How do I run a store-wide sale for an event like Black Friday?

Guest Checkout: Why It's Critical and How to Implement It

Requiring account creation before purchase is one of the most studied checkout killers in e-commerce. Research consistently shows 25-35% of shoppers abandon at the "create account" step. Shopify makes guest checkout easy to enable - there is almost no reason not to offer it.

Guest Checkout Impact Data (2026)

Enabling Guest Checkout in Shopify

1. Go to Settings > Checkout
2. Under "Customer accounts," select "Accounts are optional"
3. This makes accounts available but not required
4. Alternatively, "Accounts are disabled" removes the option entirely

The Post-Purchase Account Creation Strategy

After a successful guest purchase, the thank-you page is the ideal place to invite account creation. The customer is in their highest-satisfaction moment. "Create an account to track your order and save your details for next time" converts 20-30% of guests - far higher than forcing it pre-purchase. Shopify sends this invitation automatically.

Social Login as a Middle Ground

If accounts are important for your loyalty program or personalization, offering social login (Google, Apple) reduces friction dramatically. Customers click one button and are signed in - no password creation required. This can recover 40-50% of the customers who would have abandoned at a traditional login form.