An abandoned checkout refers to a situation in e-commerce where a potential customer adds items to their online shopping cart but does not complete the purchase. This occurs when a customer leaves the website or app without finalizing the transaction by providing payment information and completing the checkout process.

There can be various reasons for abandoned checkouts, including:

1. Window shopping: Some customers may add items to their cart without any intention of making a purchase. They might be comparing prices, exploring options, or simply browsing the website.

2. High shipping costs: Unexpected or high shipping costs can deter customers from proceeding with the purchase. If the shipping charges are perceived as excessive, customers may abandon their carts.

3. Complicated checkout process: If the checkout process is overly complex or time-consuming, customers may lose patience and abandon their carts. Lengthy forms, multiple steps, or the requirement to create an account can be barriers to completing the purchase.

4. Technical issues: Glitches, errors, or slow-loading pages during the checkout process can frustrate customers and lead to cart abandonment. Technical difficulties, such as website crashes or payment gateway errors, can also contribute to abandoned checkouts.

5. Price concerns: Customers may reconsider their purchase if they find the prices of the items in their cart to be too high. Comparison shopping, finding a better deal elsewhere, or unexpected additional costs can cause customers to abandon their carts.

Reducing the rate of abandoned checkouts is a significant goal for e-commerce businesses. By analyzing the reasons for abandonment and making improvements to the website’s user experience, pricing, and checkout process, businesses can try to minimize the number of abandoned checkouts and increase their conversion rates.