Guest checkout: why forcing an account loses orders
Forcing shoppers to create an account before paying is a leading cause of abandoned carts. Offer guest checkout.
1 min read
Area
CRO & UX
Severity
High
Fix effort
Small
Stores failing
Not enough data
Guest checkout lets a shopper pay without creating an account. Research by the Baymard Institute has consistently listed forced account creation among the top reasons for abandoned checkouts. This check confirms that guests can complete a purchase.
Why it matters
A new customer wants to buy, not to manage a password. Accounts can be offered after the purchase, when the shopper has a reason to save details. Making them a gate trades a sale for a database row.
What the audit looks at
The audit checks whether a shopper can complete checkout as a guest.
What usually causes it
- A store setting that requires login before checkout
- A theme or plugin that blocks guest orders
- A loyalty programme that forces registration
- Subscription products that need accounts
How to fix it
Let shoppers buy without creating an account. The effort is small, usually a setting or a paste and under 30 minutes.
- Allow guest checkout and offer account creation after the purchase.
On Shopify
- Settings > Checkout > Customer accounts: choose "Accounts are optional".
On WooCommerce
- WooCommerce > Settings > Accounts & Privacy: tick "Allow customers to place orders without an account".
How to check it yourself
- Add an item in a private window and go to checkout without signing in.
- Check you can complete as a guest.
- Look for an optional account prompt after the order.
Frequently asked questions
Should I still offer accounts?
Yes, as an option after the purchase or alongside it.
What about subscriptions?
Those usually need accounts. Say so clearly before checkout.
Related checks
Check your own store
See whether your store passes this check
Paste your store URL. The audit loads your pages in a real browser and shows the result for this check with the evidence behind it.