Add to Cart, Checkout & Post-Purchase: The Hidden Dealbreakers

You’ve done the hard work – your customer has browsed, compared options, and finally decided to buy. But just as they reach the finish line, something goes wrong, and they’re never seen again. What happened?

Maybe the add to cart or checkout process was frustrating, the payment options were too limited, or the delivery estimate was unclear or too long. Whatever the issue, a single moment of friction is often enough to lose the sale – and the customer.

Studies show that 70% of online shoppers abandon their carts¹, and one of the top reasons is a complicated checkout experience. But the problem doesn’t stop there – poor post-purchase communication, frustrating return policies, and unreliable delivery information drive customers away, too.

Here’s why these hidden dealbreakers matter so much, and what you can do to avoid falling at the last hurdle.

Add to Cart Glitchiness

Before customers even reach checkout, there’s a critical moment: adding a product to their cart. If this step isn’t intuitive, fast, and frustration-free, they might abandon the purchase before it even begins.

Slow or defective buttons, forced account creation, confusing pricing and complicated product selection can all prevent a potential buyer from adding an item to their cart. Consider the stressed-out mum of three trying to buy an expensive watch online as a birthday present for her husband. The sizing is confusing, the discount unclear and she’s not sure if there’s an extra fee for engraving. In a matter of seconds, she’s gone to your competitor’s site instead.

Add to cart should be instant, with the button responding immediately without page reloads or extra steps. Guests ought to be able to shop without a login or sign up, and pricing and availability need to be made clear. Product selection should also be a simplified process, with visual cues (e.g., colour swatches, size guides, personalisation previews) to make choices easier. For repeat buyers, offer a direct purchase option like one-click purchase to reduce friction.

A smooth “Add to Cart” experience keeps customers moving swiftly towards checkout by reducing hesitation and improving conversion rates, and it’s a must-have for today’s convenience-driven buyers.

Cumbersome Checkout Processes

A difficult or frustrating checkout process is one of the biggest culprits behind lost revenue. Customers expect a fast, seamless experience – but too many brands add unnecessary friction.

This could be in the form of mandatory account creation, endless form fields and/or limited payment options. Any one of these can kill conversions. Although it might not be ideal for the retailer (due to the loss of valuable customer data, increased risk of fraud and dispute resolution challenges), guest checkout is a must-have option for the buyer. Similarly, multiple payment options (credit cards, digital wallets like Apple Pay, and Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL)) are now considered the norm. Finally, auto-fill and one-click payments help customers speed through the checkout process. The smoother the process, the higher the conversion rate.

Complex Delivery and Returns Practices

The buying experience doesn’t end when a customer places an order. In fact, this is the point when emotional behaviour changes and anticipation is highest. Buyers have bought the product, and now they’re excited to get their hands on it – as quickly as possible. Apple has nailed capitalising on the emotional journey a buyer takes in the way it launches new devices. They announce the product, they tell you when it will be available to buy, and when you can have it. The experience culminates in the arrival of the product first thing that morning. Bingo!

The lesson here is that clear and ongoing communication, setting (and meeting) expectations and ensuring that the process is as smooth as possible are all critical. Today’s discerning customers want to know exactly when their order will arrive, to be kept informed of the order’s progress, and to know that if they want to return the item – for whatever reason – they can do so with minimum hassle. Not keeping them informed or building on the emotion is a missed opportunity to create brand loyalty. 

This means providing clear delivery options upfront – such as express, standard and pickup in store. Returns should be effortless, with prepaid labels, simple online return portals and clear policies as standard. Finally, proactive updates like real-time tracking, delivery notifications, and post-purchase emails reassure customers and reduce support requests.

A bad post-purchase experience doesn’t just lead to lost customers – it can create negative word-of-mouth and bad reviews. Brands that prioritise convenience will therefore win in the long run.

Inflexible Payment Options

Customers expect to pay how they want, when they want – and brands that fail to offer flexibility risk losing sales. Customers expect to be able to choose between credit and debit cards, digital wallets such as Apple Pay, Google Pay and PayPal, Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) services like Klarna, Afterpay, and Affirm, and regional preferences like Alipay and WeChat Pay.

Offering the payment options your customers prefer requires an analysis of your customer base rooted in either third- or first-party research. Security and fraud prevention should be built-in, to avoid adding unnecessary friction. Split payments or BNPL (particularly for higher-ticket items) should also be offered as standard. The easier it is for customers to complete a purchase, the more likely they are to do it.

Neglecting Post-Purchase Engagement

The experience shouldn’t end once the sale is made. Many brands miss the opportunity to keep customers engaged after checkout, leaving them feeling disconnected.

Personalised post-purchase emails, such as order confirmations, how-to guides, and exclusive offers for future purchases can help to bridge this gap, as will encouraging reviews and social proof by asking customers to share their experience on social media or leave a review. Loyalty is built through thoughtful follow-ups, like discounts on repeat purchases, invitations to join VIP programs and early access to new products.

Customers who feel valued after a purchase are far more likely to come back, and thoughtful post-purchase engagement can turn first-time buyers into long-term loyalists.

Winning Loyalty Through Effortless Experiences

The most successful brands don’t just focus on making a sale – they focus on creating a seamless, frustration-free customer journey from product selection to checkout to post-purchase. By simplifying checkout, improving delivery and returns, expanding payment options, and maintaining engagement, you can eliminate unnecessary friction and keep customers coming back. Because in the end, customer loyalty isn’t won at the first purchase – it’s earned through every experience that follows.

^{1 49 Cart Abandonment Rate Statistics 2025 – Cart & Checkout – Baymard}