How do I optimize checkout forms to reduce friction?

Optimizing Checkout Forms to Reduce Friction

Every additional field in a checkout form reduces completion rates. Research from Baymard Institute (2025) shows that the average checkout form contains 14.88 fields - but only 8 are actually necessary for most transactions. Removing unnecessary fields while improving the UX of required ones is one of the highest-impact, lowest-cost conversion improvements available.

Form Field Optimization

Phone Number Field

The phone number field is among the most common friction sources. Customers are reluctant to share phone numbers due to telemarketing concerns. Best practice: make it optional, and explain why you need it ("Used only for delivery questions"). For Shopify stores using SMS marketing, collect the phone number through a separate post-purchase opt-in rather than as a checkout requirement.

Mobile Form Optimization

• Correct keyboard type: Number keypad for postcode/phone, email keyboard for email fields (use inputmode attribute)
• Large touch targets: 44px minimum height for input fields on mobile
• No autoscroll: Prevent the page from jumping unpredictably when virtual keyboard opens
• Visible field labels: Placeholder-only labels disappear when customers start typing - use persistent labels above fields

Accelerated Checkout as the Ultimate Form Reducer

The best form optimization is eliminating the form entirely. Shop Pay, Google Pay, Apple Pay, and PayPal Express allow customers to complete checkout with their stored payment and address information in one or two taps. These accelerated checkout methods consistently show 50-70% higher completion rates than manual form completion on mobile. Enable all available accelerated checkout options in Shopify Payments settings - the incremental revenue almost always outweighs any setup complexity.