Compare multi-step vs. single-page checkout processes to identify what reduces abandonment and optimize the final steps of your funnel.
About the Growth Play
This Growbook walks you through building a checkout flow optimization framework using GrowthOS. Rather than relying on assumptions, you'll test how users interact with different checkout experiences and personalize interventions based on their drop-off behavior.
With GrowthOS, you can track key drop-off points across single-page vs. multi-step flows, segment users based on where they exited, launch personalized journeys based on real-time segments and experiment with checkout flow variations using GrowthOS Experiences.
Benefits
Validate what works. A/B test single-page vs. multi-step checkout to identify the best-performing flow.
Recover drop-offs. Trigger personalized interventions based on where and when users leave.
Optimize UX. Spot friction, educate users, and smooth out final purchase steps.
Increase conversions. Convert more checkouts by aligning flow, messaging, and follow-ups in real time.
How It Works
To illustrate the use case, we will refer to an ecommerce store, "Threadly".
Step 1: Set up tracking for new user activity and define key user events
Integrate Intempt's SDK into your e-commerce website to start tracking user activities. Follow the JavaScript SDK or Shopify integration guide to ensure proper setup. Track user activities such as browsing products, adding items to the cart, starting checkout, and completing a purchase (e.g., page_view, add_to_cart, checkout_start, and purchase).
Since we need to track specific steps in the checkout process, we also need to create some custom events. To do this, go to Create Event for example "Reached payment page" and select the source: "ThreadLY shopify" then select the appropriate attribute "URL".
Good to know:
Ensure that you track the user's email attribute so you can send emails to them. This can be done by a newsletter signup popup or by incentivizing users to sign up before starting checkout.
Step 2: Create Behavioral Segments Based on Drop-Off Patterns
Navigate to the Segments section and create new segments based on the tracked events. For instance:
Cart Abandoners: Users who added items to their cart but did not complete the purchase within 1 hour.
Checkout Drop-offs: Users who initiated checkout but did not complete the purchase within 1 hour.
Payment Incomplete: Users who placed draft order but did not complete the purchase within 1 hour.
Step 3: Personalize Checkout Flow Using Experiences
Navigate to the Experiences tab and in the experiment setting, run an A/B test for Single-page checkout (fast, minimal steps) and Multi-step checkout (guided, simpler layout per screen)
Go to New Experience
Click the toggle switch to the right for experiment
This will help determine which checkout style performs better with different audiences.
Step 4: Launch Recovery Journeys for Each Segment
Each segment should trigger a customized multi-step journey based on user behavior and friction point.
Create a new Journey named "Cart Abandoners".
Trigger: Cart Abandoners segment.
Email 1: Reminder — "You left something behind".
Email 2: Urgency nudge — "Popular items sell fast!".
Email 3: Incentive (free shipping or discount).
Branch condition:
Opened but didn't click → Send SMS.
Clicked but didn't convert → Show a timer urgency banner on site.
Create a Checkout Drop-off Journey.
Trigger: Checkout Drop-offs segment.
Email 1: Explain return policies / secure checkout.
Email 2: Educational content — "Still have questions?".
Email 3: Invite to live chat or support call.
Branch conditions:
Visited FAQ but didn't convert → Offer help via SMS.
Ignored email → Try retargeting ad with testimonial.
Create a Payment Incomplete Journey.
Trigger: Payment Incomplete segment.
Email 1: Nudge — "Ready to complete your purchase?".
Email 2: Saved cart link + social proof ("10,000+ shoppers love Threadly").
Email 3: Offer help — "Have questions before buying?".
Branch conditions:
Visited FAQ but didn't convert → Offer help via SMS.
Clicked saved cart but didn't convert → Trigger time-limited offer.
Step 5: Track & Optimize
Open your journey and monitor the following metrics- Entered: Users who qualified and entered journey, Messaged: How many received the message, In Progress: Users still progressing through steps, Completed: Finished full journey, Exited Early: Dropped out before completion, Converted: Took desired action (Ordered Product).
Test and iterate on timing, incentives vs. education, multi-step vs. single-page performance, and messaging channels like email, SMS, and push notifications.