Checkout
The Checkout page is the final stage of the customer's purchase journey. Optimizing these settings helps reduce cart abandonment, ensures legal compliance for marketing, and streamlines back-end order management. This guide provides detailed instructions on managing your store's Checkout Settings within the Soppiya platform. These settings are critical for defining the customer journey, gathering necessary data, and automating order fulfillment processes.
Location: Settings → Checkout
What Is Checkout Settings?
Checkout Settings is where you control every aspect of the purchase completion flow — from how customers identify themselves and what information they provide, to how orders are processed after payment and whether customers can self-serve returns.
- Contact Method - Choose whether customers use email, phone, or both at checkout
- Account Requirements - Control login visibility and mandatory authentication
- Form Fields - Customize which fields appear (name, company, phone, address)
- Marketing Consent - Configure email and SMS subscription opt-ins
- Order Automation - Auto-fulfill orders, archive completed ones, and manage returns
Start with the recommended defaults, then adjust based on your business model. B2C stores benefit from minimal form fields, while B2B stores often require company name and mandatory login.
Quick Start Guide
If you're configuring checkout for the first time, follow these steps:
- Set your contact method — Choose "Phone number or email" for maximum flexibility
- Configure form fields — Enable first and last name; set company name based on your business type
- Enable marketing consent — Turn on email marketing checkboxes (check local regulations for pre-selection)
- Set order processing — Choose auto-fulfill for digital goods, manual for physical products
- Review address settings — Enable autocompletion and billing/shipping sync
For detailed instructions, continue reading below.
Accessing Checkout Settings
To access these settings, log in to your Soppiya admin dashboard:
- Click on the Settings gear icon in the bottom panel.
- From the sidebar menu, select Checkout.
Customer Contact Method
The Customer Contact Method section defines the primary identifier for your customers during the checkout process and dictates the channels through which they receive transactional updates (e.g., order confirmations and shipping tracking). To configure these settings, navigate to Settings > Checkout and locate the Customer contact method card.
Selection of Contact Methods
Choose how you want to identify your customers and collect their contact data. You may select one of the following two radio button options:
-
Phone number or email (Recommended for Mobile Conversion):
- Functionality: Customers have the flexibility to enter either a valid mobile phone number or an email address to complete their purchase.
- Impact: This reduces friction for mobile-first shoppers who may not have easy access to their email or prefer SMS-based communication.
- Automation: If a phone number is provided, the system will prioritize sending order updates via SMS (provided your SMS gateway is configured).
-
Email only:
- Functionality: Restricts the checkout process to require a valid email address.
- Impact: This is ideal for businesses that rely heavily on email-based marketing, detailed HTML invoices, or digital product delivery where a download link must be sent to an inbox.
While "Phone number or email" increases conversion rates by offering flexibility, ensure that your Notification Settings (linked in the UI) are properly configured to handle both SMS and Email templates to maintain a consistent brand voice across both channels.
Customer Account Requirements
This section allows administrators to define the level of interaction required between a customer and their store account during the purchasing process. By adjusting these settings, you can balance the ease of "Guest Checkout" against the data-rich benefits of "Member Checkout."
Based on the interface, there are two distinct configuration levels:
Show login link in the header of online store and at checkout
- Functionality: When enabled, the platform automatically inserts a "Login" or "Account" link into the global header of your storefront and within the checkout breadcrumbs.
- User Experience (UX) Impact: This promotes self-service. Returning customers can easily log in to access saved shipping addresses, vaulted payment methods (if applicable), and order history, significantly speeding up their checkout time.
Require the customer to log in to their account before checkout
- Functionality: This setting mandates account authentication. A customer will be redirected to a login/sign-up screen immediately upon clicking "Checkout" and cannot proceed to enter shipping or payment details without an active session.
- Technical Benefit: Ensures 100% of your sales data is tied to unique customer profiles. This is critical for stores utilizing tiered loyalty programs, B2B wholesale pricing, or restricted-access digital content.
Technical Integration Notes
| Feature | Technical Requirement / Note |
|---|---|
| Notification Sync | Changes made here directly impact which templates are triggered in the Notification Settings. If you switch to "Email only," SMS templates will be bypassed. |
| Data Validation | The platform automatically validates the format of the phone number (including country codes) and email syntax to prevent data entry errors at checkout. |
| SMS Compliance | If "Phone number" is utilized for contact, ensure your store's Privacy Policy clearly states how mobile data is used to comply with regional regulations (such as GDPR or TCPA). |
For most retail environments, selecting "Phone number or email" provides the best balance of user experience and data collection. However, if you sell digital software or licenses, "Email only" is the safer technical choice to ensure immediate delivery of license keys.
