Short answer
Shoppers abandon checkout mostly because of extra costs they didn’t expect, slow delivery, doubts about trust, forced account creation, a long or broken checkout, weak return policies, not seeing the total early, declined cards and missing payment methods. Many were also just browsing. On Shopify, each reason maps to a setting or report you can check in minutes.
Key takeaways
- Unexpected extra cost is the most cited reason, far ahead of the rest. Show shipping before checkout.
- Several top reasons are settings, not design: shipping rates, account requirements, payment methods.
- Some abandonment is normal browsing. Look for reasons that cluster on one device, region or product.
- Rule reasons in or out with your own data before changing anything.
The numbers below come from Baymard Institute’s survey of US online shoppers who abandoned a checkout, excluding those who were only browsing (Baymard Institute, updated September 2025). Shoppers could pick more than one reason. Each item adds what the reason looks like on a Shopify store and where to check it.
1. Extra costs were higher than expected
The top reason by a wide margin: 40% of abandoners said shipping, tax or fees were too high (Baymard). The key word is unexpected: a cost that appears for the first time in checkout feels like a trick, even when it’s fair.
2. Delivery was too slow
20% of abandoners left because delivery would take too long (Baymard). Shoppers often don’t see the delivery estimate until they choose a shipping method in checkout.
3. They didn’t trust the site with their card
19% didn’t trust the site with their credit card information (Baymard). New stores, stores with little contact information and stores that look unfinished on a phone feel riskier.
4. The site wanted them to create an account
18% left because they were asked to create an account (Baymard). Most shoppers want to buy once before they commit to anything.
5. The checkout felt too long or complicated
17% found the checkout too long or complicated (Baymard). Extra fields, required phone numbers and multiple steps add up, especially on a phone keyboard.
6. The site had errors or crashed
17% hit errors or crashes (Baymard). On Shopify, the checkout itself is rarely the culprit; the cart, apps and theme code before it are more likely.
7. The returns policy wasn’t good enough
13% abandoned over an unsatisfactory returns policy (Baymard). For sizes, fit and fragile items, returns are part of the product.
8. They couldn’t see the total cost upfront
12% couldn’t see or calculate the total order cost upfront (Baymard). This is the cousin of reason 1: shoppers want the number before they commit to typing an address.
9. Their card was declined
10% had a credit card declined (Baymard). Some declines are genuine; others come from fraud rules, address checks or cards issued abroad.
10. Their preferred payment method wasn’t there
9% didn’t find enough payment methods (Baymard). Preferences vary a lot by country: a store that sells abroad needs the methods people use there.
11. They were just browsing
Separately, 42% of US online shoppers said they had abandoned a cart because they were “just browsing / not ready to buy” (Baymard). This isn’t a failure, and you can’t remove it. It’s why the average cart abandonment rate across 50 studies is 70.22%.
To find which of these applies to your store, start with where shoppers stop. Shopify traffic but no sales walks through the reports step by step.
Questions
- What is the number one reason for checkout abandonment?
- Extra costs that are higher than expected: shipping, tax and fees. In Baymard Institute’s survey, 40% of shoppers who abandoned a checkout gave that reason (Baymard).
- What is the average cart abandonment rate?
- Baymard Institute’s documented average is 70.22%, based on 50 studies (Baymard). Your own trend over time matters more than the average.
- Where can I see abandoned checkouts in Shopify?
- In your admin under Orders → Abandoned checkouts. It lists checkouts that were started and not completed, with the items and any contact details the shopper entered.
- Can I stop all cart abandonment?
- No. Many shoppers use the cart to save items or check the total while they decide. Aim to remove the reasons that cluster on your store, not to reach zero.
Sources
- Cart abandonment rate statistics (reasons for abandonment during checkout)Baymard Institute, 2025-09-22
- Behavior and acquisition reportsShopify Help Center