Cart settings control global cart functionality across both cart page and cart drawer, including free shipping progress notifications, dynamic checkout buttons, AI-powered product upsells, and customer order notes. Optimized cart features can increase conversion rates by 20-30% and boost average order value through strategic upsells and motivational shipping thresholds. Configure these cart settings to reduce cart abandonment and maximize revenue from customers already engaged in the purchase process.
What this controls Cart settings control global cart functionality across both cart page and cart drawer, including free shipping progress notifications, terms and conditions acceptance, dynamic checkout buttons (Shop Pay, Apple Pay, Google Pay), AI-powered product upsells, and customer order notes.
Cart features directly impact conversion rates and average order value. Enable shipping notifications and upsells to increase revenue by 20-30%.
How it works Cart settings are organized into four functional areas:
Shipping Progress: Motivate customers toward free shipping thresholdCheckout Options: Dynamic payment buttons and terms acceptanceProduct Upsells: AI-powered recommendations to increase order valueCustomer Notes: Special instructions and gift messages
These features work together to optimize cart conversion while improving customer experience.
Getting started
Open Theme Customizer
From Shopify admin → Online Store → Themes → Customize
Access cart settings
Click Theme settings → Select Cart
Configure shipping notification
Enable free shipping progress bar and set threshold amount
Enable checkout features
Keep dynamic checkout enabled, configure terms if required
Customize upsells
Edit upsell heading to match your brand voice
Location Path: Theme settings → CartSettings Shipping Progress
Checkout Options
Product Upsells
Customer Notes
Enable Shipping Notification Display progress bar showing how much more to spend for free shipping. Default: DisabledEffect:
Shows: “Spend $12 more for free shipping!” with progress bar
When threshold reached: “You’ve unlocked free shipping!”
Updates dynamically as cart value changes
Shipping notifications increase average order value by 10-15% by motivating customers to add items to reach free shipping.
Threshold Cart Price Minimum cart value required for free shipping. Format: Numeric value without currency symbol (e.g., “50” not “$50”)Behavior:
Enter amount like “50” for $50 threshold
Leave empty or “0” for always free shipping
Works with your store’s currency
Calculates: threshold - cart_subtotal = amount remaining
Default: Empty (always free shipping if notification enabled)
Setting the right threshold
Strategic Threshold Calculation: Formula: Free Shipping Threshold = Average Order Value × 1.5Example Calculations:
AOV 35 → S e t t h r e s h o l d a t 35 → Set threshold at 35 → S e tt h res h o l d a t
AOV 50 → S e t t h r e s h o l d a t 50 → Set threshold at 50 → S e tt h res h o l d a t
AOV 75 → S e t t h r e s h o l d a t 75 → Set threshold at 75 → S e tt h res h o l d a t
Why 1.5x AOV:
Achievable goal (customers believe they can reach it)
Significant increase (20-50% AOV boost)
Covers shipping cost (typically 10-15% of order)
Psychological motivation (visible progress)
Finding Your AOV:
Shopify Admin → Analytics → Reports
View “Average Order Value” report
Use last 30 days average
Multiply by 1.5 for threshold
Threshold by Store Type:
Fashion/Apparel: $75-100 (medium items, multiple pieces)Beauty/Cosmetics: $50-75 (smaller items, bundle easily)Home Goods: $100-150 (larger items, higher value)Jewelry: $150-200 (high value, premium positioning)Books/Media: $35-50 (lower value, volume sales)
Shipping notification messaging
Progress Messages (Automatic): Below Threshold: Threshold Reached: Always Free (Threshold = 0): Customization:
Theme automatically generates messages
Progress bar fills based on cart/threshold ratio
Celebration message when goal achieved
Updates in real-time as items added/removed
Best Practices:
Keep threshold visible and achievable
Ensure free shipping actually offered at threshold
Configure in Shopify: Settings → Shipping → Add free shipping rate
Test cart at various amounts
Shipping notification performance impact
Display accelerated checkout buttons (Shop Pay, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal). Default: EnabledButtons Shown:
Shop Pay: Shopify’s one-click checkoutApple Pay: iPhone/Safari usersGoogle Pay: Android/Chrome usersPayPal: PayPal account holdersAmazon Pay: If configured in Shopify Payments Third-party apps may conflict with dynamic checkout. If buttons don’t appear, check app compatibility in Shopify settings.
