There are some questions that an online store should never ask a shopper...

1. Since payment gateways help us check credit cards, we never need ask about money.

You will never see this.

2. Since online stores check ship-to addresses, we never need ask about delivery.

You will never see this.

3. Since online stores manage inventory, we never need ask about stock levels.

You will never see this.

So why, since we know very well who has shopped with us before, do we do this?

If your checkout begins with a page like this, then has it occurred to you that you are literally asking your shoppers to remember if they have shopped with you before. Why ask, when it's so easy to look it up, just like your store "looks up" inventory levels, and credit card status?

Research shows that when confronted with a page like this, shoppers do one of three things. 51% abandon. 33% try to check out anonymously (if it's available) and the rest use 'forgot my password' and hope to discover whether or not they were in your database. Do you really want to make it so difficult for shoppers to checkout?

Incidentally, those who feel driven to check out anonymously cause themselves - and you - a real headache. Read more here.

So, what can you do to remove this barrier? Easy. Install the Smart Checkout. There is no registration page. The first step is just to ask "what is your email address?" and from there all is smooth. If the shopper exists in the database, then he has shopped here before and just types his password. If the shopper is new, he is made welcome and enters his billing and shipping address for the first, and only, time.