Running a WooCommerce store isn’t just about listing the products, it is a journey of smoothly taking the customer from browsing to buying. The buying process usually is a simple path; customers choose a product, add it to the cart, review their items on the cart page and then move to checkout to complete the purchase. This process works well for online stores especially the ones having multiple products
The cart page plays a pivotal role in this process. It allows customers to view the items they’ve added in the cart, adjust quantities, remove items that aren’t needed, apply coupons and check prices carefully before paying. For many customers this step helps as well as reassures them to feel confident about the products they’re ordering.
It is also said that not all stores need this extra step. If a store only sells single products, digital downloads and quick purchase services, then a cart page can feel unnecessary. Instead of helping the customer, it can delay or interrupt the customer’s decision to buy. This is where WooCommerce skip cart and direct checkout concept comes in. By taking customers straight to the checkout after adding a product, this makes the buying process easier and faster.
For beginners this matters because even small steps that improve the checkout process makes a big positive impact on the store. The fewer steps towards the checkout, the fewer chances are there for customers to leave without making a purchase.
This guide walks you through the concepts of why it is beneficial to skip carts in WooCommerce, Methods of skipping carts in WooCommerce and some practical use cases of skipping the cart.
Why Skip the Cart Page in WooCommerce?
Skipping the cart in WooCommerce can make a big impact for store owners as well as the customers on how smoothly a customer completes the purchase. For stores that are only selling one product, or targeting impulse buys, removing this extra step can enhance the buying experience for customers. It also:
Reduces Checkout Friction:
Every extra step in the checkout process delays the buying decision of the customer. The benefit of skipping the cart page is that the customer selects a product and adds payment details. This makes the process smooth, easy and less frustrating.
Speeds Up the Buying Process
When buyers know exactly what they want they don’t need to review anything in the cart page, skipping the cart page will help in making the buying process fast. The quicker the process, the more likely the customer finishes the purchase.
Improves Conversion Rates:
Every extra step towards checkout, irritates customers and abandons the cart. By removing it, customers are more likely to complete their purchase timely leading to higher sales and more conversion rates.
Enhances User Experience, Especially for Mobile Users:
Mobile shoppers prefer simple and fast processes. The extra steps towards checkout can frustrate them on small screens. By using WooCommerce straight to checkout approach, mobile shoppers can have a smooth and easy experience for people buying from phones or tablets.
Ideal for Single Product and Impulse Buy Stores:
The stores that sell only one product or digital downloads or items that people buy on impulse, cart page isn’t necessary in this scenario. Woocommerce direct checkout allows buyers to act quickly, complete their purchase with minimal efforts.
How to Skip Carts in WooCommerce (3 Proven Methods)
There are three proven methods for skipping carts in WooCommerce.
Method 1: Skip Cart Using Default WooCommerce Settings
WooCommerce has some basic default settings that lets you skip the cart page without having to install any plugins. This is proven to be a beneficial method for small stores or stores that sell single products.
How to do it:
- You need to login your WordPress dashboard go to WooCommerce —> Settings —>Products—> General.
- Look for an option that says “Redirect to the cart page after successful addition.” In most cases this is marked as checked to send users to the cart.
- Uncheck this option, this now won’t send customers to the cart page automatically.
- Next, go to WooCommerce—>Settings—>Advanced—>Checkout and see that your checkout page is properly set. Once checked you can now add the product’s “Add to Cart” or Buy Now button to take the customers directly to the checkout page. In this way, the customer moves directly to the checkout page without having to go through extra steps.
Method 2: Skip Cart Using Plugins
Using Plugins is the easiest and most flexible method to skip carts, offering direct checkout for woocommerce. There are several woocommerce extensions that are available on the internet, but in this guide, we will use the Addify Quick Buy Now Button for woocommerce. This plugin lets you add a quick buy now button on product pages, taking you straight to the checkout page. You can display this button on the products of your own choice, allowing users to skip the cart page and move to the checkout page.
Once the user clicks, you can choose where they head afterwards, to the cart, to checkout or other marketplaces. Additionally, you can customize the position of the button as well as the text to attract customers and encourage immediate purchase.
Features of Quick Buy Now Plugin:
Quick Buy Now For Woocommerce plugin allows store owners to remove the cart page from the buying process, taking the customer directly to the checkout. This makes the whole purchasing journey smooth and easier.
Skipping carts are ideal for stores that sell single products, or digital items or services that are for a limited time. Reducing steps towards purchase significantly improves user experience and increases conversion rates.
How Does it Function?
As soon as the skip cart feature is enabled in the Quick Buy Now plugin, the default “Add to Cart” behavior changes. As the “Buy Now Button” is clicked, the product automatically adds to the cart page without showing to the customer. This helps remove extra steps and keeps the customer focused on completing the purchase.
- Skip Cart and Redirect to Checkout?
The skip cart and Redirect to checkout feature in Quick Buy Now plugin allows customers in WooCommerce to immediately go to the checkout after clicking the Buy Now button enabling a direct checkout for WooCommerce. This feature completely removes the cart step and goes straight to the checkout with selected products already added.
It is ideal for stores that want fast transactions and fewer distractions. Also, it is designed to create a one click purchase experience.
How does it function?
When a customer clicks on the “Buy Now” button on a product page or shop page, the product is instantly added to the cart somewhere in the background. The cart page is not shown to the customers and they are automatically redirected to the checkout page. The checkout page shows the selected product, its quantity, pricing etc.
