How to Set Up Checkout
Configure delivery costs, free delivery thresholds, taxes, customer accounts, and form requirements so your checkout is ready for real customers.
In this guide
1 Find checkout settings
All checkout options live on the Online Store Settings area of your admin panel. You need the Owner or Admin role to change them.
Where to go
Settings → Checkout
(URL: /store/{store-id}/settings/checkout)
2 Set delivery costs
Under Order Costs & Taxes → Delivery Parameters:
- Default delivery cost — the flat amount charged to every order as delivery, e.g. R95.00. This cost is applied to checkout when no complex shipping rates match the customer's cart. Leave it at 0 to not charge delivery by default.
- Default delivery name — the label customers see next to the delivery cost, such as "Standard Delivery". This field appears once a delivery cost greater than 0 is entered.
In a previous guide's terms: the default cost is your "flat fallback" — it applies when you haven't set up complex zones or when none of your shipping rates qualify for the customer's cart contents or location.
3 Set a free delivery threshold
Free Delivery Threshold lets you waive delivery charges for larger baskets — a proven way to raise your average order value. Set it to e.g. R750.00.
- Orders at or above the threshold show delivery as FREE at checkout instead of the flat cost.
- Leave it at 0 to disable free delivery entirely.
4 Configure taxes
Under Tax Parameters, set your Default Store Tax Rate as a percentage. The rate is automatically calculated on all products at checkout and shown in your order summaries.
South African VAT is 15%. Enter 15 unless your business
is registered differently. You can pick whether displayed prices include or exclude VAT in your store details settings.
5 Choose customer contact & accounts
Under Checkout Communication:
- Customer contact method — let customers check out with email or phone number, or restrict it to email only. This is also how order updates are delivered.
- Require sign-in — switch on to force customers to have an active account before checkout. When off, guest checkout is allowed which reduces cart abandonment.
6 Set form requirements
Under Form Requirements, control exactly which fields shoppers must fill in:
| Field | Options | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | First and last name / Last name only | "Last name only" speeds up checkout for returning SMS-message customers. |
| Company name | Don't include / Optional / Required | Useful for B2B stores & corporate buyers. |
| Address line 2 | Don't include / Optional / Required | Keep optional unless flats & complexes need unit numbers. |
| Shipping phone | Don't include / Optional / Required | Required is recommended — couriers may need to call on delivery. |
Fewer required fields = faster checkout. Balance data collection against conversion friction.
7 Tune customer notifications
The Customer Notifications section on the same page lets you switch transactional emails on or off, and open the editor for each template with "Configure":
- Order confirmation — sent instantly when a customer places an order.
- Draft order invoice — sent when you create an invoice for a draft order.
- Shipping confirmation — sent when you mark an order as fulfilled/shipped.
Local delivery and local pickup emails become available as you enable those fulfilment methods.
8 Going further
As your store grows, replace the flat default cost with smarter delivery options:
- Delivery zones & rates — create regions and shipping rates under Settings → Delivery. These rates are weighted against your default delivery cost — whichever matches the cart applies.
- Courier integrations — connect Courier Guy or Pudo under Settings → Shipping Integrations for live nationwide rates and labels.
- Payment methods — accept PayFast, Instant EFT, and cash on delivery under Settings → Payments.
9 Test your checkout
- a Open your storefront and add a few items to the cart.
- b Enter a shipping address and confirm the correct delivery cost and FREE badge appear when your subtotal crosses the threshold.
- c Complete the order using your test/sandbox payment gateway — no real charge is made.
- d Check the order arrives in Orders in your admin, and that the confirmation email was sent.
Test every stage before going live: default delivery, free delivery, coupons, and each payment method you've enabled.
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