Dynamic checkout benefits
Conversion Impact:
15-25% increase in conversion: One-click checkout reduces friction30-40% faster checkout: Saved payment info, no form filling50% better mobile conversion: Native mobile payments (Apple/Google Pay) How Dynamic Checkout Works:
Customer has payment method saved (Shop Pay, Apple Wallet, etc.)
Sees familiar button in cart
Clicks button → Authenticates (Face ID, Touch ID, password)
Order completed in seconds
Which Buttons Appear:
Device-specific: iPhone shows Apple Pay, Android shows Google PayBrowser-specific: Safari prioritizes Apple PayAccount-based: PayPal if customer logged inAvailability-based: Shop Pay if customer used it before Requirements:
Shopify Payments must be enabled (for most buttons)
Customer must have payment method set up
Browser/device must support the payment method
When to disable dynamic checkout
Disable Dynamic Checkout If: Custom Checkout Requirements:
Required custom fields before checkout
Mandatory gift message or personalization
Age verification needed
Prescription upload required
Legal/Compliance:
Must collect specific information
License agreement must be shown
Regional regulations require extra steps
Business Model:
B2B store with quote process
Pre-order with complex terms
Subscription-only (custom flow)
Technical Issues:
Third-party app conflicts
Custom checkout modifications
Testing custom integrations
Keep Enabled For:
Standard e-commerce (99% of stores)
Mobile-optimized experience
Returning customer convenience
Maximum conversion rates
Terms Checkbox Text Display terms and conditions text that customers must accept before checkout. Format: Rich text (supports links and basic formatting)Example: Show Terms Checkbox Enable/disable the terms acceptance checkbox. Default: DisabledBehavior:
Enabled + text provided: Checkbox appears, must be checked
Disabled: No checkbox, checkout unrestricted
Enforced: Cannot proceed to checkout without accepting
Terms checkboxes are legally required in some jurisdictions (EU/GDPR, Australia, etc.). Check local regulations.
Terms checkbox legal compliance
When Terms Are Required: EU/EEA (GDPR):
Must obtain explicit consent for data processing
Terms must be clear and accessible
Cannot use pre-checked boxes
Required for all EU customers
California (CCPA):
Must disclose data collection
Terms must include privacy rights
Link to privacy policy required
Australia (ACL):
Consumer guarantees must be stated
Refund policy must be clear
Terms cannot remove statutory rights
General Best Practices:
Always link to full terms (don’t embed long text)
Use clear language: “I agree to…” not “I acknowledge…”
Include both Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy links
Open links in new tab (don’t interrupt checkout)
Example Terms Text:
Creating Terms Pages: 1. Terms & Conditions:
Location: Shopify Admin → Settings → Legal
Or: Create page manually at Online Store → Pages
Include: Payment terms, shipping policy, product guarantees
2. Privacy Policy:
Location: Shopify Admin → Settings → Legal
Shopify provides template
Include: Data collection, usage, third-party sharing
3. Refund Policy:
Location: Shopify Admin → Settings → Legal
Include: Return window, refund process, exceptions
Linking in Checkbox: Link Format:
Full URL: https://yourstore.com/policies/terms
Relative URL: /policies/terms (recommended)
Ensures links work on custom domains
Enable Cart Upsell Products Show AI-powered product recommendations in cart to increase order value. Default: EnabledHow It Works:
Uses Shopify’s Recommendations API
Based on first product in cart
Shows complementary/frequently-bought-together items
Machine learning improves recommendations over time
Requires:
Shopify Search & Discovery app (free, included)
Sufficient sales data for AI training
Compatible theme (Sahara supports this)
Cart upsells can increase average order value by 20-30% with zero manual work. The AI learns from your store’s sales patterns.
