The Rule: Fewer Steps = Higher Conversion
- Guest checkout option (always)
- Single-page checkout when possible
- If multi-step: show progress, allow editing previous steps without losing data
Cart Design
- Show item image, name, quantity, price
- Easy quantity adjustment (+ / - or input)
- Remove item with confirmation
- Show subtotal, taxes, shipping, and total clearly
- Promo code field (collapsed by default, not prominent)
Payment Form
- Card number: auto-format with spaces (4242 4242 4242 4242)
- Expiry: MM/YY format with auto-slash
- CVC: show where to find it on the card (tooltip with diagram)
- Show accepted card types (Visa, Mastercard, etc.)
- Support digital wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay) above the form
Trust Signals
- Security badges near payment fields
- "Secure checkout" in the header
- Money-back guarantee
- Customer support contact visible
- SSL indicator
Order Summary
- Visible throughout checkout (sidebar on desktop, expandable on mobile)
- Update in real-time as user changes options
- Show shipping estimate before final step
- Clear total breakdown (no surprises)
Post-Purchase
- Confirmation page with order number
- Confirmation email immediately
- Clear delivery timeline
- Easy access to order status