Checkout has become a loyalty moment.
Loyalty in the UK is becoming more conditional. Customers may still like a retailer, trust a product or recognise a brand, but that does not guarantee the next purchase.
75%
say a convenient checkout and payment experience matters more than loyalty to a specific retailer.
Loyalty is built across the whole purchase journey.
Discovery matters. Product matters. Price matters. But so do checkout, payment, delivery and returns. A poor payment experience can weaken the customer relationship, while a clear and convenient one can help reinforce it.
80%
say checkout convenience influences whether they return to a retailer.
90%
are more likely to return to retailers that offer payment methods they already use and trust.
90%
say good returns and delivery experiences make them more likely to shop with a retailer again.
24%
say checkout ease and speed are important drivers of repeat purchase.
23%
say payment options are important drivers of repeat purchase.
From friction to loyalty.
Every point of friction can become a reason to pause, abandon or switch. Explore where checkout pressure builds, and how businesses can turn it into reassurance.
Stage of journey
46%
of UK shoppers are frustrated by unexpected fees.
39%
are frustrated by delivery cost shock.
Customer question
"Do I understand the true cost?"
Friction
Unexpected fees and delivery cost shock.
Trust signal
Clear total cost, delivery information and payment timing.
Merchant action
Surface costs and payment options before the final payment screen.
42%
cite forced account creation as a frustrating checkout experience.
Customer question
"Do I have to do too much to buy?"
Friction
Having to create an account before checkout.
Trust signal
Faster checkout, fewer steps and recognised payment methods.
Merchant action
Reduce avoidable steps and let trusted payment options do more of the reassurance work.
24%
cite manual card entry as frustrating.
23%
cite security or privacy concerns.
20%
cite limited payment options.
Customer question
"Can I pay in a way I know and trust?"
Friction
Manually entering card details, privacy concerns and limited payment options.
Trust signal
Recognisable payment methods and trusted providers.
Merchant action
Display trusted payment options clearly and early.
36%
would stop shopping with a retailer because of a frustrating checkout experience.
25%
would stop shopping because their preferred payment method is not available.
Customer question
"Would I shop here again?"
Friction
A frustrating checkout, missing preferred payment options or poor post-purchase experience.
Trust signal
Clear payment, delivery and returns experience.
Merchant action
Treat checkout as a loyalty touchpoint, not just a transaction step.
Case study
Tropic Skincare
Tropic Skincare is a premium British beauty brand known for freshly made formulas, carbon-neutral operations and a purpose-led ambassador model. The brand chose Clearpay because its responsible spending approach aligned with Tropic’s values, while helping customers access skincare sets and collections without relying on heavy discounting.
Clearpay helps Tropic support accessibility, trust and growth:
Around
11%
of Tropic sales are made using Clearpay.
Clearpay customers have a
10%
higher AOV than customers using other payment methods.
Tropic has
250
staff.
The brand has
20,000+
active ambassadors.
The Clearpay app delivers hundreds of referrals to Tropic’s website every month.
“I know that anytime I shop with a brand, I always scroll to the bottom [of the homepage] and see if they offer Clearpay, especially if I’m new to the brand. I think most brands offer buy now pay later options – we’d be missing a trick if Tropic didn’t.”
— Megan Anwyl, E-commerce Manager, Tropic Skincare
DOWNLOAD the report
GET THE New Rules of Checkout
DOWNLOAD the report
GET THE New Rules of Checkout
DOWNLOAD the report
GET THE New Rules of Checkout
DOWNLOAD the report
GET THE New Rules of Checkout
DOWNLOAD the report
GET THE New Rules of Checkout
DOWNLOAD the report
GET THE New Rules of Checkout
Get The New Rules of Checkout.
Download the full Clearpay report to explore the insights behind The New Rules of Checkout and what it means for loyalty, payment choice and AI-assisted commerce.
Methodology
Morning Consult conducted the Afterpay/Clearpay “New Rules of Checkout” Survey between June 15-25, 2026 among 4,004 UK adults aged 18 and over. Interviews were conducted online, and the data were weighted to approximate a nationally representative sample based on age, gender, education, and region. The overall margin of error is ±2%.
All referenced brand statistics provided by brands.
