Every tap counts when it comes to mobile shopping. Consumers today expect smooth experiences - and mobile checkout friction is one of the biggest obstacles to conversion. Even small points of friction - like slow mobile web loading times requiring users to create an account before they can make a purchase - can disrupt the customer's journey and lead to abandonment. With up to 70% of users abandoning their carts before completing a purchase, the question becomes: how much revenue is your brand losing due to interruptions in user shopping journeys? 

What Causes Mobile Checkout Friction

User experience is a critical determining factor in whether a user completes a purchase. Mobile checkout friction appears when the user journey is interrupted after clicking a link, and is a direct answer to the question all retail marketers struggle with at some point, which is “how to get higher conversion rates (CVR)”.

There are several friction points that directly affect conversion rates and cause drop-offs in the user journey, such as:

• Inability to reach the app: In many scenarios, users are redirected to a mobile web browser instead of the retailer’s app, especially when clicking links from social platforms. This can be disruptive for users who are already logged in and accustomed to shopping within the app.
• Linking to homepage instead of product page: Redirecting users to the homepage instead of directly to the desired product page creates unnecessary steps and delays the purchase process.
• Poor navigation or broken links: There can be up to 10 or more taps that go into navigating a product link to purchase. Dead-end links or unclear navigation can frustrate users and increase this number, making it difficult for users to find products and  complete their purchase.
• Slow load times: Mobile users expect fast, seamless experiences. Slow loading pages or lagging experiences can lead to impatience, causing users to abandon their carts before checkout.

By identifying and reducing these barriers, retailers can not only streamline the user journey, but can also recover substantial revenue that would otherwise be lost. Recapturing the 70% of users who abandon the mobile checkout journey represents a significant untapped revenue opportunity for revenue teams. 

Each lost checkout isn’t just a missed sale — it’s a signal of friction that can be resolved. Addressing these friction points can directly increase conversions and unlock exponential growth. Even a modest reduction in abandonment rates can result in a substantial lift in overall revenue. The right technology partner will be able to provide solutions that help you easily overcome these friction points, before they happen in the first place.

‍How to Overcome Mobile Checkout Friction

There are a few ways the right technology partner should equip you to eliminate mobile checkout friction and deliver a seamless shopping experience for every user. The biggest priority should be to focus on the best possible path to conversion. Here are a few things you should look for:

• Real-Time Journey Optimization: Using AI to dynamically make routing decisions in real-time, guiding users through the best possible path to conversion.some text
  • Button considers a number of variables (OS, browser version, application version, country-level rules and more) to identify and mitigate broken experiences, streamlining the customer experience end-to-end.
• Seamless Transitions from Social Platforms to Apps: Routing the user on the best, seamless path to convert in the app, rather than staying at the link’s entry point.some text
  • Button's best-in-class routing ensures that users are properly routed to the retailer app, even from walled gardens such as social platforms.
• Resolutions for Broking Experiences: Seeing broken experiences before they happen and directing the user on the best path to convert - whether that's in the Retailer's app, or via the mobile website. some text
  • Button recognizes when broken links or poor navigation could result in a substandard user experience, and will route a user for the best chance at conversion.

Button's links are built to solve for the ever-increasing use cases of links on the web - working in the background to ensure users are taken on the most seamless, efficient journey in order to maximize revenue potential for retailers. So far in 2024, Button has driven an average 20% increase in revenue for each retailer journey optimized across our network. What could that mean to your 2025 revenue goals?

Eliminate Mobile Checkout Friction in 2025

For revenue teams, this opportunity isn't theoretical — it’s measurable. By optimizing the path from product discovery to checkout, you can transform the user journey into a revenue-driving engine. Leveraging technologies like AI-powered deep linking, smarter redirects, and real-time journey optimization ensures that every user is guided through the fastest, most efficient path to purchase. Reducing mobile checkout friction not only drives immediate revenue but also builds a scalable model for future growth.

Now is the time to refine every touchpoint in your app experience, and recapture the 70% of users you’re missing out on - starting with how customers navigate from paid links. By addressing these friction points, you can enhance customer loyalty, drive higher conversion rates, and unlock growth. Ready to take your revenue to the next level? Button is here to help. Reach out to us today to learn how we can help you succeed in 2025!