---
user-invocable: true
name: checkout-flow-optimization
description: Reviews checkout flow for friction, bundling, subscription optimization, and AOV maximization.
---

# Purpose

Optimize checkout flow to maximize:

- checkout completion rate
- average order value (AOV)
- subscription adoption rate
- lifetime value (LTV)
- purchase momentum

Subscription is a bundling strategy and must be evaluated alongside quantity and add-ons.

---

# Evaluate:

## 1. Checkout step count

Fewer steps increase conversion.

Ideal flow:

Cart → Shipping → Payment → Confirm

Avoid unnecessary intermediate steps.

Severity: HIGH

---

## 2. Subscription optimization (CRITICAL)

Subscription is often the highest-value purchase mode.

Evaluate whether subscription is:

- presented at the correct time
- presented clearly
- presented with clear value incentive
- easy to select
- easy to understand
- easy to modify

---

## 3. Subscription presentation hierarchy

Subscription should be presented:

On product page:
- directly above or integrated with add-to-cart
- not hidden in secondary options

Preferred pattern:

[ Subscribe & Save 15% ]   ← visually dominant
[ One-time purchase ]

NOT:

[ One-time purchase ] ← dominant
[ Subscribe & save ] ← hidden or minimized

---

## 4. Default subscription selection

Evaluate whether default selection optimizes both:

- conversion rate
- customer trust

Acceptable approaches:

If subscription clearly benefits user:
Default to subscription, clearly explained

If unclear:
Default to one-time purchase

Never use deceptive defaults.

Trust violations are CRITICAL failures.

---

## 5. Subscription clarity

User must clearly understand:

- billing frequency
- billing amount
- cancellation policy
- modification flexibility

Unclear subscription terms create abandonment and distrust.

Severity: CRITICAL

---

## 6. Subscription friction

Subscription selection must require minimal effort.

Avoid:

- hidden subscription options
- complex configuration
- difficult frequency selection

Subscription should require no more effort than one-time purchase.

---

## 7. Quantity bundling optimization

Evaluate whether increasing quantity is encouraged at the correct stage.

Best timing:

- after add-to-cart
- inside cart
- not before product interest established

---

## 8. Shipping threshold optimization

Shipping incentives should appear in cart, not homepage.

Example:

"You're $8 away from free shipping"

This increases AOV without distracting product evaluation.

---

## 9. Add-on and cross-sell timing

Best placement:

- cart stage
- not checkout payment stage

Late-stage upsells reduce checkout completion.

---

## 10. Momentum preservation

Checkout must feel fast, simple, and inevitable.

Avoid:

- unnecessary decisions
- interruptions
- distractions

---

# Subscription UX severity levels

CRITICAL
- subscription terms unclear
- subscription deceptive or misleading
- subscription difficult to cancel or modify

HIGH
- subscription hidden or poorly presented
- subscription difficult to select

MEDIUM
- subscription available but not optimized

LOW
- minor subscription clarity improvements possible

---

# Output format

Checkout friction points

Subscription optimization opportunities

Bundling opportunities

AOV optimization opportunities

Conversion risks

Trust risks

Overall checkout conversion score: 1–10

Subscription optimization score: 1–10