Direct checkouts are important as it removes an extra step and makes the buying process faster. Also it keeps the user focused on the payment, helps in boosting conversion rates and makes it ideal for mobile users as they prefer fast and direct actions.
- Redirect Users to Specific Custom Page
This feature allows WooCommerce store owners to have a control over where the customer lands after clicking the “Buy Now” button. When the user clicks the buy now button this feature redirects the customer to any custom page or URL of your choice, it can be a landing page, specific offers or similar products page.
As long as this feature is enabled the selected product is added to the cart in the background and the customer is redirected to the defined destination. This flexibility helps the owner create customized purchase paths while still maintaining a direct checkout WooCommerce experience when needed.
How does it function?
As the redirect setting is enabled in the settings in Quick Buy Now plugin, the customer clicks the buy now button, the product is added in the cart in the background and the customer is redirected to a custom page of your choice.
This custom page could be a custom checkout page, a thank you page, a promotional product page or any other WooCommerce supported URL.
While this plugin is a solid choice, there are others too you can pick the one that suits you well.
Method 3: Skip Cart Using Code Snippets (For Developers)
For developers, skip cart using code snippets is an approach to programmatically implement direct checkout functionality in your WooCommerce store, offering a control without using any plugins or basic settings.
The goal is the same as discussed earlier to remove extra steps and make the buying process fast and efficient.
How does it function?
The core mechanism is that WooCommerce provides a filter called PHP. This filter runs once a product is added to the cart. By hooking into this filter you can easily detect when a product is added to the cart, change the URL of destination or send customers directly to checkout. It is a powerful and developer-friendly way to experience direct checkout WooCommerce without depending on any plugins.
The pros of using code snippets for skipping carts is that it is lightweight and fast as code snippets add extra scripts or styles like plugins do. Additionally there is no plugin dependency and you can customize the skip cart behavior exactly how you want. It is easy to maintain for small stores as it is clean and the code is short.
The cons include, you need to have technical knowledge for applying code, it offers limited compatibility as basic snippets may not work well with variable products, AJAX add to cart buttons, subscriptions or bundled products. Code snippets does not offer on/off switches or admin setting because everything must be changed manually in code. Also they are harder to debug if checkout issues occur as compared to using plugins.
Practical Use Cases of Skipping the Cart in WooCommerce
Here are some practical use cases of skipping the cart
Case 1: Speeds Up Purchase Process
Skipping the cart makes the purchasing process fast by removing an extra step between choosing a product and paying for it. Instead of taking the customer to the cart page as they click on “Add to cart”, customers are taken straight to the checkout page. It is best for stores wanting fast transactions and for the customers who know exactly what they want and do not need to review the cart.
Case 2: Reduces Cart Abandonment
When there are too many steps towards purchasing the product, shoppers usually leave the cart before completing the purchase. Skipping the cart option helps customers stay content with making a purchase without getting distracted. Fewer steps encourages the customers to complete their order and buy the product.
Case 3: Improves Conversion Rates
Skipping carts can improve conversion rates because the smooth the checkout process feels, customers are more likely to complete their purchase. A smooth and simple flow builds confidence and reduces distractions which results in turning visitors into paying customers.
FAQ:
Q. Why is the store using the “skip cart” feature?
The store uses the skip cart feature to make the checkout process fast and easier for customers. When using this feature, it takes the customers directly to the checkout page, removing extra steps.
This approach helps customers to keep focus on completing the purchase and lowers the chances of abandoning their art before paying. By simplifying the buying process, the store improves the overall user experience and increases their sale, especially small stores that are selling single products
Q. What is the easiest way to skip carts in WooCommerce?
The easiest way to skip carts is to use plugins as it requires no coding and can be set in just a few minutes. Many WooCommerce plugins allow you to redirect customers straight to checkout as they click “add to Cart” making the shopping experience smooth and easy. This is the safest option especially for beginners or non-developers.
But if you have technical knowledge and can handle codes and all the technicalities of coding, then you can go for using skip cart by using code snippets.
Q. Will skipping the cart increase conversions?
Yes, skipping the cart increases conversion but it also depends upon what you’re selling. Skipping the cart reduces the extra steps a customer must complete to reach the checkout page. This makes the buying process feel simple and faster. This option is effective for stores that sell single products but stores that have multiple product listings, a cart page can be useful. In short, it depends upon what your store sells
Q. Does skipping the cart work on mobile devices?
Yes, it does work on mobile devices, in some cases it performs even better on mobile devices. Mobile users prefer fewer clicks and simple actions, because small scenes and slow typing can make a long shop process frustrating. When skipping the cart you remove unnecessary taps and extra page load, sending customers directly to checkout.
Skipping the cart can significantly improve the shopping experience as long as the checkout page is mobile friendly and responsive.
Conclusion
Overall skipping the cart in WooCommerce is an effective powerful way to simplify the purchase process for customers by making them focus on completing their order. Skipping the cart can be achieved in three ways, by default setting, using plugins or by using code snippets. You can choose any method depending upon your skill level as well as your comfort with coding. If you’re a non developer then using plugins is the best option for you but if you’re a developer, you can use the code method. It’s best to start simple, using plugins and scale up with custom solutions as your store grows, ensuring a fast and smooth path with higher conversion rates along the way.