Heading Customize the heading text above upsell product recommendations. Default: “Complete with…”Examples:
“Complete with…” (default, versatile)
“You may also like”
“Frequently bought together”
“Pair it with”
“Add these to your order”
“Customers also purchased”
Upsell recommendation strategy
How Shopify Recommendations Work: Data Sources:
Frequently bought together: Products purchased in same orderSimilar products: Same category, tags, vendorComplementary items: Cross-category pairingsTrending products: Popular items in your store Recommendation Logic:
Customer adds Product A to cart
AI analyzes: What do customers who buy A also buy?
Shows 4-6 top recommendations
Updates if customer adds more products
Machine Learning:
Learns from every order placed
Improves accuracy over time
Adapts to seasonal trends
Personalizes based on cart contents
Requirements for Good Recommendations:
Minimum sales: 50+ orders for accurate AIProduct variety: Multiple products to recommendClear relationships: Related products sell togetherGood data: Accurate product categories and tags
Upsell heading by brand voice
Heading Selection Guide: Professional/B2B:
“Recommended products”
“Complete your order”
“Add to your selection”
Friendly/Casual:
“You’ll love these too!”
“Don’t forget these”
“Perfect pairs”
Luxury/Premium:
“Complete the collection”
“Curated for you”
“Enhance your purchase”
Action-Oriented:
“Add these now”
“Get these too”
“Upgrade your order”
Social Proof:
“Customers also purchased”
“Frequently bought together”
“Popular additions”
Gift/Seasonal:
“Complete the gift” (holidays)
“Bundle and save” (if discounts offered)
“Make it a set”
Optimizing upsell performance
Enable Order Notes Allow customers to add special instructions or messages to their order. Default: EnabledBehavior:
Text area appears in cart
Customer can enter free-form text
Note passed to Shopify order
Visible in order details for fulfillment
Character limit: 500 characters (Shopify standard)
Common Uses for Order Notes: Gift Messages:
“Please include: Happy Birthday Sarah! Love, Mom”
Most common use case (50%+ of notes)
Gift stores should always enable
Consider adding “Is this a gift?” checkbox elsewhere
Delivery Instructions:
“Leave package at side door”
“Ring doorbell, dog-friendly”
“Apartment 3B, buzzer broken”
Reduces delivery issues and redelivery costs
Customization Requests:
“Please use blue thread instead of red”
“Engrave: JM + SK”
“Extra spicy, please!”
Product-specific modifications
Special Handling:
“This is a surprise, please use plain packaging”
“Rush order if possible”
“Include invoice for business expense”
Timing Requests:
“Deliver after 5pm”
“Hold for pickup Friday”
“Send by Saturday for birthday”
When to disable order notes
Disable Order Notes If: Automated Fulfillment:
Fully automated dropshipping (no human review)
Third-party fulfillment can’t handle notes
Warehouse system doesn’t support notes
Standardized Products:
No customization offered
No gift services
Digital products only (no shipping)
Scale/Volume:
Very high order volume (notes slow fulfillment)
Cannot review notes for every order
Automated systems handle everything
Keep Enabled For:
Gift stores (most important!)
