checkout-optimizer

name	checkout-optimizer
description	Audits e-commerce checkout flows and recommends friction-reduction improvements to increase conversion rates. Use this skill when a user has cart abandonment issues, low checkout completion rates, or wants to optimize their online store's purchase flow.
allowed-tools	Read Write Bash(ls) WebFetch

Checkout Optimizer

When to Use This Skill

• User reports high cart abandonment rates (industry average is ~70%)
• User wants to improve checkout completion or conversion rate
• User is launching a new store and wants checkout best practices
• User is switching e-commerce platforms and needs to design the checkout flow
• User notices drop-off at a specific step in their checkout funnel

Core Principle

EVERY EXTRA FIELD, CLICK, OR PAGE IN CHECKOUT IS A REASON TO LEAVE — REMOVE EVERYTHING THAT DOES NOT DIRECTLY COMPLETE THE PURCHASE.

Workflow

Phase 1: Gather Current State

1. Identify the e-commerce platform (Shopify, WooCommerce, Squarespace, custom)
2. Get current metrics if available:
   • Cart abandonment rate
   • Checkout completion rate
   • Average order value
   • Top exit pages in funnel
3. Map the current checkout steps (how many pages/steps from cart to confirmation)
4. List all form fields currently required

Phase 2: Audit Against Friction Checklist

5. Score the checkout against these 15 friction points:

#	Friction Point	Impact	Status
1	Guest checkout available (no forced account creation)	CRITICAL
2	Single-page or accordion checkout (not multi-page)	HIGH
3	Only essential form fields (name, email, address, payment)	HIGH
4	Auto-fill enabled for address and payment fields	HIGH
5	Express payment options (Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal)	HIGH
6	Order summary visible throughout checkout	MEDIUM
7	Shipping costs shown before checkout (no surprise fees)	CRITICAL
8	Trust badges visible (SSL, payment logos, guarantee)	MEDIUM
9	Progress indicator showing current step	MEDIUM
10	Mobile-optimized (large tap targets, no horizontal scroll)	CRITICAL
11	Error messages are inline and specific (not top-of-page)	MEDIUM
12	Promo code field is collapsed (not prominently displayed)	LOW
13	Cart persistence (items saved if user leaves and returns)	HIGH
14	Return policy and contact info accessible from checkout	MEDIUM
15	Confirmation page with order number and next steps	LOW

6. GATE: Any CRITICAL items marked as failing must be the top priority recommendations

Phase 3: Generate Recommendations

7. Produce a prioritized fix list, ordered by impact:

   • Priority 1 (do immediately): CRITICAL friction points that are failing
   • Priority 2 (do this week): HIGH friction points that are failing
   • Priority 3 (do this month): MEDIUM and LOW items

8. For each recommendation, provide:

   • The specific change to make
   • How to implement it on their platform
   • Expected impact (with realistic conversion improvement range)

Phase 4: Abandoned Cart Recovery

9. If cart abandonment is the primary concern, add a recovery sequence:

   • Email 1 (1 hour after abandonment): Cart reminder with product images
   • Email 2 (24 hours): Social proof or review highlight
   • Email 3 (72 hours): Final nudge with small incentive (free shipping or 10% off)

10. Provide email templates for each touch

Phase 5: Deliver

11. Output the complete audit scorecard
12. Output prioritized recommendations with implementation steps
13. If applicable, output abandoned cart email sequence

Example 1: Shopify Store Selling Handmade Jewelry

Current state:

• Platform: Shopify
• Cart abandonment: 78%
• Checkout: 3-page checkout (info, shipping, payment)
• Form fields: 14 fields including phone, company name, apt/suite
• No guest checkout (requires account)
• No express payment options
• Shipping costs only shown on page 2

Audit Scorecard:

#	Friction Point	Status	Notes
1	Guest checkout	FAIL	Account required — top priority fix
2	Single-page checkout	FAIL	3 pages currently
3	Essential fields only	FAIL	14 fields, should be 8
4	Auto-fill enabled	PASS	Shopify default
5	Express payments	FAIL	No Apple Pay, Google Pay, or PayPal
6	Order summary visible	PASS	Sidebar summary on desktop
7	Shipping costs pre-checkout	FAIL	Hidden until page 2
8	Trust badges	FAIL	No badges visible
9	Progress indicator	PASS	Shopify default breadcrumbs
10	Mobile-optimized	PASS	Shopify default responsive
11	Inline error messages	PASS	Shopify default
12	Collapsed promo field	FAIL	Prominent field causing exit to search for codes
13	Cart persistence	PASS	Shopify default
14	Return policy accessible	FAIL	No link in checkout
15	Confirmation page	PASS	Standard Shopify

