I recently ordered a pizza from Domino’s. Their checkout flow is one of the best in the industry — simple, fast, and frictionless from UX standpoint. There’s a reason why their Pizza Tracker™️ is famous. But something weird happened.

After placing my order, I got stuck on a never-ending loading screen. Did my payment go through? Should I refresh the page? Was I going to be charged twice?

Then the doorbell rang. The pizza had already arrived and yet the payment screen was still spinning.

This is a great reminder that even the best-designed payment flows fail when they create uncertainty. And uncertainty at checkout kills sales.

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Why Payments Matter

Payments aren’t just the final step of the journey. They’re a key part of the value you deliver. Confusion at checkout = lost revenue. The better your payment experience, the more sales you close and the more trust you build.

Here’s what that looks like in practice.

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1. Reduce Cognitive Load

Make decisions easier, not harder. Every extra step or piece of information a user has to process increases friction.

What works:

• Step-by-step flows instead of crowded screens. A/B tests from GoodUI found that breaking a process into clearer, smaller steps increased sales by 5.5%

What doesn’t:

• Forms that require users to “figure it out.” Unclear instructions, irrelevant fields, and unnecessary options only make them hesitate

The task here is to minimise cognitive overload for users.

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2. Eliminate Unnecessary Barriers

Stop getting in the way of people who want to pay you.

What works:

• Guest checkout. Not everyone wants an account. Don’t introduce unnecessary friction
• Autofill and saved information. Users shouldn’t have to type what their browser already knows

What doesn’t:

• Forcing account creation or re-entering data you already have. People leave when you ask for too much

Try to think of users’ Job To Be Done (JTBD) and what they’re attempting to set out.

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3. Be Transparent About Pricing

This is another big one that ties into basic human psychology. Remember: Trust is fragile. Surprise costs at the last minute are the fastest way to break it.

What works:

• Show total costs upfront. Including taxes, fees, and shipping. No surprises
• Clear currency options for international customers

What doesn’t:

• Ambiguity around final prices. If users have to do mental math, you’ve already lost

If you operate in the EU, there are additional laws that enforce pricing transparency. The key, of course, is to balancing this with point #1 above.

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4. Offer the Right Payment Methods

Your users have payment preferences. Respect them. 

What works:

• Offer payment options people actually use. Credit cards, digital wallets, bank transfers, or buy-now-pay-later services
• Localised payment options where necessary. What works in Sweden won’t always work in the U.S

What doesn’t:

• Overcomplicated choices. Offer the right options, not every option

On the flip side, be mindful of the overhead costs and sheer technical complexity for your engineers if you add too many payment methods.  

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5. Build Trust Instantly

People hesitate when money is involved. A lack of trust kills conversions.

What works:

• Reassuring signals like security badges and refund policies. But only where they matter (e.g., just before payment)
• Simple, human language. “Your payment is secure” is better than industry jargon

What doesn’t:

• Overwhelming users with too many trust badges or technical terminology. You’re not trying to scare them

This point is especially important in today’s landscape with social engineering and fraud rates on the rise.

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6. Optimize, Measure, and Learn

Payment UX is a living thing. What worked yesterday might not work today. The best companies constantly test and improve.

What works:

• Measure drop-off points. Where are users abandoning the process?
• A/B test everything. Button placement, copy, and form design can all move the needle
• User feedback. Ask people what confused them. They’ll tell you

What doesn’t:

• Assuming you’ve “figured it out.” You haven’t. Keep iterating

Above all remember that great payment experience (or any digital experience for that matter) aren’t set in stone; they evolve with your customers.

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The Real Key? Data.

Payments are only as strong as the data behind them.

• Where are customers dropping off?
• Which payment methods drive the highest conversions?
• What friction points are making them hesitate?

If you’re guessing, you’re losing. A poorly optimised checkout flow doesn’t just cost you revenue — it costs you trust.

The best companies don’t just process payments. They remove friction, build confidence, and create seamless experiences that keep customers coming back.

And no one is left staring at a spinning wheel while their pizza arrives.