Straight to the point
A fifth of shoppers worldwide prefer to do their clothes shopping online. The reason is simple: it’s convenient. Online, you can buy clothes anytime and from anywhere. See a cardigan you love on TikTok? Click a link and it can be yours instantly.
But that convenience can also be a double-edged sword. Sure, it’s super easy for consumers to complete purchases online, but it’s just as easy for them to give up on their purchases.
In 2021, fashion websites had a cart abandonment rate of 84.4%. In other words, the vast majority of shoppers gave up on purchases instead of completing them.
But why?
There are a number of reasons for abandoned carts in fashion e-commerce, but one of the biggest factors is checkout. More specifically, complicated or confusing checkout processes.
If shoppers aren’t able to complete their purchases quickly, they may start to wonder how much they really need that cardigan. It means a lost sale for your store, and it’s why your checkout experience needs to be as easy as possible.
One of the best ways to make checkout easy for your shoppers is by offering one-click checkout. It lets you capitalize on impulse buys and makes it just as simple for shoppers to complete their purchases as it is to add items to their cart.
In this article, we’re covering why friction during checkout can be drastically hurting your sales and how you can address that with one-click checkout.
Friction During Checkout: The Sales Killer
To illustrate just how much of a sales killer friction during checkout is, let’s take a look at some numbers.
- In the US, 18% of shoppers have given up on a purchase because of a “too long / complicated checkout process”.
- 66% of consumers expect checkout on online stores to take 4 minutes or less, while 82% gave up on an online purchase because of a complicated account registration process.
- 19% of shoppers abandoned carts because they were forced to create an account.
- 55% of shoppers would abandon a purchase if they need to attempt to make a payment more than once.
These statistics all point to one thing: consumers give up on purchases if they aren’t able to complete them quickly. This shouldn’t come as a surprise since what online shopping has going for it is convenience. Take convenience out of the picture, and suddenly many purchases don’t feel necessary.
Fortunately, this also means making a few simple changes can greatly boost your conversion rates. The key takeaway is this: when it’s easy for shoppers to buy, they’re more likely to buy.
And that’s exactly what one-click checkout does. It simplifies things.
The One-Click Checkout Advantage
Picture this: a customer adds a cardigan to their cart. Instead of navigating through five steps and filling in numerous form fields, they tap a “Buy Now” button on a product page.
Boom. Done. Payment, shipping, and contact info are all instantly pre-filled, all frictionless. Their cardigan is on the way before they ever have time to think if it has a place in their wardrobe.
So, what is one-click checkout?
One-click checkout is a streamlined purchase process where customers complete their transaction with a single click or tap, using previously saved shipping, billing, and payment information. There’s no need to re-enter details or navigate through multiple steps. It’s checkout made incredibly fast and user-friendly.
One-click checkout is faster than traditional online checkout, but it also reduces cognitive load and gives shoppers zero reasons to drop off.
After adopting a one-click purchase option, customers tend to buy more.
A Cornell study showed that shoppers who enrolled in a one-click service increased their spending by ~28.5% on average compared to their prior behavior. Not only did they spend more, but they also bought more frequently. Purchase frequency jumped 43% and they purchased 36% more items after one-click checkout was enabled. Clearly, less friction at checkout translates into more sales per shopper.
Meanwhile, Shopify’s Shop Pay sees 1.72x higher conversion rates compared to standard checkouts.
Across the world, 84% of consumers say one-click checkout “is an important factor when choosing where to shop”, and 18% specifically choose online stores that offer it.
In other words, if you’re not offering one-click, you might be losing more than just sales, you may be losing customer potential loyalty. Worst of all, your shoppers are making their purchases on competitor websites.
Mobile Makes It Mandatory
Mobile commerce now accounts for over 60% of all e-commerce transactions globally. Yet mobile users have the highest cart abandonment rates, often upwards of 90%. Why? Because typing card details and shipping info on a 6-inch screen is the modern-day definition of pain.
One-click is tailor-made for mobile:
- Auto-filled forms
- Fingerprint or Face ID authentication
- No redirects, no friction
Fashion is also highly impulse-driven. A limited-edition drop, a flash sale, or even a late-night scroll on Instagram can trigger a buy. But only if the path to purchase is instant.
Implementing One-Click Checkout
You don’t need a massive development team to implement one-click checkout. Most major platforms and payment providers now offer plug-and-play solutions:
Shopify Brands: Use Shop Pay
- Boosts conversion up to 50% vs. guest checkout
- Stores user info for future purchases
Universal Solutions:
- Apple Pay, Google Pay, Amazon Pay, PayPal One Touch
- All enable one-click flows with saved payment and shipping details
Best Practices
- Minimize form fields: The ideal checkout has ~7-8 essential fields. Most have 23+.
- Prioritize guest checkout: 43% of shoppers prefer it. Forced sign-ups kill conversions.
- Enable data saving: Let customers save their info securely for next time.
- Show trust signals: Security icons, encrypted badges, and familiar payment providers build confidence.
- A/B test everything: Placement, button copy (“Buy Now” vs. “One-Click”), and design all impact performance.
Related: Optimizing Checkout in Fashion E-commerce
Why One-Click Checkout Works So Well in Fashion E-Commerce
Fashion e-commerce faces some of the lowest conversion rates in the industry, averaging around 1.9%. Shoppers often visit to browse, not necessarily to buy, which means any added friction during checkout is more likely to result in a lost sale.
One-click checkout helps fashion retailers capture purchases at peak interest. Whether it’s a limited-time drop or a spontaneous discovery on social media, the ability to buy instantly removes hesitation and delays that kill impulse purchases.
It also supports the behavior of returning customers who know their preferences and sizing. By eliminating the need to re-enter information, one-click creates a seamless experience that encourages repeat buying.
With the fashion shopper increasingly mobile-first, one-click checkout fits perfectly into journeys that begin on Instagram, TikTok, or other discovery platforms. It shortens the path from inspiration to ownership, making it easier than ever to convert interest into revenue.
FAQ
Is one-click checkout secure?
Yes. Most one-click solutions use tokenization and encryption to store payment details safely. Reputable providers like Apple Pay, Google Pay, and PayPal also offer strong authentication (e.g., Face ID or two-factor verification).
Can one-click checkout work with guest users?
Absolutely. Many providers allow shoppers to check out without creating a full account, while still storing their information securely for future purchases.
Do I need a developer to implement one-click checkout?
Not necessarily. Platforms like Shopify, BigCommerce, and WooCommerce offer native integrations or plugins for one-click solutions, often requiring little to no code.
Does one-click checkout replace my regular checkout?
No. It complements your existing checkout by giving returning users or mobile shoppers a faster alternative. You can and should offer both options.
Will this work internationally?
Yes. Most one-click providers support multiple currencies and regions, though availability can vary. It’s a good idea to test across your target markets.
Boosting Conversions With One-Click Checkout
Checkout is just one part of the e-commerce journey, but it’s one of the most critical. One-click checkout has proven to be a high-impact tool for increasing conversion rates, capturing impulse buys, and reducing friction at a moment when many shoppers abandon the process. Especially in fashion, where consumers are browsing on mobile and acting on inspiration, a smooth journey to purchase can be the difference between a sale and a bounce.
But friction can start long before checkout. One of the biggest hurdles in fashion e-commerce remains sizing uncertainty. Shoppers hesitate to buy when they aren’t sure how something will fit, leading to hesitation, cart abandonment, or costly returns.
To learn more about how to reduce sizing uncertainty, make sure to check out our article all about online fitting technology.
