Above their own industry benchmark
More than 1 in 4 stores we audit abandon checkout at a rate above their own industry benchmark. The leak is specific to the store, its category, and the shoppers reaching payment.
PDQ store audits
Reduce checkout abandonment before the payment step
Checkout abandonment is when a shopper enters checkout but leaves before paying. Cart abandonment happens earlier, before checkout starts. Reduce it by removing late cost surprises, clarifying delivery, restoring trust at payment, and letting shoppers fix problems without leaving the secure flow.
Delivered in 3 business days.
How much does checkout abandonment cost?
Based on PDQ audits of 600+ Shopify stores, each benchmarked against its own industry.
The documented average drop-off
The Baymard Institute documents an average checkout abandonment rate of about 70%. That is an absolute industry-wide drop-off rate, not the share of stores performing above or below their peers.
A first-time shopper trust gap
In about 1 in 6 stores we audit, first-time shoppers convert at least 25% worse than returning ones. The same audits point to missing reassurance at the moment of payment.
PDQ store audits
How does PDQ reduce checkout abandonment?
PDQ treats checkout as a CRO lab. We segment shoppers, test the point of friction, and keep the version that produces the strongest revenue per checkout.
01
Test shipping price sensitivity by segment
Delivery cost is a major abandonment driver: too high and conversion drops, too low and revenue is left unclaimed. PDQ A/B tests shipping rates per segment to find the price that maximizes revenue per checkout, including tactics like rounding rates to a clean $.99.
02
Put an accurate delivery promise inside the shipping method
An accurate “Arrives by Tue, Nov 12” on each shipping option replaces checkout's vaguest moment with a commitment. Accurate delivery dates lift both AOV and CVR and build trust when kept.
03
Show first-time buyers the trust content they need
First-timers are hardest to convert because they don't know the brand. PDQ places trust badges, review content, and personalized notes inside checkout, targeted by segment so a first-timer sees reassurance a returning VIP doesn't, and A/B tests all of it.
04
Recover a failed discount code before the shopper leaves
When a code fails, shoppers leave. PDQ replaces the generic error with custom messaging and an automatic replacement offer: a store discount or unique one-time code, optionally auto-applied. Rule-based targeting handles expired codes, VIP-only codes, and catch-alls.
05
Let shoppers edit the cart without leaving checkout
Shoppers who leave to fix a size or quantity often don't return. PDQ lets them edit variants, adjust quantities, and remove items without leaving the secure flow, keeping momentum and protecting gift and upsell logic.
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What do PDQ's winning A/B tests deliver?
A measured conversion result, not an estimate of recovered checkouts.
+19% CVR
PDQ's winning A/B tests deliver this average improvement, measured across 36 experiments
Checkout abandonment questions
What is checkout abandonment?
Checkout abandonment is when a shopper begins the checkout flow but leaves before completing payment. Cart abandonment happens earlier: the shopper adds products to a cart but leaves before reaching checkout.
What is a good checkout abandonment rate?
A good checkout abandonment rate is one that beats the right benchmark for your store's category, traffic mix, device mix, and customer split. Baymard documents an industry-wide average near 70%, but PDQ compares each audited store against its own industry peers rather than treating one global average as the target.
Why do customers abandon checkout?
Customers abandon checkout when the final step introduces cost, uncertainty, or friction they did not expect. Common causes include surprise shipping prices, vague delivery timing, weak trust signals, failed discount codes, missing payment options, and having to leave checkout to edit the cart.
How do I reduce checkout abandonment?
Reduce checkout abandonment by testing the specific friction each shopper segment sees. Start with shipping price, delivery promises, first-time-buyer trust content, discount-code recovery, and cart editing inside checkout, then keep the versions that improve conversion and revenue per checkout.
Is cart abandonment the same as checkout abandonment?
No. Cart abandonment means a shopper leaves before starting checkout; checkout abandonment means the shopper enters checkout but leaves before payment is complete. The distinction matters because the causes and fixes happen at different stages.
Related checkout problems
Shipping Personalization
One-size-fits-all shipping loses money at both ends — tailor it by segment, zone, and cart
Free Shipping Threshold
Find the exact threshold that maximizes revenue per checkout
Checkout Issues Report
Not sure where you're leaking? Start with the 12 most common checkout issues, from 600+ store audits.
