Let's say that you're buying a pair of shoes online and right before you check out, you see a suggestion for a shoe cleaner or a set of stylish laces. An optimised checkout page can gently upsell customers on additional products or services that complement the choices they have made already.

Checkout page design can deeply influence the entire customer experience. It's not just about making a sale – it's about building trust, creating loyal customers and refining your internal sales operations.

Key components of checkout page design

E-commerce businesses try to create shopping experiences with as little friction as possible and optimising the checkout page is important for meeting this goal. While simplicity is key, certain components are necessary to drive positive outcomes for both the customer and the business. Here's what an effective checkout page should include:

• Billing and delivery information fields: clearly labelled sections where customers can enter their details without ambiguity.
  
• Order summary: a section detailing the products, quantities ordered and prices which the customer can review before finalising the purchase.
  
• Payment options: a variety of payment methods to cater to different customer preferences.
  
• Progress indicator: shows customers where they are in the checkout process, reducing uncertainty.
  
• Error messages: clear feedback when information is missing or incorrect, helping customers to correct issues without frustration.
  
• Promotion code field: a space for customers to enter discount codes, if available.
  
• Contact information: contact details for customer support should issues arise.
  
• Return policy: a brief summary or link to the full policy, setting clear expectations.
  
• Trust signals: elements such as reviews, ratings or trust badges to build customer confidence.
  

Beyond the transaction, the checkout page reflects the brand's attention to detail and commitment to customer satisfaction. An efficient, user-friendly design can be the difference between a one-off purchase and a lasting customer relationship.

Best practices for checkout page design

The checkout page is the equivalent of the cashier's counter in a physical shop. Just like a friendly cashier and a fast, reliable point-of-sale (POS) system can make in-person transactions pleasant, a well-considered checkout page can make online shopping effortless and positive.

There are proven ways to design the checkout page in a way that makes online shopping simpler and leaves the customer with a good impression. Here are some important best practices to bear in mind as you build your checkout page:

• Simplicity
  Avoid overwhelming the customer with unnecessary information or steps. The checkout process should be as straightforward as possible, allowing customers to focus solely on completing their purchase. Overcomplication can lead to confusion, potential errors or even basket abandonment.

• Mobile optimisation
  With an increasing number of shoppers making purchases through mobile devices, checkout pages need to be optimised for smaller screens. This includes larger buttons, easy-to-read fonts and a layout that adjusts to varying screen sizes. A positive mobile payment experience can greatly improve conversion rates.

• Guest checkout option
  Some customers might be hesitant to create an account, especially if they're in a hurry or uncertain about future purchases. While capturing customer information for future marketing can be tempting, providing a guest checkout option can boost conversions.

• Transparent pricing
  Nobody likes surprise fees. All costs, including delivery, taxes and other potential charges, should be displayed up front. When customers are clear about the total cost from the start, they are less likely to abandon their baskets during the last step of the transaction.

• Multiple payment options
  Offering a variety of payment methods caters to a broader range of customers. Whether it's credit cards, digital wallets or other payment methods, providing multiple options can increase the likelihood of a completed sale.

• Clear call to action (CTA)
  The primary action, whether it's "Complete purchase" or "Proceed to payment", should be prominent and easy to identify. It guides the customer towards the desired action and reduces any hesitation.

• Feedback on input errors
  If a customer makes a mistake while entering information, immediate feedback can help to correct the issue. Avoid generic error messages. Instead, provide specific guidance on what needs to be fixed.

• Trustworthiness
  The checkout page should convey a sense of trust. This can be achieved with recognisable trust badges, testimonials or clear links to policies, making customers feel safe during the transaction.

Tips to optimise your checkout page for conversion

Converting a visitor into a buyer is what e-commerce is all about – and the checkout page is where this task is often most challenging. Here are some inventive ways that e-commerce businesses can boost conversions without over-complicating the process:

• Fast page loading
  Customers don't like to wait or experience delays – and e-commerce shoppers are no different. If a page takes too long to load, potential buyers might just leave. Investing in good hosting and minimising unnecessary elements can make a checkout page load faster, holding the customer's attention.

• Visible basket details
  Keep basket details, such as the items selected and their prices, easily visible throughout the checkout process. This reinforces the buyer's choices and keeps them grounded in their purchasing intent.

