The Ultimate Shopify

Checkout Optimization

Cheat-Sheet
Table of Contents

1. Before Checkout

2. Checkout Page Optimization

3. Abandoned Carts Optimization

4. Post First Purchase Optimization

Next page
Before Checkout

Segment customers by lifecycle stage, so you can present

unique offers to new customers at the cart level and raise AOV.

Customer
Example segmentations: prospect, abandoned cart, returning

customer, second order, subscriber, west/east coast

segmentation

Minimalist UX optimized for mobile, persistent cart, and access

to educational resources.
Simple & Clear

Navigation

Showcase how your products solve a problem and delight your

customers.

Value Your reviews are a great source for testing fresh ways of

communicating your brand’s value.

Propositions

Made in the U.S.A.? Show this off.

Consumer Reports states 8 in 10 prefer buying from U.S.

manufacturers
Trust badges

5-star ratings and colorful ways in the customers' own words

that showcase the value they get from your brand.

Don’t forget to include your press mentions.

Social Proof

Congrats! You unlocked free shipping!

Raise AOV with a free shipping progress bar.

A/B test to discover the winning threshold.

Free Shipping

Bar

Build confidence by introducing delivery information via a zip

code checker right in the product page.

Product page

optimization
Checkout Page Optimization

Avoid overloading customers with too many upsell prompts and

offers. Test your way into what upsells work best.
Upsell in

moderation

Provide 2-3 clear shipping methods that are location-based and

easy to understand
Simple and clear
shipping options

Present accurate shipping timeline and delivery options by

knowing where the customer is located, where inventory sits,
time of day, and connecting to hyper local carriers.

Personalized
Always include same day delivery where logistically possible.
shipping options

Replace vague shipping timelines with arrive by dates to match

the Amazon experience.
Accurate
delivery dates

Include processing time to provide accurate estimates and instill

confidence.

Live ETA Offer prioritized processing for $1 to test raising AOV.

Enable shoppers to select their preferred delivery date at

checkout.

Date Picker

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 Provide 2-3 clear shipping methods that are location-based and
easy to understand
Clear shipping

method options

Minimize and remove unnecessary third party scripts

Google Lighthouse is a great tool to accelerate page load

Fast page load speed across all devices.
times

Congrats! You unlocked free shipping!

Add a free shipping threshold to boost your AOV. For example, if

your AOV is $55, present a $20 upsell.
Free shipping
progress bar

Present unique offers and pricing based on the customer’s

lifecycle.
Segmented
checkouts

Focus on delivery promises and trust signals to encourage

conversions.

Trust badges Add a Try Risk Free badge. This tactic works especially for food,

(aka customer beverage, supplements and consumables where returns are

extremely rare.
callouts)

Ensure you have a callout to reassure customers your site is

secure.

Security badge A simple lock icon on your checkout button could work !

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 Shopify doesn’t track discount code failures. We created
Shopify doesn’t track discount code failures. We created a a
work-around so you can track this yourself:

work-around so you can track this yourself:

Add a custom box to capture and apply discount codes

Add a custom box to capture and apply discount codes so that so that
you can measure failure rates and serve up alternate discounts.
Failed discount

Failed discount
you can measure failure rates and serve up alternate discounts.
Rename the Shopify discount code within the language
Rename the Shopify discount code within the language settings.settings.
code analytics
code analytics You can label the field voucher # or anything generic enough
You can label the field voucher # or anything generic enough to to
not confuse the customer.
not confuse the customer.

Enable shoppers to pay a bit extra to bump their order to the top
Enable shoppers to pay a bit extra to bump their order to the top
of your pile.
Prioritized order
Prioritized order of your pile.
options
options
Add an option for your customers to add an order/shipping
Add an option for your customers to add an order/shipping
protection. No need for expensive shipping insurance, just
protection. No need for expensive shipping insurance, just a a
checkbox and a form for them to report any issues to your
checkbox and a form for them to report any issues to your CS isCS is
Order protection
Order protection more than enough.
more than enough.

Create a series of experiments for the cart to learn what

Create a series of experiments for the cart to learn what
increases conversion. Work with experts like PDQ to develop
increases conversion. Work with experts like PDQ to develop a a
A/B testing
A/B testing smart set of hypotheses.
smart set of hypotheses.
conversion rates
conversion rates

Offer free shipping with confidence, and test a variety of

Offer free shipping with confidence, and test a variety of
shipping costs and options to increase AOV.
A/B test shipping
A/B test shipping shipping costs and options to increase AOV.
revenue
revenue

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Abandoned Carts Optimization

Make it a one click experience from your abandonment email

Make it a one click experience from your abandonment email for for
the customer to complete the purchase of whatever they left
the customer to complete the purchase of whatever they left in in
the cart.

the cart.

Personalized

Personalized

abandonment

abandonment
Test discounts, but avoid introducing them too early in your
Test discounts, but avoid introducing them too early in your
Abandon flows.
emails
emails Abandon flows.

SSMS a time sensitive offer or discount.

MS a time sensitive offer or discount.

IIff your brand avoids discounts, reinforce the value your product
SMS + special
SMS + special uni
your brand avoids discounts, reinforce the value your product
q uely delivers.
uniquely delivers.
urgent offer
urgent offer

Post First Purchase Optimization

Optimizing your checkout doesn’t stop at the "Thank You" page. A great post-purchase experience can
further boost customer satisfaction and retention.

Use PDQ’s dashboard regularly to review data and ensure you

Use PDQ’s dashboard regularly to review data and ensure you
are keeping your shipping promise.
Deliver on time
Deliver on time are keeping your shipping promise.
and as promised
and as promised
Ensure your shipping services are connected to your customer
Ensure your shipping services are connected to your customer
support platform so your reps have up to the minute status and
support platform so your reps have up to the minute status and
communicate proactively with customers..
CS Integration
CS Integration communicate proactively with customers..

Award first time customers with a surprise gift: Add a coupon

Award first time customers with a surprise gift: Add a coupon or or
a free product to their order to increase likelihood of a next
a free product to their order to increase likelihood of a next
purchase.
Surprise gift
Surprise gift purchase.

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 If shoppers select 4 day shipping, don’t ship to arrive in 2, ship
If shoppers select 4 day shipping, don’t ship to arrive in 2, ship
slower and save on shipping cost.
slower and save on shipping cost.
Automate SLAs
Automate SLAs

Communicate proactively when you can see the order

Communicate proactively when you can see the order is arrivingis arriving
late. Test upsell solutions or send them a special “sorry it’s late”
Proactive comms
Proactive comms late. Test upsell solutions or send them a special “sorry it’s late”
discount to turn frustration into delight.
discount to turn frustration into delight.
delayed
delayed
deliveries
deliveries

Why This Matters

If there’s one thing to take away, it’s that focusing resources on your checkout experience can have a
game changing upside to your P&L.

Not only are there short term gains to be won, the elevated experience you deliver will build long term
trust leading to deeper customer loyalty.

PDQ
PDQ gives
gives you
you enhanced
enhanced shipping
shipping options,
options, A/B
A/B testing,
testing, automated
automated reporting,
reporting, and
and actionable
actionable
insights.
insights. They
They are
are the
the trusted
trusted partner
partner brands
brands can't
can't stop
stop talking
talking about
about because
because of
of their
their amazing
amazing
product
product and
and intense
intense commitment
commitment to to customer
customer success.
success.

To
To learn
learn how
how PDQ
PDQ can
can transform
transform your
your checkout
checkout experience,
experience, request
request a
a demo
demo at 

at 

prettydamnquick.com
prettydamnquick.com