The must know features of Shopify's new dynamic checkout buttons

As part of its ongoing efforts to increase conversions and make checking out from online stores as quick and easy as possible, Shopify recently introduced dynamic checkout buttons.

What are dynamic checkout buttons?

There are two key types of dynamic checkout buttons that Shopify supports.

Both types of dynamic checkout buttons are a new feature in Shopify that let customers check out faster and easier using one of three so called “accelerated” checkout methods: Amazon Pay, Apple Pay and PayPal.

Product pages can now feature an unbranded “buy now” button, that takes users directly to the checkout process for the product in question. This is a great way to increase your conversion rates and get users through the checkout process faster.

Branded dynamic payment buttons, meanwhile, feature the logo and colors of each available payment method that your store supports.

While you may be tempted to want to tweak the color of these payment logos or buttons to better suit your shop’s color palette, there’s a good reason to refrain; by using the payment types’ default brand colors and logos, you’re taking advantage of a shopper’s familiarity with these buttons seen elsewhere online.

How do I know which button will appear?

The reason this feature is called "dynamic" is that Shopify uses a variety of factors to determine which dynamic checkout button is shown to each customer:

• If a user is set up to use PayPal, Amazon Pay or Apple Pay, Shopify determines which branded button to display based on a variety of factors, including the user's device and browser (this is particularly true for Apple Pay) and which payment method the user last used.
• Keep in mind that, under the branded button a "more options" link appears and users can click this to select another available checkout option, including going through the standard Shopify checkout. 
• If a user is not signed into PayPal, Amazon Pay or Apple Pay or you do not offer any of these options, the unbranded button is shown. This button allows the user to quickly start the checkout process and buy a single product faster.
• Note that customers can still select to use expedited checkout via PayPal, Amazon Pay or Apple Pay, as available, on the first page of the checkout process — or continue through Shopify's normal checkout flow.

What are the limitations?

While dynamic checkout buttons are a great new feature that can help increase conversions, there are a few limitations that you should be aware of as a store owner:

• Your Shopify theme may need to be updated to fully support dynamic checkout buttons. The latest versions of all Out of the Sandbox themes are fully compatible with dynamic checkout buttons.
• Certain payment methods, notably Apple Pay, have very specific requirements as to when they appear. In the example of Apple Pay, the shopper must be viewing your site via the Safari web browser ona compatible Apple device.
• Cart attributes, such as agreeing to terms and conditions, date pickers, cart notes or gift wrapping are not supported if dynamic payment buttons are enabled. If you require any of these features, you should opt out of dynamic payment buttons.
• While shoppers can purchase multiple quantities of the same variant, dynamic checkout buttons do not support buying two or more different variants at a time. For example, a shopper can buy two or more red handbags, but cannot buy one red, one yellow and one blue.
• Much like the Shopify checkout pages, there are limited design options for the popup modal window that users check out in.
• While it is possible to use custom CSS to change the colors of the branded buttons, this is an advanced customization. It’s also not recommended since most shoppers are familiar with the look and feel of each button.
• Third party apps that affect product variants, options the cart and other similar areas may conflict with this feature.
• Keep in mind you will need to activate Apple Pay, Amazon Pay and PayPal separately under your payment settings in order to take advantage of each one.

How can I start using the buttons?

Before getting started, be sure you’ve read the points above and Shopify's documentation.

By default, dynamic payments buttons are not enabled, but can be activated under Sales Channels > Online Store > Themes > Customize using the steps shown here.

Then, navigate to a product page using the preview window or page selector, and open the production options pane and check the “Show dynamic checkout button” option.

This option will activate both the unbranded “buy now” and branded buttons for each of the payment methods your store and the user’s browser supports.

You can also activate this option separately under the individual section settings for sections that support “add to cart” buttons, such as featured products, if your theme supports it.

What are the pros and cons?

While dynamic payment buttons are a great way to make it faster and easier for users to check out, since every store and customer base is different, it’s always a good idea to consider if your customers will benefit directly from the feature.

One of the largest downsides of using dynamic payment buttons is that it’s not possible to upsell in order to increase order value and it can be difficult for users to buy more than one item per order.

Stores that sell customizable items or where the user is likely to purchase more than one item at once might not benefit from the the faster checkout experience.

If you’re not sure about using the dynamic checkout buttons, consider activating the feature and monitoring your conversion rate carefully over a week or so to spot any shifts.

Keep in mind that your supported payment types will still be available to the shopper during the regular checkout process, so for example even you don’t want to display the dynamic PayPal button, shoppers can still use PayPal as a payment method when they check out the traditional way.