What It Is
A shopping cart is exactly what it sounds like: a basket that follows the shopper around your online store. It remembers what they added, shows the subtotal, and lets them change quantities or remove items. Behind the scenes it also applies coupon codes, works out shipping and taxes, and hands everything over to the checkout. WooCommerce, Shopify and similar platforms include a cart as a standard feature.
Why It Matters for Your Business
The cart is where many sales are won or lost. Shoppers often add items and leave, for reasons like surprise shipping costs, a confusing layout or a slow page. A small bakery selling gift boxes online could lose orders simply because delivery fees only appear at the last step. A clear cart that shows full costs early builds trust and keeps people moving toward payment.
Good to Know
Tip: show shipping costs or a free-shipping threshold before the final step, keep the cart button easy to find on mobile, and make sure the cart remembers items if a shopper comes back later. Many platforms can also send a reminder email when a signed-in shopper leaves items behind.