Mini-cart links: offer both a way to the cart and to checkout
A mini-cart should link to both the full cart and checkout. See why both help shoppers who want to review or pay.
2 min read
Area
CRO & UX
Severity
Medium
Fix effort
Small
Stores failing
Not enough data
A mini-cart is the slide-out or dropdown that appears after adding an item. It should link to both the full cart and the checkout. Some shoppers want to review, others want to pay. This check looks for both links.
Why it matters
A mini-cart with only a checkout button hides the cart page, where shoppers review quantities and apply codes. One with only a cart link adds a step for people ready to pay. Both options serve both groups.
What the audit looks at
The audit looks for links to both the full cart and checkout in the mini-cart.
What usually causes it
- A drawer that shows only a checkout button
- A cart link hidden below the items
- A custom drawer app missing one link
- A theme setting that removes the view cart link
How to fix it
Offer both a cart link and a checkout link in the mini-cart. The effort is small, usually a setting or a paste and under 30 minutes.
- A shopper who opens the mini-cart wants either to review the order or go straight to payment: show View cart and Checkout buttons.
- Make Checkout the stronger button.
On Shopify
- Online Store > Themes > Customize > Theme settings > Cart: the cart type can be set to Drawer, and a drawer shows both buttons by default.
On WooCommerce
- Mini-cart widgets show View cart and Checkout buttons by default; if one is missing, check the mini-cart template of the theme.
How to check it yourself
- Add an item and read the buttons in the mini-cart.
- Click each and confirm the destination.
- Check on mobile where the drawer may cover the screen.
Frequently asked questions
Which button should be primary?
Usually checkout, with the cart link as a smaller secondary action.
What about stores with no cart page?
Some one-page checkouts skip the cart. Then a single checkout link is fine.
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.