The cart page is the last stop before checkout, and this is where doubt often peaks: the customer checks how much they will pay in the end, whether the details are correct, and whether the purchase is safe. This is not a minor detail - across extensive analyses, on average around 70% of carts are abandoned, and most of the reasons are concentrated right here: unexpected costs and a lack of trust. A clear order summary, visible trust elements, and an unambiguous continue button reduce this doubt and smoothly guide the customer into checkout.
A clear order summary
The cart should clearly show what the customer is buying and how much they will pay: the products with image, quantity, and chosen variant, the subtotal, the shipping cost, tax, and the final amount. If a discount applies, the saving should be visible too. The customer must instantly recognise what they are ordering and understand the full cost without guessing. A complete, transparent summary reduces the abandonment that arises from unclear or missing information.
A visible and clear continue button
The continue-to-checkout button should be the most noticeable element on the page - often the only button in its colour, so the customer recognises it immediately - and should clearly state what comes next, for example "Continue to secure payment". A lock or a security mark next to the button further reassures the customer. On mobile devices it should be within thumb reach, ideally pinned to the bottom of the screen. On longer carts, repeat it at the top and the bottom; other buttons (for example "Continue shopping") should be less emphasised.
Trust elements and security
Place trust elements where doubt peaks - right next to the continue and payment button and the payment fields: security marks (for example SSL), logos of recognised payment methods, a money-back guarantee, and a short reassuring message. It is important that they are visible without scrolling, especially on mobile - hidden in the footer they do not do their job. The marks must also be genuine and valid, since only real ones are reassuring.
No unexpected costs
Unexpected costs that appear only at the end are by far the most common reason for cart abandonment - according to research, almost half of customers cite them, and they have held first place for years. Therefore show the shipping cost, tax, and any additional fees as early as possible, ideally already in the cart, not only during payment. If you offer free shipping above a certain amount, clearly mark how much is still missing to reach the threshold. Cost transparency directly reduces abandonment.
How to set it up in Magento
Magento by default shows the cart summary with products, subtotal, and a continue button, and it also includes a tool for estimating the shipping cost already in the cart. You usually add security marks, reassuring messages, and the display of payment methods as static blocks in the cart template, without touching the code. For a more refined display, for example a more precise real-time shipping estimate based on the address or a more elaborate presentation, a dedicated module or a theme customisation is sometimes required.
How to measure whether it works
The main indicator is the share of customers who continue from the cart to checkout, and the cart abandonment rate. If more customers continue after introducing a clearer summary, transparent costs, and trust elements, the changes are doing their job. It also helps to observe where exactly customers leave: if many carts are abandoned right before payment, a common cause is an unexpected cost or a lack of trust at that very point.