• Flexibility in changes
  Make it simple for shoppers to adjust quantities or remove items without having to backtrack. A user-friendly interface can make these adjustments easy.

• Feedback and reviews
  Sometimes, seeing that others have had a positive experience can nudge customers into a purchase. Include brief, positive feedback or reviews close to the checkout button to instil confidence.

• Minimal distractions
  Keep the focus on completing the purchase. Avoid excessive promotions, ads or links that could lead customers away from the checkout page.

• Localised options
  Adjusting payment methods, currencies or even language based on the customer's location can make the process feel more personalised and intuitive.

• Save for later
  Provide an option for customers to save their basket for a future purchase. Not everyone is ready to buy immediately, but they might appreciate the ease of returning to a pre-filled basket.

• Post-purchase incentives
  Offer something special after the purchase, such as a discount on the next purchase or a bonus item. This rewards the present purchase and also encourages future visits.

Optimising a checkout page is a continuous process to understand the buyer's mindset and make technical tweaks to serve them better. Looking beyond the technical aspects, it's also about creating a comfortable space where visitors feel confident and valued, pushing them a step closer to becoming loyal buyers.

How Stripe can help with e-commerce checkout pages

Stripe Checkout applies data-driven strategies to optimise the e-commerce checkout experience. It addresses common industry challenges – from mobile shopping trends to basket abandonment – by employing a mixture of flexible payment options, real-time validation and a robust suite of analytics tools. Here's an overview of some of the features that deliver on this goal:

• Optimised checkout flow
  Stripe's Optimised Checkout Suite makes the checkout experience easy, intuitive and efficient by offering a variety of prebuilt checkout page user interfaces and accelerated checkout options. It supports over 100 payment methods and allows businesses to refine their payment processes based on customer behaviour​ using A/B testing.

• Mobile responsiveness
  In 2022, nearly 42% of all retail e-commerce occurred on mobile devices. To compete for modern customers, businesses need to optimise their e-commerce checkout experiences for mobile devices. Stripe Checkout is engineered to adapt to mobile interfaces. It delivers an excellent mobile experience by reflowing content, resizing buttons and ensuring that touch targets can be accessed easily.

• Payment flexibility
  Stripe Checkout supports over 135 different currencies and various payment methods, including Visa, Mastercard and digital wallets such as Apple Pay, Google Pay and Cash App Pay. The platform also allows for localised payment methods, such as Alipay. This level of flexibility can increase conversion rates significantly, especially in markets where certain payment methods are more widely adopted.

• Localisation and internationalisation
  The platform uses geolocation to identify a customer's country and localises the checkout page to their native language automatically. For instance, Stripe Checkout can display a VAT field dynamically for European customers. In addition, Checkout supports more than 30 languages and complies with local tax laws, reducing basket abandonments related to localisation.

• Real-time validation
  Stripe Checkout's real-time form validation goes beyond basic error flagging. It uses machine-learning algorithms trained on millions of transactions to identify common customer input errors, allowing for instant corrections. This decreases the number of error-related abandonments and facilitates a smooth checkout experience.

• Security measures
  Stripe employs machine-learning models for real-time fraud detection and complies with the most stringent industry standards, including the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) Level 1. It also employs advanced encryption techniques, such as Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) 256 and two-factor authentication, to secure sensitive customer data.

• Easy coupon and discount integration
  Stripe provides an API for coupon and discount management, enabling e-commerce businesses to create various types of incentives, such as percentage discounts, amount-off discounts or time-bound promotions. Such incentives can be significant for seasonal campaigns or customer-retention strategies.

• Analytics and reporting
  Stripe's analytics suite gives you granular insights into your sales data. It goes beyond basic metrics to provide data on average order value, purchase frequency and even customer lifetime value. These data points can help you to optimise your checkout experience further.

• A/B testing
  Stripe's API allows you to integrate A/B testing frameworks easily (for example, Optimizely or Convert), helping you to test multiple variables, such as form field arrangements or CTA button colours. This data-backed approach will help you to identify the configurations that perform the best in terms of conversion.

• Serverless functionality
  Stripe handles the server-side logic, ensuring high levels of uptime and optimal load speeds. This means that you don't have to worry about server management, allowing you to direct your focus towards improving other aspects of your e-commerce experience instead.

Learn more about how Stripe enables businesses to create and maintain an optimised checkout that is sticky, intuitive and contributes to higher conversion rates.