Checkout Friction Audit (Onboarding)

Checkout Friction Audit (Onboarding)

1. 01

   Map the current checkout flow end to end

   Document every page, field, and click from cart to confirmation, including any payment or subscription steps. Note where the client's own analytics show drop-off.

2. 02

   Identify the highest-impact friction points

   Prioritize issues that directly cause abandonment, such as forced account creation, hidden fees, or slow page loads. A 1% conversion lift here often outweighs months of traffic work.

3. 03

   Review cancellation and churn paths

   For subscription clients, inspect the cancellation flow. Tools like RetainFast can intercept cancellations with targeted offers, but first verify the current process and churn reasons.

4. 04

   Check for trust signals and transparency

   Ensure pricing, shipping, and return policies are clear before checkout. Over-optimizing with dark patterns erodes trust, so pair speed with honest UX.

5. 05

   Benchmark against industry conversion baselines

   Use client historical data or public benchmarks to set a realistic target. Document the expected lift from each fix to prioritize the roadmap.

6. 06

   Document findings and propose a test plan

   Create a prioritized list of A/B tests or rebuilds, each with a hypothesis and success metric. Present this to the client as a low-risk, high-visibility entry into their commerce stack.