What is Checkout Abandonment Rate?
Checkout abandonment rate is the percentage of checkout sessions that don’t complete a purchase.
Understanding Checkout Abandonment Rate
Checkout abandonment rate is driven by shipping surprises, payment friction, account‑creation walls, and slow pages. Clear ads reduce mismatch by setting price and promo expectations upfront. Transparent shipping thresholds and fees lower drop‑off at the last step. Offering fast payments and guest checkout reduces friction for first‑time buyers. Performance budgets and lightweight pages protect intent on mobile.
Because checkout is a series of steps, issues often cluster in specific forms or devices. Read abandonment by step (address, shipping, payment) and by device to target fixes. Keep discount code entry simple so users don’t leave to hunt. Match ad promises to PDP and cart to avoid “gotcha” fees. Test auto‑apply promos and free shipping thresholds for lift. Re‑engage with reminders only after UX problems are resolved.
Why Checkout Abandonment Rate matters
Checkout abandonment rate matters because small fixes compound into large revenue gains. It provides a clear UX signal about where friction and unclear policies block purchases. Improvements here raise conversion without buying more traffic.
- Revenue: Small improvements drive big gains.
- UX signal: Highlights friction and unclear policies.
How to Calculate Checkout Abandonment Rate
- Formula: Abandonment = 1 − (Purchases ÷ Checkout Starts)
- Track by device and by funnel step (address, shipping, payment).
Key Takeaways
- Checkout abandonment rate measures how many people start checkout but don't complete their purchase.
- Calculate it as (checkouts started − orders) ÷ checkouts started × 100.
- Reduce abandonment with guest checkout, clear shipping costs, trust signals, and streamlined forms.
- Monitor by traffic source and device to identify where friction is highest.