Score: 7/15 passing

Prioritized Recommendations:

Priority 1 — Do immediately:

1. Enable guest checkout

   • Shopify Admin > Settings > Checkout > Customer accounts > "Accounts are optional"
   • Expected impact: 5-10% reduction in abandonment

2. Show shipping costs on product pages or cart page

   • Add shipping calculator widget to cart page
   • Or use flat-rate shipping and display it on product pages: "Flat rate $5.95 shipping"
   • Expected impact: 8-12% reduction in abandonment

3. Enable express payment options

   • Shopify Admin > Settings > Payments > Enable Shopify Payments (includes Apple Pay, Google Pay)
   • Add PayPal Express as secondary option
   • Expected impact: 3-7% increase in mobile conversions

Priority 2 — Do this week:

4. Remove unnecessary form fields

   • Remove: Company name, Apt/Suite (make optional), Phone (make optional)
   • Keep: Email, First name, Last name, Address, City, State, ZIP, Country
   • Shopify Admin > Settings > Checkout > Form options
   • Expected impact: 2-4% improvement in completion rate

5. Collapse the promo code field

   • Use Shopify's "Show discount code field" toggle or a custom CSS solution to collapse it behind a "Have a code?" link
   • Expected impact: Reduces exits from users leaving to search for discount codes

Priority 3 — Do this month:

6. Add trust badges — payment method logos and "Secure Checkout" badge near the payment button
7. Add return policy link — footer link in checkout to your returns page
8. Switch to one-page checkout — Shopify now offers one-page checkout for all plans

Example 2: WooCommerce Store Selling Specialty Coffee

Current state:

• Platform: WooCommerce
• Cart abandonment: 72%
• Checkout: Single-page (WooCommerce default)
• 11 form fields
• Guest checkout enabled
• No express payments
• Free shipping threshold at $50 but not communicated until cart

Audit Score: 9/15 passing

Top 3 Recommendations:

1. Add express payment (Stripe + PayPal Express)

   • Install WooCommerce Stripe Gateway plugin
   • Enable Apple Pay and Google Pay in Stripe dashboard
   • Add PayPal Checkout plugin for PayPal Express buttons
   • Place express payment buttons above the standard form
   • Expected impact: 4-8% conversion improvement on mobile

2. Show free shipping progress on product pages and cart

   • Add a banner: "Free shipping on orders over $50 — you're $XX away!"
   • Use the "Free Shipping Progress Bar" plugin or add custom code to cart page
   • Expected impact: 10-15% increase in AOV for orders between $30-$49

3. Reduce form fields from 11 to 7

   • Remove: Company, Phone (or make optional), Order notes
   • Combine First/Last name into single "Full Name" field if possible
   • Expected impact: 2-3% completion rate improvement

Abandoned Cart Recovery Email — Email 1 (1 hour):

Subject: You left some great coffee behind

Hey [First Name],

Looks like you were checking out our [Product Name] but didn't finish your order.

No worries — your cart is saved and ready when you are.

[CART CONTENTS WITH PRODUCT IMAGE]
[Product Name] — [Size] — $XX.XX

Complete Your Order → [Button linking to saved cart]

Questions about our coffee? Just reply to this email — we're real
people who love talking about coffee.

Cheers,
The Summit Roasters Team

P.S. Orders over $50 ship free.

Recovery and Fallback

• If the user cannot provide current metrics, use industry benchmarks: 70% cart abandonment is average, 3% checkout conversion is typical for small e-commerce
• If the user is on a platform that limits checkout customization (like basic Squarespace), focus on what can be changed: express payments, field reduction, and pre-checkout improvements
• If the audit reveals the checkout is already well-optimized (12+ passing), shift focus to pre-checkout friction: product page clarity, shipping communication, and cart page design
• If the user lacks technical ability to implement changes, prioritize platform-native settings changes over custom code solutions

Constraints

• Do not recommend removing email from checkout — it is required for order confirmation and receipts
• Do not recommend removing address fields for physical product stores
• Conversion improvement estimates must be given as ranges, not exact numbers
• Do not recommend specific apps or plugins without confirming platform compatibility
• Never suggest dark patterns (hidden fees, forced upsells blocking checkout, confusing opt-outs)
• All recommendations must be implementable without a developer unless otherwise noted
• Focus on the 3-5 highest-impact changes, not an exhaustive list of 20 minor tweaks