5 Overlooked Checkout Optimizations on Shopify Plus (For International Stores)

AOV grows at checkout not just on PDPs

Most brands obsess over product pages and cart UX. But the checkout is where the final value is decided. With Shopify Plus, you can lift average order value (AOV) and conversion without risky theme rewrites—fast, safe, and measurable, even across multiple markets.

Checkout UI Extensions: Upsells, trust, and local context where it matters

What it is: UI Extensions let you add modular components into key checkout steps (information, shipping, payment)—exclusive to Shopify Plus.

How to use it:

• Complementary add‑ons near shipping selection (gift wrap, care kits, protection plans).
• Trust blocks beside payment (security badges, guarantees, localized return policy).
• Market‑specific microcopy (e.g., “Free returns in the EU within 30 days”, “UK next‑day delivery by 12pm”).
• Duties & delivery expectations per country when using Markets/Markets Pro.

Impact: Subtle upsells boost AOV; contextual reassurance reduces payment abandonment—especially for first‑time cross‑border buyers.

Shopify Functions for discounts: tiers, bundles, and margin guardrails

What it is: The modern replacement for Scripts. Shopify Functions run natively on Shopify infrastructure and power custom discounting, shipping rules, and logic—without slowing checkout.

How to use it:

• Tiered thresholds by market/currency (e.g., 10% at €100 / £90 / $100; 15% at €200 / £180 / $200).
• Bundle logic (2+1, mix & match) that respects localization and inventory.
• Margin protection: exclude low‑margin SKUs, cap stackable promos, set rules by region.

Impact: Higher AOV with controlled profitability and no promo conflicts—at global scale.

Post‑purchase offers: extra revenue after payment (zero friction)

What it is: A one‑click offer shown after payment authorization and before the “Thank you” page. Because the order is already confirmed, buyers are more willing to add a complementary item.

How to use it:

• Contextual add‑ons (socks for footwear, travel‑size for beauty, lens cloths for eyewear).
• Time‑boxed offer (e.g., available for 10 minutes) and clear return rules per market.
• Market‑aware personalization (catalog and pricing aligned to the buyer’s market).

Impact: Clean, predictable AOV lift without increasing friction in the primary flow.

Płatności lokalne i kolejność metod: BLIK, Przelewy24, portfele

What it is: Arrange and enable payment methods based on what converts best by market—wallets (Apple Pay/Google Pay), cards, and local options (e.g., iDEAL NL, Bancontact BE, Sofort DE/AT, BLIK PL).

How to use it:

• If you use Shopify Payments, enable relevant local methods per market and display local currency by default.
• With third‑party gateways, ensure high visibility for the dominant local option and a minimal number of steps.
• Test payment method ordering per market: wallets → card → local rails—or invert for markets where local rails dominate.

Impact: Fewer drop‑offs and higher trust thanks to familiar, faster payments.

Global tip: Wallets drive speed on mobile in the US/UK; local rails (e.g., iDEAL, BLIK) are table‑stakes in parts of the EU. Prioritize accordingly.

One‑page checkout + address autocomplete + pickup points

What it is: A streamlined one‑page checkout with native address autocomplete and optional pickup‑point selector (e.g., service points/lockers) integrated via Checkout Extensibility.

How to use it:

• Enable one‑page checkout and remove any non‑essential fields.
• Turn on address autocomplete; add validation for common format errors by country.
• Offer pickup locations where relevant (e.g., lockers or service points) using compatible apps.

Impact: Shorter time‑to‑pay, fewer address errors, fewer last‑step drop‑offs—net gains in CR and AOV.

A 2‑week implementation playbook

Week 1

• Audit: drop‑offs per checkout step, payment‑method share by market, fields count, median completion time.
• Quick wins: method ordering, trust blocks, one‑page + autocomplete.

Week 2

• UI Extensions: add cross‑sell blocks and localized microcopy.
• Functions: set tiered thresholds/bundles + margin guardrails per market.
• Post‑purchase: launch 1–2 complementary offers.
• Measurement: tag key events, build a simple A/B dashboard.

International checkout that sells

Raising AOV doesn’t require aggressive discounting. On Shopify Plus you can combine micro‑improvements to the experience (UI Extensions, one‑page, autocomplete) with smart pricing logic (Functions) and post‑purchase sales—then localize payments to match buyer expectations in each market. The result is higher AOV and conversion without sacrificing UX or margin.

Need help? Hyper Effekt implements Checkout Extensibility, Functions, and post‑purchase flows for DTC brands selling internationally on Shopify Plus.