In eCommerce, every detail of the checkout process can make the difference between a conversion and an abandoned cart. One of the most recurring debates in the industry is whether single-page checkout (one-step checkout) really converts better than traditional multi-page checkout (multi-step checkout). But how true is this claim? Is it a trend or a well-founded reality?
At Trilogi, drawing on our experience with more than 300 eCommerce projects, we take a critical look at this question. We start from a key hypothesis: “If a checkout process is well designed, usable and optimized, it will convert, regardless of its format”. This idea rests on the premise that functionality and user experience are the fundamental pillars of success.
Does an online store with One Step Checkout sell more or not?
After two years of collecting and processing A/B test data from 50 online stores across different industries, we can base our answer not just on an intuition that logic might suggest, but on reliable data. And the answer is no. Having a one-step or multi-step checkout does not directly affect an online store’s conversions.
Many of us will have seen specific cases where a checkout change improved an eCommerce store’s sales conversion, but can we attribute those improvements solely to the change of system?
In one of our recent projects, which involved a change in the opposite direction to these trends (from one-step to multi-step), the result was a slight increase in conversion. If we only looked at the surface, we could draw the wrong conclusion. In this specific case, the conversion increase was due to other improvements related to rate and discount assignment, as well as other functional and usability improvements.
Sometimes, this is where the main problem lies:
We tend to compare processes under unequal conditions
- If we compare two “similar” stores or stores in the same industry, we’re comparing under unequal conditions
- If we compare a store that used to have one process and now has another, we’re still comparing under unequal conditions
Why?
Because you can’t compare different audiences, different time periods or different campaigns. If we compare under unequal conditions, we’ll always find examples that tip the scales one way or the other, which can be used at will to claim the absolute truth.
Let’s compare on equal terms: the numbers don’t lie
Let’s return to logic and math, where we feel most comfortable because there’s data, not hypotheses. It’s also where we can see, under equal conditions, that the numbers never lie.
NOTE: This data comes from a sample of 50 stores divided into 4 industries. The stores have different traffic and revenue volumes to provide maximum reliability and breadth of data, but they don’t necessarily reflect the overall online conversion rates of each market sector, nor is that the aim of this study.
Here’s a simple exercise for anyone with curiosity and time: have your store run an A/B test on your visitors without changing absolutely anything for either group. In other words, just assign 50% to one group and the other 50% to another. After a few weeks, go into Analytics and pull some data from this split, and you’ll be surprised by the result.
Mathematically, this is easy to explain: if your target audience as a whole has a given statistical behavior, and you study just half of that same audience under the same circumstances, the statistical result of its behavior must logically be identical. So it’s normal for both groups to show very similar results.
The truth about one-page checkout: it converts the same
At this point, what the study set out to show was that with the same target audience and the same time period, splitting users into 2 groups of 50% each with a different checkout, while keeping the same user form fields and payment and shipping options, the conversion results of both groups would be very similar, with no clear winner as the system that converts more and better.
As mentioned earlier, the study was carried out with a sample of 50 eCommerce stores from each of the industries listed, using data from January 2023 to October 2024. All stores had a responsive design and split their users 50/50 between the two checkout processes. The result is the average conversion of each group in each industry.
So now, let’s get to the numbers:
As the chart shows (setting aside the conversion differences between industries, which aren’t the subject of this study), conversion rates are very similar within each industry. One Step Checkout has a slight edge in Food & beverage, while the opposite is true in the other industries studied, but the differences are always minor.
And what happens if we split these numbers by device?
(OSC = One Step Checkout, MSC = Multi Step Checkout)
As expected, when we split the results by device type, they are once again very similar to each other. This makes sense given the premise mentioned earlier about splitting statistical results under equal conditions.
So which checkout process should I choose for my online store?
It is clear that the checkout process itself does not necessarily influence our users’ purchase decision, as long as it is optimized and works properly. On our blog you will find several tips on how to improve and optimize a checkout process that may be useful.
In short, there are several factors that can directly influence users’ purchase decisions, such as:
- An unattractive design.
- Lack of usability.
- Poor shipping cost policies.
- “Surprise” surcharges during checkout.
- Having an insufficient catalog.
- Having prices out of line with the market.
And if we talk strictly about conversions, in most cases having the wrong traffic sources, bringing lots of visits but little relevance, can lead to dismal conversion rates. Failing to optimize our store for conversion on mobile devices, whose usage and conversion stats are clearly rising, can also be very harmful to our business.
Therefore, we should base our choice on criteria such as our customer profile, the type of product and the market we target, and focus more on business strategy than on the type of checkout our eCommerce uses.
At Trilogi we will help you find the best solution for your online store, always with the guarantee that, whatever its checkout process, it will be optimized for maximum sales conversions.