Custom/personalized products
Small-medium volume stores
Stores with human fulfillment
Premium/personal service brands
Alternative Solutions:
Custom product options for specific requests
Gift message app for dedicated gift notes
Contact form for complex requests
Managing order notes in fulfillment
Processing Order Notes: In Shopify Admin:
Open order
Notes appear in Notes section
Review before fulfillment
Add to packing slip if needed
Best Practices:
Check notes before packing every order
Flag orders with special requests
Respond if request cannot be fulfilled
Track common note types for process improvement
Common Note Categories:
Gift: Include message cardDelivery: Follow special instructionsCustomization: Apply requested changesTiming: Prioritize or hold as requested Communication:
Email customer if note unclear
Confirm if request cannot be met
Set expectations (“We’ll do our best…”)
System Integration:
Most shipping apps show notes
ERP systems can import notes field
Packing slip apps include notes
Fulfillment services may support notes
Best practices
Set strategic shipping threshold
Always enable dynamic checkout
Use terms checkbox for legal compliance
Keep upsells enabled
Customize upsell heading
Enable order notes for gift stores
Test shipping notification at various cart values
Monitor upsell performance
Keep order notes enabled unless automated
Link to real terms pages
Common use cases
Revenue optimization store
Settings:
Shipping notification: Enabled
Threshold: 1.5x AOV (e.g., 75 f o r 75 for 75 f or
Dynamic checkout: Enabled
Terms checkbox: Disabled (unless legally required)
Cart upsells: Enabled
Upsell heading: “Complete with…” or “Frequently bought together”
Order notes: Enabled
Why:
Shipping threshold drives additional purchases (+10-15% AOV)
Dynamic checkout maximizes mobile conversion (+30% mobile)
Upsells add complementary items (+20-30% AOV)
Order notes allow gift messages (increases gift purchases)
No terms checkbox friction unless legally required
Best for: Most e-commerce stores, fashion, beauty, home goods
Legal compliance (EU/GDPR) store
Settings:
Shipping notification: Enabled
Threshold: Set based on AOV
Dynamic checkout: Enabled
Terms checkbox: Enabled
Terms text: “I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy ”
Cart upsells: Enabled
Upsell heading: Customized
Order notes: Enabled
Why:
GDPR requires explicit consent for data processing
Terms checkbox provides documented consent
Links to actual terms/privacy pages (transparency)
Dynamic checkout and upsells still optimize revenue
Order notes support customer service
Best for: EU-based stores, international stores selling to EU, privacy-focused brands
Settings:
Shipping notification: Enabled or Disabled (depends on strategy)
Threshold: Lower than usual (gifts are impulse, easier threshold)
Dynamic checkout: Enabled
Terms checkbox: Disabled (unless required)
Cart upsells: Enabled
Upsell heading: “Complete the gift” or “Perfect additions”
Order notes: ENABLED (critical!)
Why:
Order notes essential for gift messages
Lower shipping threshold (gift buyers less price-sensitive)
Upsell heading references gifting
Dynamic checkout for busy gift shoppers
Cart note for “Is this a gift?” confirmation
Best for: Gift shops, flower delivery, holiday stores, personalized products
High-volume automated fulfillment
Settings:
Shipping notification: Enabled
Threshold: Moderate (balance volume and value)
Dynamic checkout: Enabled
Terms checkbox: Enabled if required
Cart upsells: Enabled
Upsell heading: Social proof (“Customers also purchased”)
Order notes: Disabled
Why:
Fully automated fulfillment can’t process notes
Social proof heading validates purchase decisions
Dynamic checkout speeds high-volume processing
Shipping threshold optimizes per-order revenue
Upsells automated through AI
Best for: Dropshipping, print-on-demand, high-volume warehouse fulfillment
Luxury/premium positioning
Settings:
Shipping notification: Disabled (always free shipping implied)
Threshold: N/A
Dynamic checkout: Enabled (convenience for premium customers)
Terms checkbox: Disabled (unless required)
Cart upsells: Enabled
Upsell heading: “Complete the collection” or “Curated for you”
Order notes: Enabled (personalized service)
Why:
Premium brands offer free shipping (no threshold needed)
Luxury language in upsell heading
Order notes support white-glove service
Dynamic checkout for convenience
No friction (terms) unless legally necessary
Best for: Luxury goods, high-end fashion, jewelry, premium electronics
Products - Product card appearance affects upsellsButtons - Checkout button stylingColors - Cart UI color schemesFeatures - Currency codes shown in cart
Need help? Test cart features with real products at various price points. Add items, watch shipping notification update, try dynamic checkout buttons, review upsell recommendations.
