What It Is
Checkout is the online version of the register. It is where the customer gives their contact and delivery details, chooses shipping, enters payment and places the order. Checkouts can be a single page or several steps. Behind the scenes, the site calculates the final total, sends payment details to the payment gateway and creates the order record once the payment is approved.
Why It Matters for Your Business
Because it is the last step, any friction at checkout costs real money. Requiring an account, asking for unnecessary information or showing an unexpected fee are common reasons people give up. A garden supply shop that lets customers check out as guests and pay with a digital wallet often sees more completed orders than one that forces registration first.
Good to Know
Tip: place a test order yourself every few months, on a phone, using a real card, then refund it. Updates to plugins, themes or payment settings can quietly break checkout. Also make sure the confirmation email arrives and that the page clearly shows that the site is secure (HTTPS), which reassures buyers.