If you’re launching a new online store, think carefully before making PayPal your primary checkout option.
Platforms like WooCommerce, Shopify, and Toast already require customers to create an account or provide enough information to manage orders, view purchase history, and track shipments. Adding PayPal into the mix often introduces a second layer of account management. Increasingly, customers are prompted to sign in to—or create—a PayPal account before completing their purchase.
While PayPal still offers value as an optional payment method for customers who actively prefer it, making it the primary checkout experience can create unnecessary friction.
Every additional login screen, password prompt, verification code, or account creation request is another opportunity for a customer to abandon their cart. Returning shoppers may not remember which PayPal email they used years ago, may have forgotten their password, or may simply not want to recover another account just to make a purchase. What should be a 30-second checkout can quickly turn into a frustrating multi-step process.
Modern payment processors like Square provide a much simpler experience. Customers are presented with a straightforward payment form where they can enter their card information, complete the purchase, and move on. There are no unexpected account requirements, no secondary login, and far fewer interruptions during checkout.
The best checkout experience is the one customers barely notice. They click Checkout, enter their payment details, receive their confirmation, and continue with their day. Every extra decision or obstacle increases the likelihood of cart abandonment.
If you already use PayPal, consider offering it as an alternative payment option rather than making it the default. Give customers the choice, but let the simplest path be the easiest one.
At the end of the day, eCommerce success is about reducing friction. The fewer barriers between a customer deciding to buy and actually completing the purchase, the higher your conversion rates will be.
