Where shoppers walk away, and what to do about it.
Three teardowns of real UK Shopify stores, each showing something a shopper can see in seconds that is likely costing sales.
Examples from public stores we've looked at. Not client results.We have not worked with these stores and they have not seen this page. We have left their names out. Checked on the public storefronts on 8 October 2026, with prices shown in pounds (GBP). "Likely costing sales" is our reading of published research, not a measurement of their sales.
1. A UK coffee roaster: two different free-delivery offers
Small specialist roaster, roasts to order, sells beans, subscriptions and kit.
What we saw
The homepage's search description (the text Google can show under the link) says "Free UK shipping over £20". The banner on every page and the shipping policy both say free UK shipping over £50. The same banner also says "Delayed order fulfilment due to demand!" next to a promise of same-day dispatch.
Why it likely costs sales
Someone who clicks through expecting free delivery at £20 meets £50 at the basket. Baymard Institute's checkout research lists unexpected extra costs as the top reason people abandon an order, at 39% in the survey it publishes1. A "delayed" notice that has outlived the delay can also put off people who want coffee this week.
The fix
- Rewrite the homepage search description (Online Store, Preferences) so it quotes the same threshold as the banner and policy.
- Keep one accurate banner message. Remove "delayed" if the delay is over.
Check yours in 10 seconds: view the source of your homepage or search your own brand on Google, then compare the delivery offer in the search description with the banner on your site.
2. A UK maker of climbing-training equipment: delivery cost hidden until checkout
Small manufacturer with a compact range and several low-priced add-ons.
What we saw
Product pages and listing cards say only "Shipping calculated at checkout", including on an £8 item. The delivery policy explains carriers and timings but gives no UK price and no free-delivery threshold. We found no review stars or review count on the product pages.
Why it likely costs sales
Extra costs that appear late are the leading reason for abandoned checkouts in Baymard's survey1, and Baymard recommends showing delivery cost and free-delivery status in the cart and earlier. On an £8 item the postage may be as large as the product, and the shopper has no way to know. On reviews, a Northwestern University study reported by trade sites found that products with a handful of reviews sold far better than products with none, most clearly on pricier items2.
The fix
- Add "UK delivery from £X, free over £Y" under the price and in the cart (Settings, Shipping and delivery sets the rates; the text goes in the theme editor).
- Nudge small orders up with a free-delivery threshold slightly above the typical basket.
- Add a review app and email buyers a week after delivery.
Check yours in 10 seconds: open your cheapest product on your phone and see whether the delivery price is on the page before you tap "Add to cart".
3. A UK homewares and gifts shop: a free-delivery offer nobody sees
Established small gifts retailer, about 190 products from £5 to £250.
What we saw
The shipping policy says standard delivery is £3.95 and orders over £50 ship free. Neither the homepage nor a typical £16.50 product page mentions it; the only route to it is a "Delivery" link in the footer. Separately, 57 of the 192 products (30%) are sold out but still live, so visitors can land on pages they cannot buy from.
Why it likely costs sales
A shopper holding one £16.50 item does not know that adding a second or third item removes the delivery charge. Baymard recommends showing free-delivery status in the cart so people can see at once whether they qualify1. One published A/B test (a single US brand, so a hint rather than a rule) found that moving the free-delivery threshold lifted average order value by about 6% and revenue per visitor by about 12%3.
The fix
- Put "Free UK delivery over £50" in the top banner and under the price on product pages.
- Add a "you are £X away from free delivery" bar in the cart.
- For sold-out products, switch on back-in-stock alerts or point shoppers to similar items.
Check yours in 10 seconds: from your homepage, see whether a first-time visitor can read your free-delivery offer without opening a policy page.
What this means for your store
These are the kinds of thing our audit looks for, ranked by likely impact with the exact fix for each. We work from your public storefront only, so we never need a login.
Email us your shop address Audit £149, with a PDF in 48 hours. Audit and we fix the top 3, £349. If a fix is not live in 7 days, you get it refunded.Sources
- Baymard Institute, "How to Reduce Cart Abandonment": additional costs 39%, delivery too slow 21%, forced account creation 19%, checkout too difficult 18%, with the advice to show free-delivery status in the cart. The page gives no survey year or sample size. baymard.com/blog/reduce-cart-abandonment
- Northwestern University Spiegel Research Center (2017) on product reviews and purchase likelihood, as summarised by a review-app vendor. We have not read the original report, so we quote the direction only. lipscore.com summary
- Intelligems, free-shipping threshold test for one brand (about 6% higher average order value, about 12% higher revenue per visitor, no effect on conversion). intelligems.io/sportscocasestudy