Most common reasons for checkout abandonment

E-commerce stores are competing for every customer today, yet many retailers still lose sales at the very end of the shopping process – at checkout .

Why do customers leave empty-handed at the last minute? Let's take a look at the most common reasons and, most importantly, how to solve this problem.

The goal of your e-shop is for the customer to complete their order and not end up in the list of abandoned carts.

1. Hidden Costs: The Biggest Conversion Killer

Problem: A customer sees an attractive price for a product, but at checkout the amount is suddenly increased by shipping, fees or VAT. Studies show that up to 60% of customers abandon their purchase precisely because of unexpected costs. Examples from practice:

  • "A product for 990 CZK, but with shipping 1190 CZK? That's already over my limit."

  • "Why are you only now showing me that there is a fee for paying by card?"

    Solution:

  • Show the total price as soon as possible (ideally in the cart).

  • Offer free shipping above a certain amount (psychological effect).

  • List all fees clearly and transparently.

2. Too complex a process: The customer gets lost

Problem : Every additional step in the process reduces the likelihood of a purchase being completed. A study by the Baymard Institute shows that the average e-commerce store loses 69.8% of its customers due to a complicated checkout process.

Typical errors:

  • Registration required before purchase.

  • Too many form fields.

  • Unintuitive checkout interface.

    Solution:

  • Offer to purchase as a guest (you can only suggest registration after the order is complete).

  • Implement one-click payments (e.g. via Google Pay, Apple Pay).

  • Keep the number of steps to a minimum (ideally 1-2 pages).

3. Distrust: Fear of the Unknown

Problem: The online world lacks personal contact, so customers are looking for other ways to verify trustworthiness.

What warns them:

  • Unknown payment gateway.

  • No or bad reviews.

  • Missing contact information.

    Solution:

  • View ratings and certificates (SSL, Heureka Verified by customers).

  • Show social proof ("5 people are currently viewing this product").

  • Improve your checkout design (professional look = more trust).

4. Technical Issues: The Silent Sales Killer

Problem: Even the smallest technical error can mean lost sales. Common problems:

  • Slow loading of payment gateway.

  • Some payment methods not showing.

  • Errors in the form.

    Solution:

  • Regularly test checkout on different devices.

  • Optimize loading speed.

  • Implement automatic cart saving.

5. Limited payment methods

Problem: The customer wants to pay with their preferred method, but they can't find it in the menu.

Statistics:

  • 47% of customers abandon a purchase due to a missing payment method.

  • The most popular methods in the Czech Republic: by card (72%), bank transfer (18%), cash on delivery (8%).

    Solution:

  • Offer all major payment methods.

  • Consider a deferred payment option (e.g. Twisto, Affirm).

How to find out where you are losing customers?

  • Analyze data from Google Analytics (path > checkout).

  • Implement heatmaps (e.g. Hotjar).

  • Conduct testing with real users.

Conclusion: Small changes, big results Checkout optimization is one of the most effective ways to increase conversion rates. Even small adjustments can bring significant improvements:

  • Price transparency.

  • Simplifying the process.

  • Building trust.

  • Removing technical obstacles.

Final tip: Start by going through the shopping process yourself in your e-shop. Is it as easy and enjoyable as it should be?