Customer Information
The Customer Information section allows you to customize the data entry fields presented to customers during the checkout process. In e-commerce, reducing the number of required fields is a proven strategy to decrease "checkout friction" and improve conversion rates. To configure these fields, navigate to Settings > Checkout and locate the Customer information card.
Full Name
This setting determines how the customer identifies themselves by name.
- Only require last name: Displays a single field for the surname. This is the fastest entry method and is common in regions where the last name is the primary identifier for shipping.
- Require first and last name: Displays two separate fields. This is the standard for most international shipping carriers and billing verification systems (AVS) to ensure high deliverability and fraud prevention.
Company Name
Specify whether the customer should provide a business name.
- Don't include (Recommended): Hides the field entirely. This is recommended for B2C (Business-to-Consumer) stores to keep the form short.
- Optional: The field is visible but can be left blank. Useful if you serve both individual consumers and occasional business clients.
- Required: Mandates entry. Select this if your store is strictly B2B (Business-to-Business) or requires a company name for tax invoicing.
Address Line 2 (Apartment, unit, etc.)
This field is used for secondary address details that do not fit in the primary street address line.
- Don't include: Hides the field.
- Optional (Recommended): Displays the field but does not require entry. This is the industry standard, as it provides space for customers living in multi-unit buildings without blocking those in single-family homes.
- Required: Forces an entry. Use this only if you are shipping to a location where every address strictly requires a unit or suite number.
Shipping Address Phone Number
Determines if a phone number is collected specifically for the shipping carrier.
- Don't include: The field is hidden.
- Optional: The customer can choose to provide a number.
- Required: The customer must provide a phone number to complete the order.
Many international couriers (e.g., DHL, FedEx, UPS) and local "last-mile" delivery services require a recipient's phone number to resolve delivery issues or provide SMS tracking. If your shipping provider mandates this, set this field to Required.
Marketing Options
The Marketing Options section allows you to capture customer consent for future promotional communications during the checkout process. Building a marketing list at checkout is one of the most effective ways to grow your brand's reach.
Email Marketing
Enable this to allow customers to subscribe to your email newsletters.
- Enable Email: Check the primary Email box to display a signup option at checkout.
- Preselected:
- If enabled, the email signup box will be checked by default.
warningThis is known as a "soft opt-in." While it increases signup rates, ensure this complies with your local region's data protection laws (e.g., GDPR in the EU generally requires an unselected box for explicit consent).
SMS Marketing
Enable this to collect mobile numbers for text-based marketing.
- Requirement: To toggle the SMS checkbox, the system requires a valid Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
- Legal Note: SMS marketing is strictly regulated. You must provide clear disclosure about message frequency and data rates.
If you cannot enable SMS marketing, check your Legal Settings and ensure your policy pages are published.
Tipping
The Tipping section provides a way for customers to show appreciation for your service or support your business with a monetary addition to their total.
- Show tipping at checkout: Check this box to enable the feature.
- Functionality: Once enabled, the checkout page will display tipping options (typically percentages like 10%, 15%, 20% or a custom amount) before the final payment step.
- Use Case: This is ideal for service-based businesses, non-profits (as donations), or digital creators.
Address Collection Preferences
This section focuses on optimizing the shipping and billing entry fields to reduce user error and speed up the checkout time.
Shipping/Billing Address Sync
- Use the shipping address as the billing address by default:
- Functionality: When checked, the system assumes the billing address is the same as the shipping address and hides the secondary form.
- UX Impact: This significantly reduces "form fatigue." Customers whose addresses differ (e.g., those sending a gift) can still manually select "Use a different billing address" during the payment step.
Address Autocompletion
- Use address autocompletion:
- Functionality: As a customer begins typing their street address, the system provides a dropdown list of verified matching addresses.
- Technical Benefit: This drastically reduces shipping errors and "Address Not Found" issues with carriers by ensuring the data entered is standardized and accurate.
Order Processing
Define what happens automatically after a customer completes a payment.
After an order has been paid:
- Automatically fulfill the order's line items: Ideal for digital goods or stores with high automation.
- Notify customers of their shipment: Sends an automated email/SMS.
- Automatically fulfill all orders, even those with high risk of fraud
Leaving this unchecked allows you to manually review suspicious orders before shipping.
- Automatically fulfill only gift cards: Only gift card items are fulfilled; physical goods remain pending.
