A default WooCommerce purchase looks like this: product page, add to cart, cart page, checkout page, a long form, payment. That is four pages and a dozen fields before the order. Each step loses a few customers, and in December, when people buy several gifts quickly, the loss adds up. Here is how to remove steps without breaking anything.
1. Replace the cart page detour with a side cart
When a customer adds a product, the default behaviour is either a small notice or a redirect to the cart. A slide-out cart is better: the customer sees the product was added, changes quantity if needed, and chooses between “Continue shopping” and “Checkout” without leaving the page. Cartly does exactly this and works with the WooCommerce Store API, so it stays fast and compatible. Try it on the live demo.
2. Keep the buy button visible
On a phone, the “Add to cart” button disappears as soon as the customer scrolls to read the description or reviews. A sticky bar brings it back with the price. Less scrolling up, more orders. See why it matters on mobile.
3. Allow guest checkout
Forcing account creation is one of the most common reasons for abandonment. In WooCommerce › Settings › Accounts & Privacy, allow customers to place orders without an account. You can still offer to create one after the order.
4. Ask only what you need
- Digital products: name and email are often enough.
- Physical products: remove “Company” and “Address line 2” if your customers rarely use them.
- Make the phone number optional unless your carrier requires it.
The block checkout (WooCommerce 8+) already shows fewer fields than the old shortcode checkout. If your theme still uses the old one, test the block version.
5. Offer express payments
Apple Pay, Google Pay and PayPal let returning shoppers pay without typing a card number or an address. Most gateways (Stripe, PayPal Payments) offer these buttons for free. Show them on the cart and checkout, and test them on a real phone.
6. Remove surprises
Unexpected shipping costs at the last step are the classic abandonment reason. Show shipping cost and the free shipping threshold early, with a progress bar in the cart. Show the delivery date on the product page.
7. Keep the checkout page quiet
No popups, no chat bubble covering the button, no newsletter box above the payment fields. The checkout has one job.
8. Test the whole path on a phone
Time yourself from a product page to the order confirmation, on 4G. If it takes more than a minute for a returning customer, there is still something to remove.
Summary
| Change | Effort | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Side cart | 5 minutes | Removes the cart page step |
| Sticky add to cart | 2 minutes | Less scrolling on mobile |
| Guest checkout | 1 minute | Fewer abandoned checkouts |
| Fewer fields | 15 minutes | Faster form |
| Express payments | 30 minutes | Payment in two taps |
What not to remove
Speed is not the only goal. Keep the elements that reassure: a clear total with taxes and shipping, the delivery date, the returns policy in one line, and recognisable payment logos. Removing them makes the page shorter but the decision harder. Keep also a link back to the cart for customers who want to change quantities.
A quick audit you can do today
- Count the fields on your checkout page.
- Mark each one: required by law or carrier, useful, or not needed.
- Remove or make optional the “not needed” ones.
- Check that the email field comes first, so abandoned checkouts can be recovered.
- Place an order with each payment method on a phone.
How to measure the result
Compare the same weeks before and after the change in WooCommerce › Analytics: conversion rate (orders divided by visits in your statistics tool), average order value and the share of mobile orders. Change one thing at a time when you can, and give each change at least a week of traffic before judging it. In December, compare with the first half of November rather than with last year, because your catalogue and traffic have changed.
Frequently asked questions
Is a one-page checkout better than the WooCommerce checkout?
The current block checkout is already on one page. What matters most is the number of fields and payment options.
Does a side cart replace the cart page?
For most customers yes, but keep the cart page available for those who want it.
Will express payment buttons slow down my site?
They load a payment script. Show them where they help (cart, checkout) and test your page speed.