The Silent Killer of Sales
You can have the perfect offer. Clear messaging. A buyer ready to purchase.
And then they hit checkout and leave.
Not because they changed their mind. But because something felt hard, confusing, or uncertain.
Every extra click loses people. Every unclear step creates doubt. Every moment of hesitation is an opportunity to abandon.
This lesson exists to help you remove friction from checkout so the people who want to buy can actually complete the purchase.
Because ease converts better than persuasion.
Simplify Checkout Flows
Most checkout flows ask for too much.
They want:
Name
Email
Billing address
Shipping address (even for digital products)
Phone number
Company name
Tax ID
Each field is another chance for someone to pause, reconsider, or leave.
Here's what you actually need:
For a digital product:
Email (so you can send access)
Payment details (card or PayPal)
That's it.
You don't need their phone number. You don't need their full address unless you're shipping something physical. You don't need extra verification steps.
The fewer fields, the faster the purchase.
Read: Why Every Extra Field Kills Conversions (And What to Remove)
Make Refunds Clear and Calm
Refund policies create two kinds of fear:
Fear of being stuck with something that doesn't work.
This stops people from buying.
Fear of people abusing your generosity.
This stops you from offering refunds.
Here's the truth: a clear, calm refund policy reduces both.
When you say:
"If this doesn't work for you within 30 days, just email me and I'll refund you. No questions asked."
You remove the buyer's fear. And you make the decision easier.
Most people won't abuse it. The ones who do weren't going to be good customers anyway.
A generous refund policy doesn't increase refunds. It increases purchases.
Read: Why Generous Refund Policies Increase Sales (Not Refunds)
Reduce Post-Purchase Confusion
The sale doesn't end when someone clicks "buy."
It ends when they successfully access what they paid for.
If they can't find the product, can't log in, or don't know what to do next, they panic. They email you. They request a refund. They leave a bad review.
Here's how to prevent that:
Send a confirmation email immediately.
Subject: "Your purchase is confirmed. Here's what to do next."
Include clear next steps in the email.
"Click here to access your course."
"Download your guide here."
"Your login details are below."
Make the access link obvious.
Don't bury it. Put it at the top. Make it a button, not a text link.
Tell them what to expect.
"You'll get access immediately. Check your spam folder if you don't see this email within 5 minutes."
Post-purchase confusion creates support emails and refunds. Clarity prevents both.
Read: The Perfect Post-Purchase Email (Template Included)
What Friction Looks Like (And How to Spot It)
Friction isn't always obvious. But it's always there.
Here's what it looks like:
Too many steps.
If someone has to click through three pages to complete checkout, that's friction.
Unclear pricing.
If the final price changes at checkout (taxes, fees added), that's friction.
Required account creation.
If someone has to create an account before buying, that's friction.
Confusing button labels.
"Proceed" and "Continue" are vague. "Complete Purchase" is clear.
Slow load times.
If the checkout page takes 5 seconds to load, people leave.
Mobile checkout that doesn't work.
Most people buy on their phone. If your checkout breaks on mobile, you lose sales.
Friction is anything that makes someone pause, question, or hesitate.
Read: The Checkout Friction Audit (Find and Fix What's Costing You Sales)
How to Test Your Checkout Flow
Don't guess where the friction is. Test it.
Here's how:
Buy your own product on mobile.
Use your phone. Go through the full checkout. Notice where you hesitate or get confused.
Ask someone else to try buying.
Watch them. Don't help. See where they pause or ask questions.
Check your analytics.
How many people reach checkout? How many complete it? Where do they drop off?
Read your support emails.
If people keep asking the same questions after buying, that's a sign of post-purchase friction.
Every point of confusion is fixable. You just have to find it first.
Read: How to User-Test Your Checkout in Under 10 Minutes
What Good Checkout Feels Like
Good checkout is invisible.
The buyer barely notices it. They decide to buy. They enter their card. They get access. Done.
No surprises. No extra steps. No confusion.
Here's what that looks like in practice:
One page checkout.
Everything happens on a single page. No "next" buttons. No redirects.
Clear total price.
They see the final price immediately. No hidden fees added at the end.
Instant access.
They click "buy" and immediately see a confirmation with access instructions.
No account required.
They can purchase as a guest. Creating an account is optional, not mandatory.
Mobile-friendly.
The form auto-fills. The buttons are big enough to tap. The page loads fast.
That's the standard. Anything less creates friction.
Read: The Anatomy of a Frictionless Checkout Page
Bottom Line
Every extra click loses people.
Simplify your checkout flow. Remove unnecessary fields. Make refunds clear and calm. Reduce post-purchase confusion with immediate access and clear instructions.
Ease converts better than persuasion.
Test your checkout yourself. Watch someone else try it. Fix the friction points.
The goal isn't to trick people into buying. It's to make it easy for the people who already want to.
Read: Why Removing Friction Converts Better Than Adding Copy