- Don't fulfill any line items automatically: Use this for manual fulfillment workflows.
After an order is fulfilled/refunded
- Automatically archive the order: Moves completed orders out of your "Open Orders" list to keep your workspace organized.
Self-Serve Returns
This feature allows customers to initiate return requests directly from their customer account dashboard.
- To Enable/Disable: Click the Turn on/off button.
Turning this off prevents customers from requesting returns online, though you can still process returns manually from the admin side.
Order Status Page & Additional Scripts
Pixels
Soppiya recommends using Pixels for conversion tracking rather than manual scripts. Click Go to Pixels to set up Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, or other tracking events.
Additional Scripts
If you have specific tracking codes or custom messages for the "Thank You" page, enter them in the Additional scripts text area. These scripts will run on the order status page after a purchase is completed.
Real World Examples
Example 1: B2C Fashion Store (Optimized for Speed)
Goal: Minimize checkout friction for a mobile-first fashion audience.
Configuration:
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Contact Method | Phone number or email |
| Login Link | Enabled (visible, not required) |
| Full Name | First and Last name |
| Company Name | Don't include |
| Address Line 2 | Optional |
| Shipping Phone | Optional |
| Email Marketing | Enabled, not preselected |
| Order Processing | Don't fulfill automatically |
Why this works:
- Minimal fields reduce abandonment for impulse purchases
- Phone option captures mobile-first shoppers
- Manual fulfillment gives quality control over packed orders
Example 2: B2B Wholesale Store
Goal: Require company details and account login for wholesale compliance.
Configuration:
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Contact Method | Email only |
| Require Login | Enabled |
| Full Name | First and Last name |
| Company Name | Required |
| Address Line 2 | Optional |
| Shipping Phone | Required |
| Tipping | Disabled |
| Order Processing | Don't fulfill automatically |
Why this works:
- Mandatory login ties all orders to verified business accounts
- Company name is required for proper invoicing
- Phone number required for delivery coordination
Troubleshooting
I can't enable SMS marketing
Possible causes:
- Your Terms of Service and Privacy Policy pages are not published
Solution:
- Go to Settings → Legal
- Create and publish both a Terms of Service and Privacy Policy page
- Return to Checkout settings — the SMS option should now be available
Customers can't check out without logging in
Possible causes:
- The "Require the customer to log in" setting is enabled
Solution:
- Go to Settings → Checkout → Customer Account Requirements
- Uncheck "Require the customer to log in to their account before checkout"
- If you want guest checkout with an optional login, keep only "Show login link" enabled
Address autocompletion isn't working
Possible causes:
- The feature is disabled in settings
- The customer's country may not be supported by the autocomplete service
Solution:
- Go to Settings → Checkout → Address Collection Preferences
- Ensure "Use address autocompletion" is checked
- Note that autocomplete coverage varies by country — some regions may have limited support
If you're still experiencing issues, contact Soppiya support with a screenshot of your Checkout settings configuration.
Best Practices
Checkout Optimization Best Practices
Reducing Abandonment
- Minimize required fields — every additional field increases abandonment risk
- Enable address autocompletion — reduces errors and speeds up checkout
- Sync billing and shipping — most customers have the same address for both
Legal Compliance
- Don't preselect marketing checkboxes in regions with strict consent laws (EU/GDPR)
- Publish legal pages before enabling SMS marketing
- Include clear privacy disclosure when collecting phone numbers
Order Processing
- Use auto-fulfill for digital goods — customers expect instant delivery
- Use manual fulfillment for physical goods — especially if you need fraud review
- Enable auto-archive to keep your Open Orders list clean
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- ❌ Requiring login for B2C stores — this dramatically increases abandonment
- ❌ Pre-selecting marketing consent in GDPR regions — this can result in fines
- ❌ Auto-fulfilling high-risk orders — always review flagged orders manually
- ❌ Hiding the shipping address phone field — many carriers require it for delivery
Summary
Checkout settings control the entire purchase completion experience, from customer identification and form fields to order processing and return policies. Getting these right directly impacts conversion rates, legal compliance, and operational efficiency.
Key takeaways:
- Choose "Phone number or email" for maximum conversion flexibility
- Minimize form fields — fewer fields mean lower abandonment rates
- Configure marketing consent carefully to comply with local regulations
- Set order processing rules based on your product type (digital vs. physical)
- Enable address sync and autocompletion to speed up the checkout experience
- Publish legal pages before enabling SMS marketing
If you're just getting started, use the recommended defaults for each section and adjust as you learn more about your customers' checkout behavior.