Checkout Process

The checkout process is a series of steps that must be taken by a consumer when purchasing items on an online shopping platform.

Updated: November 4, 2023

The checkout process is a series of steps that must be taken by a consumer when purchasing items on an online shopping platform. Several phases, such as applying promotions and coupon codes, calculating taxes, selecting shipping and payment methods are included in it.

Usually, the checkout process starts when a customer adds the desired products to their shopping cart and successfully passes the initial stages of the process and ends with payment confirmation. The transaction of buyer can be made as smooth as possible from start to finish with a good checkout process. It also provides more returning customers. The checkout process can convert visitors into returning customers and collect customer data for future use.

An appropriate checkout process needs to be implemented for a business to increase the conversion rate and sales. One-page checkout, Multi-page checkout and Accordion checkout are types of e-commerce checkout processes available for online retailer websites.

Shopping cart, Billing information, Shipping information, Shipping method, Preview order and Payment are some precise details that must be gathered from the customers by businesses irrespective of how they package their checkout page. 

The checkout process must be optimized for a mobile-friendly user experience. Error notifications should be used throughout the checkout process to increase the accuracy of the information being input which in turn, helps with customer data validation.

Types of checkout processes


Main types of checkout processes

  • Single-Page Checkout
  • Multi-Step Checkout
  • Guest Checkout
  • Account Checkout
  • Express Checkout
  • Abandoned Cart Recovery
  • Subscription Checkout
  • Digital Product Checkout
  • In-App Purchase
  • POS (Point of Sale) Checkout
  • Self-Checkout Kiosks
  • Click and Collect

Browse Software Providers